A Christmas Gift

A Christmas Gift1

By: Tangela Linn2

Prologue 3

Carolina Wilson always enjoyed Christmas. Owning a toy store named Santa’s Workshop allowed her to enjoy the Christmas season all year long. As long as I’ve known her she’s been the most spirited person in North Carolina. Her tree was up on Thanksgiving, she bought toys for tots, was the loudest Christmas caroler willing to make a joyful noise and often times she volunteered at the soup kitchen on Christmas Day to ensure every soul had the chance to enjoy a holiday meal. But there was a time, about three years ago I believe, that Carolina was experiencing and all time low. 4

Santa’s Workshop wasn’t generating the business they had in the past. Homemade, wooden toys were no longer as appealing as the technologically advanced causing sales to plummet. Talk of a new superstore, Day Mart would be Asheville’s saving grace, however to Carolina and her sister Marie it marked a dim future for their store. 5

I was there to witness the miracles that took place on the Christmas 2008. At the time, I as well as many others was skeptical of holiday mysteries. Stranger things have happened than the events of that year but despite the worst economic situation in over fifty years, five people were brought together by an exchange of angelic proportions. Two people from two sides of life’s bridges bonded by a very special Christmas gift. 6

1 7

“Day Mart? What kind of crock is that?” Marie asked her younger sister Carolina. “Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we’ve made slightly under $1,000 profit all week. The proposition of this Day Mart superstore has everyone in this town in a backward haze.” 8

For a moment Carolina stopped painting the wooden truck she was working on and stared at her sister. “I suppose it’s hard for our hand made things to compete with computer chips and animatronic voices.” She held up the small vehicle that set securely in the palm of her hand. “To us this is beautiful but without remote controls or revving engines the children would simply set this toy to the side leave it forgotten.”9

“Maybe we should buy into this,” Marie offered holding the flyer to the light.10

Carolina frowned. “How could we give up all this? Grandpa Wilson left us this shop when he died.” 11

“I know sis but in Grandpa’s day this shop was more than it is now. You can’t fight consumer demand.” 12

“Sure we can! Isn’t Christmas about hope?” she protested.13

“Well yeah but we’re the little guy and Day Mart is the big man. They have over four million stores nationwide. There’s only one of us.”14

Ding Dong Ding Dong15

The grandfather clock next to their work bench struck 8 p.m. Marie returned the baby doll she was reborning to it’s carriage for the night. 16

“It’s quittin’ time,” Marie smiled. “Only one more work day until Christmas!” she paused at the door key in hand watching Carolina. “Are you coming?”17

Carolina smiled at her sister tenderly. “Oh you go ahead. I’m going to finish these toy cars so I can take them to the church. We are wrapping presents to take to the shelter tonight.”18

“You never stop do you? I wish I had the time and the money to do everything you do but I have a family to take care of. When are you going to start looking forward?” Marie lectured. 19

“It’s not that I’m not looking into the future, the right man just hasn’t came around.”20

“Carolina you haven’t dated in three years.”21

“Dating isn’t a priority at this point. I get all the love I need through helping people. The homeless, the abused, the neglected and rejected need me.” 22

“People put themselves in those situations, Carolina. You’re so naive.” Marie checked her watch. “Eight-thirty. Hopefully you can lock up on your own. I know Clay is probably smoking up the house trying to boil water and Jenny is running around naked. They need me.”23

“Go ahead I’ll be fine.”24

Marie reached out to her sister. “Be careful at the shelter. Those people are animals. One of them might rob you.”25

“Thanks for the concern but I don’t think I’ll have to worry about that.”26

“Suit yourself,” Marie replied coldly shutting the door behind her and bustling down the street to her car. 27

228

A blanket of snow was layering the ground as Carolina waited calmly in line at the bank to deposit the weeks earnings. She was next in line observing the people packed like sardines in the tiny building. 29

As she approached the teller’s bench she noticed a middle-aged woman speaking to the senior banker. The woman was crying and pleading with the cold man. 30

“How can you foreclose on my house on Christmas Eve? Where will we go?”31

“Lady you are four months behind in payments. You have racked up $100,000 in debt.”32

“But sir it’s Christmas.”33

“Christmas? That’s just an excuse for your kind of people.”34

“Ma’am,” the teller’s voice broke through the hubbub. 35

“I’d like to make a deposit,” she responded half heartedly. 36

Where will we go? The woman sobbed. 37

Under a bridge sounds good. In any response it doesn’t affect my pay check. The elder man handed her a pink slip. “We will be changing the locks tomorrow morning. You need to evacuate the premises immediately.”38

“Ma’am we’re in a hurry here.”39

“Never mind,” Carolina mumbled walking over to the table. She laid the envelope of money down in front of the banker along with a check. 40

“Here’s $100,000 so I believe that means she is debt free.”41

The woman looked shocked. “I can’t take your money.”42

“I insist it’s Christmas.” 43

The lady smiled and hugged her graciously. “My name is Shirley Johnson and I will repay you for this. What is your name?”44

“Carolina Wilson and that’s not necessary. I’m happy I could help”45

346

Carolina returned to the shop to see Marie locking up. The snow was falling more rapidly and the narrow city streets were still packed with shoppers in search of a final bargain. 47

“How much money do we have in our funds for the new year?” Marie questioned.48

“Zero,” Carolina stated.49

“Zero? What? How?” Marie raged. “What did you do? Did you get mugged?” 50

“No,” she stumbled. “I gave it away instead of depositing it.”51

“YOU DID WHAT?! Are you completely insane? What on this Earth could have possessed you to do that?!” Marie was boiling over with anger pacing the shop clutching her keys like a dagger. 52

“The woman was a mother. The banker was going to foreclose on her house tomorrow, on Christmas. She was four months behind in payments so I gave her the $100,000 to clean out her debt. She promised to pay me back.” 53

“Carolina you are an idiot!” For god’s sake you’re twenty-six years old when are you going to grow up? You might as well start revising your resume for the new year. Come January we’ll be out of business before Day Mart opens.” She was so furious tears ran down her cheeks like rain. 54

“Everything is going to be okay, Marie. I have everything figured out.” Carolina whispered. 55

“No!” Marie screeched. “You didn’t take one minute to think about anyone but yourself. You didn’t take one minute to think about how this would affect me? You’re too busy being Jesus’ disciple.”56

“What’s wrong with that?” She muttered. 57

“God doesn’t exist.” Marie bellowed. 58

Carolina felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. “Then what do you think Christmas is but the birth of our savior?”59

“Christmas is just another excuse to spend money such as Valentine’s and birthdays. I spent $3400 on Christmas presents this year.”60

“That’s not Christmas at all,” Carolina protested. “Don’t you remember how mom celebrated Christmas?”61

“Yes,” Marie stated. “But mom died on Christmas Eve when I was fifteen and you were thirteen, you remember? That ruined Christmas for me and when I was left forsaken with no one to help me through my pain, I gave up on God.”62

“This Christmas is going to be different,” Carolina promised. 63

“Not from the looks of it,” Marie snorted. 64

“Please Marie if you can’t trust God at least trust me.”65

“Yeah, okay” she retorted sarcastically.66

“Get home to Clay and Jenny,” Carolina offered. “Merry Christmas.”67

468

Carolina didn’t have a husband or children like Marie did. She knew that Christmas would be awful depressing if it weren’t for her service at the shelter. There was no better feeling than waking up at 5:30 am to serve the homeless a meal they might not have received under different circumstances. 69

When she returned around 11 am there was a note taped to her door. Gingerly she retrieved it reading slowly: 70

Dear Carolina, 71

My family and I genuinely thank you for your help. In honor of the holidays we would like to invite you to Christmas dinner. Our address is 1510 W. Carrington Ave. Hope to see you. 72

Love,73

Shirley74

After changing Carolina picked up gifts for Shirley’s children at the shop and drove across town to the location designated in Shirley’s letter. 75

The area outside of town was barren and quiet. She couldn’t help but notice by the town’s appearance that she had officially dropped below the poverty line. 76

Shirley’s house was a rustic mountain cabin tucked into the small town like an unnoticed pebble. The outside was nothing to brag about and the 1985 LeBaron in the driveway appeared to be held together by duct tape and chewing gum. 77

She knocked on the door and was greeted by a small, plump middle-aged woman with a cloud of gray hair atop her head that she recognized as Shirley. 78

“I’m so glad you came!” Shirley exclaimed embracing Carolina. 79

“I’m thrilled you invited me.” Beaming she followed Shirley into the kitchen. The whole house smelled sweet of ginger and spice. 80

“The kids are anxious to meet you.” As if on cue three children barreled out of the side room. Charlie was the oldest, seventeen, Shirley mentioned proudly. He worked part time at Ryan’s in Cullowhee washing dishes. Amy was ten, the middle child small and thin clearly into Barbie dolls at the time. Last was Jacqueline or Jackie as they called her. She was quiet and shy tending to allow herself to blend into the background if you let her. 81

Carolina handed the children their gifts which were miraculously age appropriate. To Charlie an antique train set her and Marie had been restoring. She brought Amy a life like baby doll and Jackie a set of wooden cars. 82

“You didn’t have to bring anything. We know you’ve done more than enough for us.”83

“I wanted to.” Both women knew that Carolina had brought gifts for the kids because she didn’t want to see them go without.84

“Thank you,” she smiled. 85

Ding86

Shirley wiped her brow slowly. “Let’s eat!”87

After dinner Carolina helped Shirley clear the table and wash dishes. 88

“I don’t think I can say thank you enough,” Shirley smiled as she started a pot of coffee. 89

“It’s really not necessary.”90

“You know we haven’t always lived this way,” Shirley began. “My husband, Glen, died in August. He lost his battle with Leukemia. Glen had been fighting for two years. After that I took on a second shift at the deli but everything got behind.”91

“I’m sorry.”92

“You were a life saver.”93

“I’m glad I was able to help.”94

Ding a Dong Ding Dong Ding a Dong Ding95

Shirley beamed. “Now I have a present for you.”96

Before Carolina had an opportunity to respond Shirley opened the door and introduced her to a tall man in a pressed business suit. 97

“This is my brother-in-law, Simon, he’s an executive from New York. He specializes in toys.” 98

“Nice to meet you,” Carolina smiled. 99

“I’ve been to your toy store and I think your work is amazing.”100

“Thanks, it’s too bad Day Mart is going to shut our doors when they open at the beginning of next year.”101

“Oh no I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”102

“Excuse me? What do you mean?” Carolina questioned. 103

Simon plucked a letter from his coat pocket and handed it to Carolina. She scanned it and began to stare at him in disbelief. 104

“You want to take Santa’s Workshop nationwide?” She smiled. 105

“Correct,” he pulled a contract from his briefcase. I think you and your sister should sign on with my company immediately. Look over these documents and fax them to the number above by tonight.”106

“Thank you!” Carolina embraced Simon and Shirley. “This means so much to me!” 107

“I had to pay you back somehow,” she smiled. 108

5109

Carolina pulled her yellow SUV in Marie’s driveway and rushed to her door. Marie and Clay were dressed in matching Santa sweaters, both of their families were seated in the living room having coffee and Jenny totted through the house carrying a big yellow bus and two Barbie dolls. 110

“Merry Christmas!” Carolina greeted. 111

“Good day,” Marie welcomed. “Are you hungry?”112

“No, I’ve already eaten.”113

“How?” It had been tradition for Carolina to have dinner with her sister and their family for years. Marie was obviously surprised with the sudden change of plans. 114

“If I told you you’d never believe me.”115

“Come in sister,” Marie smiled. 116

Following an extreme scrutiny of the day, the letter and the contract, Marie was speechless for the first time. 117

“What does this mean?” Marie finally sputtered.118

“Santa’s Workshop is going national. This is a dream come true. It’s the saving grace I promised you would come.”119

Marie hugged Carolina sweetly. “Thank God!” she exclaimed.120

“It’s about time you said that,” she cried holding her sister close to her heart. “It’s about time.” 121