Hello, everyone, and Merry Christmas!! Love that my friend Karina Kantas has invited me to this event. Here you will find all my works, sample pages, reviews, buy links, and other writings (in Other Writings page heading). Feel free to explore!!

Now, for the short-short. (NOTE: This whimsical, very naive, short-short was written by me in 1970 for publication in my high school’s newspaper. I was, at the time, seventeen years old, but I had been delving into writing since I was thirteen. It is an obvious work of fiction. Ah, memories.)

The Christmas Present

“To dream is not so hard a thing to do,” said Jimmy. “I dream all the time.”

The wagon moved slowly and clumsily along the dusty path. It was December 21, 1835. A poor family was migrating. They had lost everything because of the industrialization in the East and their only hope remained in vast, wild land that lay before them.

“Jimmy,” the woman said. “Don’t get too illusioned, my boy. Do not dream of things that will probably not come true.”

“But, mama,” said the child. “Don’t you believe that Santa will come and leave me some presents? Don’t you have faith in him?”

The tender, delicate woman smiled. How could she tell a seven-year-old boy that Santa did not exist? How could she destroy that beautiful, innocent illusion he had?

“Well, Jimmy,” she said. “We will wait and see what happens. We’ll see.”

The days passed slowly, but Jimmy did not give up hoping. He was filled with so much joy and faith that he did not even stop to analyze his mother’s words.

Finally, the big day arrived. It was December 24th. Dinner was already over and he didn’t hesitate to jump into bed and say his prayers.

“What are we going to do, Alex? What are we going to tell Jimmy? It breaks my heart to know he will be so disillusioned.”

“Don’t worry, darling. We’ll have to tell him the truth – there is no Santa! He is a young man now. He will understand.”

“It seems so cruel to disillusion such hopes,” said the mother tearfully. “It is so cruel.”

Jimmy was already settled in his bed and saying his prayers. “Santa, I don’t ask for much. I only ask for a pony like the little Indian boy I saw had. Thank you for listening, Santa, and have a happy journey. Amen.”

Jimmy closed his eyes, heard the sound of horse’s hoofs, and fell asleep.

“Mom, Dad, look! Look what Santa brought me.”

The couple was puzzled. They hadn’t placed anything out for Jimmy. They rushed to where Jimmy was and received quite a surprise. There, tied to the back of the wagon was a beautiful pinto pony, saddled with a deerskin which had this word written on it. AMEN.

“You see, Mama. I told you he would come.”