A Special Christmas
It was December 24th 1946, Christmas Eve. Even for Saskatoon Saskatchewan it was cold. It was one of those magical winter nights on the Canadian Prairies, one that if you haven’t experienced it, is hard to imagine. There was not a breath of wind in the minus thirty six-degree temperature. Smoke from the coal stoves and furnaces rose straight up to the stars, stars so bright you were sure you could almost reach out and touch them. The crunch, crunch, of my felt lined, Elk Skin Moccasins on the fresh snow seemed to vibrate down the dark streets.
There were no cars on the roads. I seemed to be the only one out that night. I guess most of the people were inside with the warmth and cheer of family and friends. No Christmas lights or decorations lit up the streets, but these were friendly streets, and I loved being out here on this special night.
I was an eleven-year-old with a mission. If I could finish collecting for my paper route tonight I would have the seven dollars the broach at the Bay cost. Boy would my Mom love it. I had it all figured out. I would be finished collecting by seven, jump on the bus and get downtown by seven fifteen. The Bay didn’t close until eight so everything would work out just right. These were the days when there were few stores to choose from, and they were all downtown, unlike today with big shopping centers.
Well as often happens in real life, many people just didn’t have the money to pay that night. They were kind and considerate, but when all was said and done, by seven P.M. I only had four dollars. I guess I couldn’t get Mom that broach this Christmas. Darn it all, I had been looking at it in the Bay window for months, and imagining the look on Mom’s face when I gave it to her. Oh well I guess I would just have to find her something else.
I jumped on the bus and headed down town with four dollars worth of dimes, nickels and quarters in the little sock I used for my change.
“Where you headed on such a cold night, son?” Said the bus driver, “No, no, don’t bother putting in the nickel. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m glad for the company.”
“Thank you Sir, I’m just going down to the Bay to buy my Mom her Christmas present.” I said cheerily.
“Are you sure it’s open so late tonight?
“Yep, I read in the paper they would be open till eight every night this week.”
“OK if you say so, but I thought they would close early on Christmas Eve.”
The nice bus driver let me off across from the Bay. I hurried across the street and pushed the door, it didn’t budge, guess it was frozen. I tried again, still no luck. Then I saw a man inside waving his hand at me and mouthing the words “Were closed”. I tried to reason with him, but he just turned and left. Now what was I to do? It looked like all the stores on the street were closed. I guess I would just have to go home without a present for my mother. I couldn’t help it but a tear or two started down my cheek; they didn’t get to far though, they froze part way down.
Boy was I getting cold.
“Oh well the nice bus driver would be coming back in about ten minutes, I’ll just stand here and wait for him.” I said out loud.
As I stood there hopping from one foot too the other, I began to realize just how terribly cold it was. Just then, a streetcar came down 2nd avenue with a sign in the window saying “20th Street”. I figured if I got on this car I could get out of the cold for a little while. I would get off at avenue “H” and transfer to the next streetcar; it would take me to within a block of my home.
I got on the streetcar, took the sock out of my pocket, found my nickel and put it in the money thing.
“Could I have a transfer please?” I asked.
“What do you need a transfer for?” The operator asked, in a rather gruff tone.
“I want to get off at avenue “H” and get the avenue “H” streetcar.” I said
“OK, here.”
“Thank you.”
The streetcar operator didn’t say a word to me. We stopped at Avenue “H” and he waved me off.
Here I was out on the corner in the cold again. Boy it was cold it must have been getting close to forty below. An evening that had started out with so much anticipation and hope had certainly taken a turn for the worse. As I stood there in the cold I got this brilliant idea, I would start to walk back along 20th street and meet the avenue “H” Streetcar. This way I would get into the warm streetcar sooner. I walked along with my scarf around my face, looking up every few seconds for the streetcar. I got to avenue “G”, still nothing in sight.
“Guess I can make it to avenue “F” before it gets there.” I said to myself.
I knew the streetcar would not stop between streets so I started to hurry for avenue “F”. About half way along I saw the streetcar coming and started to run to get to the corner. I got there just in time.
“Boy is it ever cold out there.” I said as I handed the operator my transfer.
“What’s this?” He said, glaring at me.
“My transfer Sir, Im transferring from the 20th street car.”
“You can’t use a transfer at avenue “F”; you must use it at avenue “H”.
“Oh that’s OK, you see I got off at avenue “H” but I was so cold so decided to walk this way to meet you” I explained as I started to sit down across from the operator.
“Well that’s just too damn bad, either pay another fare or get off my car.” He almost screamed at me.
I couldn’t believe my ears.
“I can’t see what the difference is Sir, I have the transfer, and I’m the only passenger on the car.” I said
“Look punk, don’t get smart with me, and just get off my bloody streetcar.”
“OK, OK I’ll put in another nickel,” I said reaching for my sock.
“Oh no, I left my sock on the other streetcar.” I said as tears again welled up in my eyes.
“I’ve had enough of this.” The operator said as he grabbed my by the arm and flung me out the open door.
As the streetcar pulled away I stood in the cold completely numb. Not from the cold, but from the wretched way an adult had treated a small boy. I realized I now had to walk home; it was only about seven blocks so I wasn’t worried about freezing or anything, but it was very cold. I decided to take a shortcut down the alley.
I trudged along with my head down, with frozen tears sticking to the scarf around my face, wondering where all the love and joy had gone that night.
As I walked along, the Northern Lights began one of their brilliant shows. As they danced across the sky I was sure I could hear them crackle and cry. Cry, yes I did hear a little cry. I stopped and backed up a few feet and listened. Yes there it was again, a faint little cry. I looked around but couldn’t see anything so I started to walk on again. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw a slight movement against the side of an old garage. I went over to have a look. As I bent down, a little white curly head looked up at me. This little face had the biggest, saddest, eyes I had ever seen.
“Hello little guy.” I said as I reached down to pick him up.
He didn’t make a sound, just kept those big eyes looking into mine. Oh he was so small, just a little white ball of fur. He (it turned out to be a he) looked something like a poodle, but what on earth would a baby poodle be doing out on a night like this. I put him inside my parka. I could feel his cold little feet and nose against my chest. I liked the feeling. He didn’t move all the way home, but by the time we got there he was nice and warm, and I think asleep. My Mother had told me about her little white dog that she had as a young girl. She had loved it very much. As I walked along I began to get a feeling that maybe God had really been with me all night and everything that happened was part of his plan. I would find this lonely little puppy. I would give my Mom this little dog and tell her it came from heaven, she would love him, and we could keep him forever.
As I neared home I saw the welcome sight of my mother peering out the frosted kitchen window into the dark night lit only by the dim glow of the street light. I opened the side door and a cloud of steam enveloped me as the warm kitchen air met the frigid outside. As I stumbled into the kitchen Mom said looking very relieved.
“Ken where have you been? I’ve been worried sick; you shouldn’t have gone out on such a cold night. What on earth have you been doing?
“I, ….I’ve been out trying to get you a Christmas present Mom.” I said, my eyes again starting to fill with tears.
Just then a little white head poked out of the neck of my parka. Two big black eyes looked into my mothers.
“ Oh look at that beautiful little thing, it is the absolute best Christmas present I have ever had. Thank you very much Son.” Mom said as she gently took “Snookums” from my parka and kissed his nose.
Mom loved Snookums, and we did keep him forever.
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