NCW - The Perfect Christmas Guest (standard:drama, 992 words)
Author: Maureen Stirsman	Added: Dec 31 2005	Views/Reads: 3643/2319	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A strange young boy arrives at the Golden's on Christmas eve.

NCW-The Perfect Christmas Guest 

Morris carefully positioned the lacey angel. “Is that straight?” 

“Yes, dear. It's perfect.” 

Morris comes down from the stepstool and looks at the tree. It's nice,”
he says. Nice—I don't want just nice. That's Morris. He never gets 
excited. As for me—well you know me. 

My daughter, JoAnne's, family was going to come for Christmas but their
neighbor died and JoAnne said she couldn't leave Millie, his widow, 
alone. ” 

I look out of the window at the proverbial “White Christmas” everyone
dreams about. But there is no joy in it for me. It looks as though it 
will be a quiet, holy night. 

Then the phone rings and I hear Morris, “A boy? Okay. That's good. Cora
will love to see you.” Morris hangs up and turns to me. “The Uliases 
have picked up a hitchhiker or something. When Kevin was filling up the 
gas tank he saw a boy hiding behind the building. He looked cold and 
hungry. He said he was on his way home for Christmas from a children's 
home in Illinois. His father was supposed to come for him.” 

“What was he doing at the highway restaurant?” I ask but the answer will
have to wait. The doorbell rings. ... It has been quite a day. 
Maryann's family is a joy. But the mystery of the visit is Robert. When 
Kevin found the boy he said he was waiting for a ride. His father was 
sending someone to pick him up. This was in conflict with his previous 
story, but Kevin didn't ask any more questions. They couldn't leave the 
boy alone. He's small for his age, which he claims is fourteen. Kevin 
had given him the cell phone and told him to call his father while he 
paid the bill. He said his father wasn't able to come and he should get 
a ride home to Syracuse. Maryann said, “I don't really believe he's 
going to Syracuse, and I don't think he talked to any father on the 
phone. We have to go on to Mom's but I don't know if she can handle 
it.” 

We tried to get more information from Robert but he sticks to his story.
He would hitchhike home he said. In the end we sent the Uliases along 
and put Robert to bed in the room I had ready for Mark. We insisted he 
call his father again and Morris would take him to get the first bus 
out in the morning—Christmas morning. We would not allow him to 
hitchhike. His father, on the phone, supposedly agreed. ... Morris is 
talking to Robert who is buttering toast. His backpack is by the door. 

“Did you sleep okay, Robert?” I ask from the doorway. 

“Yes, ma'm. Thank you.” 

He's very mannerly. I wonder why he's in a home in Illinois but I don't
want to ask. He will soon be gone. 

It is two hours before the bus comes. “It is a beautiful tree, ma'm. I
never saw one that perfect before,” the boy says. 

I pick up a gift with Mark's name on it. “Robert, Merry Christmas,” I
rip off the tag. I also give him the red hat and gloves I made for 
Mark. 

“Oh I couldn't possible take that, ma'm,” 

“Of course you can. It's Christmas.” He opens the package carefully.
It's a video game. “If you have it already I'll send another one to 
you.” 

“Oh you don't need to do that. I don't have this one. This is great.” He
carefully puts it back into the package. 

All too soon he shakes my hand and thanks me again. I wave as he and
Morris get in the car. ... I hear the Cadillac on the gravel and open 
the door. “Honey, did you get Robert off okay?” And there is Robert 
opening the passenger door. “Robert, what happened?” 



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