The Stalking

I was frightened sitting on his lap. Not because i was scared of him but I was afraid of what I needed to ask for. He leaned in and smiled deep and warm his white whiskers tickling my cheek.

 

"What is it that you would like this year?"

 

My words wouldn't come. I just stared. Finally a gruff whisper broke out of my throat, "True Love."

 

I saw heads spin in the croud and the old man lurched up. His red stocking cap fell to the floor as his smile ceased.

 

A forced smile worked its way into his eyes and he asked me,"You want what?"

 

"True love," I said this time managing a little bravery.

 

He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "There are some things, son, I'm afraid even Santa Claus cannot deliver."

 

He boosted my behind off his lap and I was whisked away by the elf that was in charge of keeping the line moving. I looked back over my shoulder and catching Santa's eyes following me he looked away.

 

I waited all night Christmas Eve. Year after year I had tried to stay awake and I had always failed. This time I was no where near sleep. I had my clothes on under my covers and had my plan. I wasn't going to catch Santa coming out of the chimney in my livingroom. I was going to wait on the roof with his raindeer and catch him coming back out. I had placed a ladder on our porch the day before sure that no one would notice since we didn't use the porch in winter. I wasn't interested in toys this year it was something far greater.

 

I had a dream. It was far more real than anything I had ever known including my waking life. I was much older and was sitting with her. We laughed such a laugh that tears were streaming down our faces. Although the dreaming child hosting the dream was not of age or even remotely understood sex, in this mystical dream I was pationately entwined with my lover and the sensation of perfect love surrounded us and we laughed a joy nearly unearthly. A mere boy of 10 I woke from that dream different.

 

I became obsessed. Obsessed with love. Not just love but true love. I began to look for it everywhere. I would watch adults in stores seeking signs of it. I snuck out of my bed at night and watched tv so low I could barely hear it hoping the movies would explain it to me. I spent hours at the library reading the sonnets of Shakespeare trying to capture in the old verse the esscense of it. In it all I both recognized it and also knew that until it was personal to me every search was in vain.

 

I sprang out of bed and clambored out the window when I heard the Jingle Bells and the hooves on our roof. Running around the house I slowed myself to climb the back stairs to the porch for the waiting ladder. I nearly dropped the ladder as standing it up was nearly too much for me something I had not planned. I looked down for a minute and saw the hieght from our roof and was scared for a moment before topping the ladder and standing on the roof. Just as I did I saw the old man in his sooty red garb heft his bag back in the sled.

 

He turned to me and said, "There are some things one should just not ask for little one."

 

With that he cracked his whip and flew into the sky leaving a trail of small diamonds in his wake.

 

It was nearly morning by the time I was brave enough to top the ladder and climb back down from the roof. When Santa had left it had turned quite dark and all my confidence left. Once I did reach the porch I made my way back to my room cold and tired. I slipped into my pajama's and hid under the covers until my breath warmed me then went upstairs to examine my stocking. What I found was a lump of coal.

Reviews

[Emerald Seas]

You cannot seek out true love - the more you look for it the more elusive it becomes... stop searching and enjoy life's journey. That is the miracle of true love ... it finds you.
Cute read, with a lesson sewn within the words.

[...]

. i'm moved to tears ... i did meet my soul mate ... i experienced true love ... but that was just one part of it ... his mind is injured ... he cannot think clearly ... he left after 7 months ... confused and baffled ... but not without telling me about what had caused the injury ... he doesn't have an inkling about its impact ... yet i am hopeful ... when i reached the end of this short story, i felt that true love has to be given time ... it takes a lot for coal to be formed ... i hope that my love will be as valuable as coal ... i am willing to wait ... thank you for this post ... i learnt a lot about life and love and the significance of time and patience from you ... that's my interpretation of this story ... i am empowered and inspired by these words ... and i wish you true love ... if you haven't found it yet, i'm sure you will ... the universe won't ignore your earnest prayer ... and, yes, i can confirm that it's a personal version of true love that we find ... but it's very real ... it's true ... and ... it's moving and beautiful ...

[Liderien]

awww....coal? well, s**t!
thats what you get for looking for something you cant find, you bad boy!
Cute story but so sad too.