It was Christmas Eve. It was a: “silent night, all was calm, all was bright.”
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The tree lights lit up John’s living room on and off, alternating colors from neon blue, to red, to gold. Jose had helped him decorate with even a miniature plastic Christmas tree bought at the dollar store. There were wrapped gifts tended around the minuscule tree. Overall there was a cozy, magical feeling in the apartment, in comparison to the chilly winter night outside.
Jessica did not work that night. She had requested to work the lunch shift instead.
She brought from the restaurant a dozen tamales of assorted chicken, cheese, and sweet pineapple, one whole baked chicken with fries, and three large servings of hot, sweet champurrado to drink. The scent was a heady combination of cinnamon, blended with the succulent chicken, fresh salsa, and sweet pineapples. She set her gifts for John and Jose around the midget tree as well.
While listening to Christmas carols on the radio, they gorged on the feast set on the table, until Jose could eat no more.
- “John, how come you don’t have a girlfriend? Like why don’t you go to the senior center or something to meet a nice lady so that you don’t live alone?” asked Jose.
The tree lights lit up John’s living room on and off, alternating colors from neon blue, to red, to gold. Jose had helped him decorate with even a miniature plastic Christmas tree bought at the dollar store. There were wrapped gifts tended around the minuscule tree. Overall there was a cozy, magical feeling in the apartment, in comparison to the chilly winter night outside.
Jessica did not work that night. She had requested to work the lunch shift instead.
She brought from the restaurant a dozen tamales of assorted chicken, cheese, and sweet pineapple, one whole baked chicken with fries, and three large servings of hot, sweet champurrado to drink. The scent was a heady combination of cinnamon, blended with the succulent chicken, fresh salsa, and sweet pineapples. She set her gifts for John and Jose around the midget tree as well.
While listening to Christmas carols on the radio, they gorged on the feast set on the table, until Jose could eat no more.
- “John, how come you don’t have a girlfriend? Like why don’t you go to the senior center or something to meet a nice lady so that you don’t live alone?” asked Jose.
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- “Oh no! I’m too set on my ways. Besides, you should see the designs those women have on me. I can virtually see them licking their chops - or in most cases their dentures - eager to sink their claws into me. You see Jose, when you get to be my age, you will see that there are more women then us, so we are in high demand indeed. Wish this had been so when I was a young man.” He chuckled.
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- “Really Jose! you should mind your own business and not make John uncomfortable with your impertinent questions!” said Jessica, while looking around the living room. She could not pin point what it was that seemed different. She figured it must be the holiday decor.
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- “Really Jose! you should mind your own business and not make John uncomfortable with your impertinent questions!” said Jessica, while looking around the living room. She could not pin point what it was that seemed different. She figured it must be the holiday decor.
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- “Sorry John. Hey can we open the gifts now?” pleaded Jose.
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- “O.K by me.” said John.
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- “Cool! I’ll pass them around! Jose said eagerly.
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For Jose, Jessica got sneakers, socks, two jeans, and a few warm sweat shirts (Jose seemed to be growing like a tree). For John, she got him a 2008 calendar, and a basket she decorated herself and filled with a bottle of wine which she had asked her co-worker to buy for her at Vons.
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For Jose, Jessica got sneakers, socks, two jeans, and a few warm sweat shirts (Jose seemed to be growing like a tree). For John, she got him a 2008 calendar, and a basket she decorated herself and filled with a bottle of wine which she had asked her co-worker to buy for her at Vons.
There were also crackers, almonds, Brie cheese, strawberry jam, and grounded coffee from Starbucks. She figured she had drunk a lot of his coffee during the frequent talks they had shared. John had become a really good friend, and mentor.
John on his part, gave Jose a game of chess, and told him he’d teach him to play. For Jessica, he got a set of lavender tone mittens, a scarf, and matching knitted hat.
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They exchanged warm hugs along with the gifts, and were ready to start a game of chess when there was a knock on the door.
- “Excuse me, I am expecting company.” John said, while he went to open the door.
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John on his part, gave Jose a game of chess, and told him he’d teach him to play. For Jessica, he got a set of lavender tone mittens, a scarf, and matching knitted hat.
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They exchanged warm hugs along with the gifts, and were ready to start a game of chess when there was a knock on the door.
- “Excuse me, I am expecting company.” John said, while he went to open the door.
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Imagine Jose’s and Jessica’s surprise when their dad Juan, stepped inside and called out to them with open arms. They ran to him and the three embraced and laughed, and cried simultaneously.
After a while, Juan disengaged himself from his emotional kids, and walked up to John and gave him a man’s hug, and whispered: " Thank you."
That detail did not escape Jessica, and then it clicked for her. She turned around and observed the wall where the old American flag with the circled 38 stars would have been, and it was there no more.
She went to hug John once more, and whispered: “Thank you John, you have no idea what this means to me….no idea at all….” She said this as she sobbed tears of immense gratitude and relief.
-“Thank you…I love you John.” She whispered.
Jessica slept in “heavenly peace that night.”
After a while, Juan disengaged himself from his emotional kids, and walked up to John and gave him a man’s hug, and whispered: " Thank you."
That detail did not escape Jessica, and then it clicked for her. She turned around and observed the wall where the old American flag with the circled 38 stars would have been, and it was there no more.
She went to hug John once more, and whispered: “Thank you John, you have no idea what this means to me….no idea at all….” She said this as she sobbed tears of immense gratitude and relief.
-“Thank you…I love you John.” She whispered.
Jessica slept in “heavenly peace that night.”
