The Christmas Gift

Only 6 more days until Christmas. James was only 12, but his grandmother thought he was old enough to walk home from school. Everyday, he looked in Goodies huge display window. They still had the guitar he’d been wanting for two years now. He wasn’t sure if they just had a large stock and kept replacing it, or nobody in Landing (population 128) wanted the thing but him. To covet something, they learned is class today, meant yearn to possess or have. He certainly coveted that sweet blue guitar.

He had mowed lawns and raked leaves for a year and half, his grandmother always saying, “If you want something bad enough, you’ll work hard to get it!” So for months, while the seasons changed, James jobs changed. It was starting to snow. His grandfather had passed away 5 years ago when James was only 7, but he remembered his kind smile and gentle eyes. He also knew he’d left a nice snow shovel in the garage and that would be his next tool to make money.

James started to leave the huge display window when something sparkly caught his eye. Diamond earrings, but not just any earrings. They matched the ring his grandmother wore everyday. Marquise cut; he knew the word because his grandmother used it often in describing the one thing she had left from her husband, his grandpa. It was her pride and joy.

He looked at the guitar: $224.99. Only 50 more dollars and he could have his coveted possession. He looked back at the earrings and thought about the sweet grandmother who had raised him: $349.99. He would need a whopping 175 more to get those earrings. Way too much money. Besides, his grandmother never asked for anything for Christmas. He knew money was tight and he might not get anything. If he worked hard enough, he could get his own Christmas gift and tell his grandmother she didn’t have to worry about getting him anything. Wouldn’t that be enough? He’d known for years there was no Santa Claus. A friend from school had told him. It was just as well since his friends had all been getting toys while he’d been getting clothes to keep him warm. Knowing his grandmother was simply buying what she could afford and Santa wasn’t treating his friends better made things a little easier to bear somehow.

All the way home, James thought about the guitar and the earrings. He also thought about his vocabulary words from Ms. Keenan’s English Class. Besides covet, there was exhausted, peculiar and magnanimous. He always tried to use them in a sentence to remember what they meant.

Exhausted was easy because James was exhausted, between school and sports and then taking care of peoples lawns, James was exhausted. James was about to pass Mr. Hodges house. The man was always peculiar because he stood behind the door when James would knock to ask if he wanted any chores done to his yard. He would never open the door more than a tiny crack. However, he would always agree to James doing the chores and he always paid James better than anyone else on his route. He would slide an envelope out the crack in the door that read thank you. Mr Hodges wasn’t much for words but he would definitely help James reach his goal. He decided to stride down the snow-filled sidewalk to Mr. Hodges door. After the same routine, James found out that yes, Mr Hodges would like the snow shoveled and he also asked James to bring his mail back from the mailbox, a chore he’d done many times for free, because Mr. Hodges seemed not to like being outside all that much.

Magnanimous was harder. He hadn’t remembered hearing that word before, but to his recollection from class, it meant: generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person. As the guitar and earrings swirled through his head until he reached his home, he finally realized. His grandmother would be magnanimous concerning the guitar versus buying her a Christmas gift. She would forgive him easily for thinking of himself instead of her. I mean, why wouldn’t she? She didn’t even know about the earrings.

James greeted his grandmother with a hug when he got home and took off the warm winter coat she had gotten him last year. “Dinner is ready, eat before you go back out to shovel yards.” His grandmother knew him well. It was the first snow of winter and she knew how he was saving his money and why. “Mr Hodges wants his yard done and Mrs Miller and Mr Smith already told me last week they needed me as soon as the first snow fell. So that’s three yards already,” said James. “That’s fine as long as you get home before dark. James ate, got his warm coat, scarf and gloves back on, and went to the garage for his grandpas snow shovel. He carried a broom too, in case he needed to sweep off Mrs Wilson’s huge wraparound porch. She usually talked a lot and kept him from his other houses, but hopefully the cold weather would cut their conversation short and allow him to go make extra money.

The snow drifts got pretty high on his walk, but most of the yards were easy to shovel. They all asked him to just shovel their walkways and steps. A few asked him to put salt down, but luckily they had bought their own because peculiarly enough, he hadn’t thought of needing it. It would have been hard to lug that along with him to all the houses too.

He was done and finally home and could kiss his grandmother goodnight, take a shower, do his homework and fall asleep counting the money he had made. Would it be enough for his guitar? He couldn’t wait to find out. After he was done with everything, he heard his grandmother yell down the hallway. “Lights out in 15 minutes. School comes early ya know.” He got out all his envelopes and the 20 dollar bill Mr Smith had given him for his yard.

Mrs Miller was first. Her envelopes usually held lots of one dollar bills and counting them would make him feel exhausted, but she usually paid less than the others and he wanted to save the best for last. He opened the envelope and started counting. 22 ones in all. He was up to 42 dollars. He knew he’d have the 50 dollars he needed for the guitar and his heart was pounding with excitement and joy.

Mrs Wilson was next. He had been right. She only talked a short while this evening, because of the cold weather and James insisted he didn’t have time to come in and warm up. She did, however, make time to let him know that she threw in a Christmas bonus for all of his hard work throughout the year. 2 twenty dollars bills, 1 ten, 1 five and 4 ones: in total she had given him 59 dollars. He couldn’t believe his eyes! His hands were shaking with glee. He was already up to 101 dollars and hadn’t even opened Mr Hodges envelope yet!

As he fidgeted (another vocabulary term, he remembered) with the envelope, he pulled out a letter. Something Mr Hodges had never done. “Dear James,” it read, “I am proud of what a hard worker you are. Your grandfather was one of my best friends. He would be proud of you too. I’m giving you a little extra for always doing extra for me. I don’t come outside much after losing my wife Ethel to cancer, but I see all your effort though my windows and I thank you for making an old man’s yard look as fine as it possibly could. Tell Mrs. Penny (James’ grandmothers name) I said hello. Your Friend, Jack.” Inside the envelope was a 100 dollar bill!!! 201 dollars. He had way more than enough for his shiny guitar! But somewhere in the back of James mind, he was reminded that he had more than enough for those beautiful earrings as well…

His grandmother was right. School did come early and even though he had turned his light out on time and even fallen asleep pretty early, his dreams were filled with swirling thoughts of guitars and earrings. It was then that James made up his mind. This year I’ll be generous and get those earrings. After all, the guitar has been there forever. Unlikely someone will buy it now. But those earrings are once in a lifetime and my grandmother deserves it for sure.

He got all his money in one big envelope, placed it in his backpack and headed to school. Today he would come home with grandmothers earrings. He was almost too excited to wait until after school, but Goodie’s wasn’t open yet, so he would have to wait. The school day seemed to stretch on forever. He aced his vocabulary test but the rest of the day was a never ending blur. Finally the bell rang and he could head for the store.

Once more he gazed at his guitar through the window and again glanced at the earrings. They seemed to sparkle and wink at him, making him know he had made the right choice. He walked in and proudly asked the manager, Tim, his name tag professed, for the marquise cut diamond earrings in the front window.

Tim had seen him outside many times before. He thought for sure James wanted the blue guitar that he had seen him longing for daily. “Are you sure, son?” said Tim, “that guitar has always seemed to please you, and these earrings are a bit more expensive.”

“I’m sure,” said James, “Can you wrap them for Christmas by any chance?” “Of course,” said Tim, “Mabel will fix you right up!” “You must have been saving for a long time. Who are you buying the beautiful jewelry for?” “I’m buying them for my grandmother!” James responded. “I can’t wait to see her surprise!”

On the way home, James felt a tinge of sadness about his guitar, but thinking about his grandmother made him forget it quickly. When he reached the house, he knew dinner would be ready, along with a fantastic story (usually about his grandfather). This was his favorite time of day, unwinding to great food and amazing stories always made him happy. His grandmother was the best! “Well, said his grandmother, where is your guitar? I know you’ve saved money for so long and Goodie’s is only open one more day before Christmas.” She had already paid for music books and lessons to go with his guitar for Christmas, unbeknownst to James.

“It’ll have to wait one more year, grandma. I just haven’t made enough money yet.” James frowned. He didn’t want to ruin her Christmas surprise, so he decided one little white lie wouldn’t hurt. “Oh James! I’m so sorry dear! I know you’ve saved and saved. His grandmother thought for a moment and then said,” Tomorrow is Friday. I’ll be out, so I will probably buy dinner instead of cooking. What would you like?” “James, without flinching said, “a chicken sandwich and frozen lemonade from Chick fil a.” “Very well,” said his grandmother, “I will see you after school!”

The last day before Christmas break, thought James, as the bell rang to let him know he could hurry home for his favorite fast food. He was running past Goodie’s when he slid to a stop on the ice and snow. Where was his guitar?!?!? Oh no, he had gotten his grandmother’s earrings and someone else had stolen his guitar out from under him! He made his way home, with a lump in his throat and a tear in his eye. He sure hoped the happiness he brought his grandmother would be worth more than the loss of his guitar.

On Christmas morning, James woke up. He didn’t immediately jump out of bed, imaging the socks and gloves he’d probably be getting, but remembering the earrings and went to the back of his closet and pulled them out. When he went to the living room his grandmother was waiting for him. “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” They said at the same time! Laughing, James looked in front of the tree and saw three small packages and one big one. He set the earrings down in front of the tree and began opening his gifts. He wanted to save grandma opening her gift for last.

The first two gifts were exactly what he predicted: socks and gloves. He was happy because he did need them. In the third box we’re some books and a certificate. The books were for learning guitar and the certificate was for one years worth of music lessons from Mrs. Wilson. Too bad he didn’t get the guitar, because he knew Mrs Wilson would talk and talk but would teach him everything he wanted to know about a guitar. “Thank you so much grandmother,” said James, “but Goodie’s sold the guitar. I noticed it coming home from school on Friday. It’s ok though. I’m sure there will be another one.” James grandmother pointed at the big gift. “You should open that peculiarly shaped gift now. Let me know what you think!”

James looked at his grandmother excitedly. It couldn’t be what he thought it might be. He eagerly tore into the wrapping paper and inside he found the wooden instrument with strings going down the front! It was his blue guitar! He ran and hugged his grandmother tightly! “How grandmother! You couldn’t afford this!” James exclaimed. “It’s truly a Christmas miracle!” said his grandmother.

“Wait,” said James. “I have something for you as well, but when James grabbed the small box and took it over to her, she reached out and took it gingerly. He noticed for the first time in his entire life that his grandmother wasn’t wearing her ring. “Where is your ring grandmother?” “Oh I was getting tired of the old thing,” said his grandmother. She had actually sold it to get his guitar, but she figured one little white lie wouldn’t hurt.

As she opened her gift and saw the earring which magnificently matched the ring she no longer owned, she looked up with tears streaming down her face. James realized hot tears were stinging his eyes as well. “Oh James, you didn’t! These are simply perfect!” Said grandmother. “Yes, but now you don’t have grandfather’s ring anymore!” They were supposed to be a matching set!” James said with a little more anger than he had meant to show.

Just as his grandmother started to speak, they heard a knock at the door. It was Mr Hodges. “Come in Jack!” “Hello Penny. Hello James,” said Mr. Hodges. “Oh my goodness, James!” Said his grandmother. “Mr Hodges decided to come for a Christmas visit!” James didn’t know what to think. He didn’t even know it was Mr Hodges because he had never seen his face. But he immediately knew what to say, “Thank you for the extra Christmas money! I was able to buy my grandmother a very nice Christmas gift thanks to you!”

Mr Hodges smiled. “ I heard about that. You see I own Goodie’s and Tim talks to me everyday about what goes on there.” I heard about a grandson buying earrings to match his grandmother’s coveted ring and a grandmother who sold her ring to buy her grandson’s covered guitar. I realized the connection and decided maybe a little Christmas help was in order. Jack reached into his pocket and handed Penny her ring back. “But Jack, I can’t afford to get this back and my grandson deserves his beautiful guitar!” James piped in, “please Mr Hodges, I need my grandmother to have the matching set. I can give you the guitar back right now.”

Mr Hodges smiled and nodded his head. “I hadn’t heard anything so touching since my wife, Ethel, died. I knew James was a good kid, but I didn’t realize how selfless he was. This is my Christmas gift to your family. I want you to keep the ring and the guitar! The earrings suit you Penny and they do look stunning with that ring from Harold (Penny’s husband and James’ grandfather). I still remember when he came into Goodie’s and bought it. He was a fine man Penny. I miss him almost as much as I miss Ethel. Penny grabbed the man’s hand and pat it gently. “There will never be another woman like Ethel,” Penny said. She was as fine a lady as ever lived.

With that, Mr Hodges smiled and nodded. “Thank you both for giving me back some Christmas spirit. James, when the weather gets warm again, I think I’ll be helping you with the chores in my yard. It’ll be nice to get outside and spend time with the kindest young man I ever met.” James responded, “Thank you Mr Hodges! You and my grandmother made this the best Christmas anyone could ever imagine. Hey Grandma, when can I start my lessons?”

They all laughed as the Christmas Bells rang outside and James fingers strummed the strings of his favorite blue guitar!