Calvin Synod Herald, 2003 (104. évfolyam, 3-12. szám)
2003-11-01 / 11-12. szám
9 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Johnnie, consulting his notes. The little inlaid coffee table goes there. It’s a surprise from a friend of hers. She’s a retired school teacher. Lives alone. She admired this table in the store but she felt she could not spend so much on herself at Christmas, she said.” “Who is it?” called a woman’s voice when Johnnie knocked on the door at 1501 Orchard. “We’re Christmas Delivery Service from Smith’s Department Store. We have a package for you,” Johnnie answered as the apartment door opened. “Young men, I am sure you are mistaken. I did not order anything from Smith’s” the woman said positively. “This is 1501 Orchard, rear apartment, isn’t? You are Miss Alice Andrews, are you not?” “Yes, that’s the address and that is my name, but, really, there must be some mistake, I am sure.” “We’re to uncrate this and place it just in front of the love seat,” Johnnie said, again reading his notes. Quick fingers undid the wrappings and the mahogany wood of the table glistened then the soft light filtered across the inlaid top. “It is beautiful and just what I have wanted for years. But you are mistaken... You are the clerk I told I could not afford such a luxury for myself.” “Yes, ma’am,” Johnnie answered. “I think this explains” and he handed a small note to the puzzled woman. “You see, the soldier who ordered this said you were to have the table on Christmas Eve so you’d remember a promise he made you. It was the year he was in your senior English class. Something about keeping Christmas in his heart all year. He said the tile pictures on the table top would explain - especially the one which shows the church with the tall spire... Merry Christmas to you, Ma’am.” “Merry Christmas to you both,” the woman answered. “He did remember! So Harold has decided to go into the ministry instead of show business. He would have made a great actor but he’ll be a greater minister,” she said softly to herself as she gently nibbed the top of the table with the tips of her fingers. “Where next?” A1 asked as they reached the truck. “Allen Street with a dryer for a woman who has six kids. Her husband said it would be a merry Christmas for him just to see the house clear of wet snow suits. And next door to that we leave a platform rocker for an elderly couple. Their daughter in Florida ordered it sent to them,” Johnnie replied. “Next?” A1 asked when the Allen Street delivery was complete. “Did you ever see anyone so pleased as that woman as to get the dryer? And the old folks - you’d have thought that chair pure gold the way they admired it!” “The next item is a toaster - Pop-Up Deluxe - going to the north side of town -18 Justice Street,” Johnnie read his list. “Why doesn’t Smith’s Department Store sell to neighborhood groups?” groaned Al. “That’s the far side of nowhere - six full miles across town.” “Santa and his helpers can go any place on Christmas Eve, Al,” Johnnie reminded him. “Around the block we go with this next item,” Johnnie told Al when the pop-up toaster had been left at its destination. “This tag says: ‘Please unwrap and play the tape that is on the machine when you set it up.’ Wonder what we’ll hear.” A handsome woman of perhaps fifty answered the knock. “Merry Christmas from Smith’s Christmas Eve Delivery Service, Mrs. Sweet. We have a gift for you.” Al said. The recorder was installed on a table in the living room and the tape began with a medley of Christmas hymns. Then a man’s voice said, “Merry Christmas, my dear. May the glory of the angelic message, the curiosity of the shepherds, the wealth of the wise men be yours this season. And may the new year be the first one we spend - together, David.” Then the Christmas music resumed. Misty eyed the woman turned to Al and Johnnie. “Would you suspect a college president of being too bashful to propose in person? Next year you’ll deliver gifts to President and Mrs. David Hill.” As the two went down the walk they heard her say, “The miracle of modem invention simply make it easier to tell the old story that love is the greatest gift of all.” “Now we are Cupid, too, on this trip,” Al said, “but you know, it is fun. This Christmas Eve job has its points after all. What next on the list?” “Radio-phonograph combination for an address on Walnut Street,” Johnnie read from the list. “Well, what do you know, one of the neighbors must be getting a Christmas present. If it’s near our place maybe I’ll drop over to see how I like the record selections. What’s the number?” “Oh, let’s see - 8092,1 think,” Johnnie answered. “What - that’s my address? Are you sure? No one would be asking me to deliver my own Christmas gift, now would they? Must be some mistake!” Al protested. “Well, let’s deliver it and see what the card on it says,” Johnnie replied. “This certainly is addressed to you at 8092 Walnut. Maybe your secret admirer sent it to you.” “Well, well, I never expected to be Santa’s little helper bringing things to myself,” Al shook his head in dismay. “But who could have sent anything like this to me.” When the apartment door opened, three boys younger than Al but so much like him it was easy to see they were his brothers called, “Merry Christmas, Al, merry Christmas! W’hat have you got there?” “What do you fellows know about this radio-record player addressed to me?” Al asked the boys. “Look at the card. It says, ‘Christmas greetings to our favorite big brother.’ Now you know what all the secrets around the house have been about. Did we fool you!” the brothers shouted gleefully. “Can you imagine that! I brought my own Christmas gift out on the load?” Al shook his head in amazement. In quick succession the other items were delivered to expectant families making last minute preparations. “My, my,” Al said, “I think we must have had a whole fruit cake apiece. Was that the seventh or the tenth time we just had to have a bite of something before we went out into the cold again? The Christmas spirit seems to be everywhere tonight.” “Only one more item, Al,” said Johnnie as he checked the list (Continued on page 10)
