"December's Magic"

   Christmas Eve in Walmart was a nightmare. The crowds of people in their shopping frenzy, were for the most part, pleasant. Last minute gifts for their children and loved ones were on their minds. And I, like several shoppers in front of me, was in the check-out line from hell.
  My basket filled to the brim of Christmas Dinner entrees and all the trimmings.Twenty-five pound Butterball, the prize of my shopping safari. The pickin's were indeed slim, and I was lucky to nab this prized bird, for all of the other's were frozen and this would not due. No, not on Christmas Eve.
   You see, I had been tasked by my wife, to run this errand while she continued making preparations for our move, which deadline was only one week away. It seems that our Christmas celebrations were taking a back seat to this untimely, yet unavoidable move from our current house in the city, to a new life in the foothills of New Mexico's desert mountain region.

   Hey, I'm not complaining. It might be farther to drive to work, and more gas to burn, but oh, such a view. Acres and acres of land for our two boys, our two horses, our two dogs, our two cats, and lets not forget Bugsy, the rabbit.  Anyway, my wife is more or less, in charge of the move. Well, to be honest, she is more or less in charge of everything. She always has been the person that gets things done. Everybody loves her for this. Especially me. Her friends flock to her like kittens to a moma cat. They love her honesty and her giving of herself to others. Those who don't, the're just jealous.
   So here I am, standing in line to check-out, getting all the fixin's for tomorrows grand feast. Hey, at least I'm missing out on all the fuss of packing, sorting and tossing all the stuff we have accumulated in our two years since our "last move" from Michigan to New Mexico. Why do people keep so much stuff? And at Christmas time, they just go out and buy more stuff.
   Getting closer to check-out. Guy in front of me has two brand new bikes, already put together. Smart guy. Thinking back , seems like yesterday, buying bikes in a box for my boys. Staying up past midnight, Christmas Eve to Christmas morning, trying to put em' together. My wife, of course, took the job over, not even using the directions. How do they do that?

   The guy with the bikes,  balances the two wheelers out of the store, on their way home to await his children's delight in the morning's suprise. My turn. Wheeling my overstuffed basket up to the pleasant, smiling cashier. Noticed the lady behind me with two small children. The're hands combing through the goodies set up strategically adjacent to every check-out ailse, just to drive us parents crazy as we try to get-in, get-out, with our sanity intact.
  The lady behind me has a small amount of food in her basket. Small roasted chicken, two cans of green beans, two cans of corn, box of instant mashed potatoes, and two candy bars that her children begged for. I noticed her patience wearing thin, as she tried her best to maintain her children in line.
   "Excuse me ma'am," I spoke up. "Would you like to go ahead of me?" I asked her, smiling, knowing the relief I just gave her. She nodded politely, and said thank you as she pulled her basket and two children to the front. I smiled at her two little ones, wondering what surprises await them in the morning.

   The cashier totals the lady's bill, and she slides her card through the machine. The cashier sheepishly tells her that it's declined. She looses her composure just then, and remarks about her drunken husband spending the last of her pay on booze. She's in tears now, as she mutters an explictive in-between Merry and Christmas, and storms out of the store, emptyhanded except for her two children in tow.


   I just stood there. Watched it all. I did nothing. And then it was too late. The cashier apologized as I pushed my cart up and started to unload my prized bird and all her treasures. For some reason, I tuned out all that was around me. My mind wondering what kind of Christmas that family would have. I didn't even hear the cashier's voice as she gave me the grand total.


I'm not feeling pity, I want you to know. I was angry. Angry at myself. I did nothing! Then, I thought, if I had it to do over again, I'd of offered to pay the lady's bill. Yes, I told myself. That's what I'll do next time. Next time. Too late for her and her family. The cashier wished me a 'Merry Christmas', and I replied the same back to her. My heart still with the lady that had left emptyhanded.
   Out of the store, cold, fresh air to greet me. I looked up at the Christmas colored sky, stars winking at me. What a magical night this is.  On the bench, next to the exit, was the lady who was in front of me. She was still in tears, oblivious to her two children's cries. She was so upset that I was a little apprehensive as I approached her.
   " Excuse me, Ma'am," I said, trying not to upset her even more. "I want you to have this." My words following my heart, as I not only offered her my prized bird, but my entire bounty, overflowing basket and all.
She looked up from her tear-stained, make-up smeared eyes, and at first, couldn't say a word. Then,
   "I- I don't want your pity!"
   "No Ma'am!" I calmly offered. "Ma'am, It's Christmas! Please, Take it. Take it all. It is my present to you. Please."
She could not believe her ears. "Na- nobody does this crazy thing?" She protested. And I just smiled.
   "Merry Christmas Ma'am!" She got up and gathered her children, and slowly pushed the stuffed cart towards her parked car, miles away I supsect, parking lot madness in full effect.
She looked back and stopped  an oncoming car, honking an oblivious objection to our magical moment.
   "Merry Christmas to you Sir!" She smiled back at me. I turned away, just then. Not able to hold back my tears any further. Tears of joy. Magical tears of joy that only seem to happen at this magical time of the year.
   As I started back into Walmart, I looked again, to the sky. There was a special glow, that I did not notice before.
It was the glow of Christmas Love. It was the glow of December's Magic. I re-entered the store and the cart lady offered me a cart, and before i could retrieve it, a heavy-set lady in a hurry, grabbed it and was off to the races!
  I gladly took the next cart offered to me by the cart lady. Smiling all the way into the store as the left front wheel squeeked and skided with every step I took.

cKs.