Write your abstract here.CHRISTMAS
EVE JULY 23, 1969Small towns are boring, except at Christmas time. On Main Street,the snow is falling gently as it settles on the town in restfulembrace. The lights from the stores bathe the people that pass in agolden warmth. Every face is familiar and all are friends. Dan stands in front of the theater with the boys. They have known eachother since day one. Some are no longer here. That’s another thingabout a small town: memories last. He is the first to see the girlscome around the corner. He strains to see through the muted grey of theearly evening. When he finds what he is
looking for, his heart skips abeat. Sherry became a friend on the first day of school, but for the pastcouple of years, Dan cannot stop thinking about her. His shyness keepshim from telling her how he feels. Sherry
walks right up to him andasks for a cigarette. When he holds the lighter for her, their eyesmeet and both seem to understand all of those unspoken words. Once in the movie, Sherry makes sure that they sit together. When shetakes his hand, his heart pounds and he worries about his sweaty palms.After the movie, he walks her
home. Their conversation is not the usualtalk, tonight it’s about their dreams. In front of her house she makesthe first move; he is glad for he would never have had the guts. Thesweet, moist taste of her lips enslaves his desires. He has to hurry on the walk home. It is Christmas Eve and his
family isbeginning to gather for the feast. When he walks in he is greeted byhundreds of little bears, mice, snowmen, angels, and elves, all inSanta hats, looking out of every nook & crannie. Mom always lovedChristmas and her decorating is an act of love. After dinner, all of his aunts, uncles, cousins, and his family singcarols. Dan hears crying and leaves the living room to investigate. Heopens an unfamiliar door. His mother is in the room and she is crying.He can see her busted heart within her eyes. “I am coming home mom. Don’t cry; I am going to make it. I am coming home.” “MEDIC, MEDIC!” the
screams brings Dan back to reality. Dan sees it is Bronowski who is screaming and he is covered in blood. “Don’t worry, you’re okay. You’re going to make it man; come on, comeon, you’re going to make it,” Bronowski screams, silhouetted by theflashing darkness. Dan is propped up against the sand bags. He looks down and sees hisinsides, which are sitting on his lap like some reddish brown puppy. Aman jumps in and pushes Bronowski away, who goes back to firing intothe wall of noise. “Stop shaking, keep still!” The man screams as he sticks Dan with one, then another, of the morphine tubes. Dan’s body is tingling as he watches the man, who jerks at everyflashing sound, rap his insides with a bandage. He remembers, back inbasis training, when they said to never try to stuff something backinside. That’s for the Doctors. “Come and get him,” the man screams into his radio as he quickly darts away. Dan feels two hands grab him by the shoulders and drag him from theditch onto a stretcher. Two men carry him toward the rotating sound.Dan sees such fear in their faces that he becomes scared. As they comeout of a cloud of red smoke, the man carrying the back of the stretcheris shot down. The other drags Dan to the chopper door. Once the manhands Dan off to another inside, he is shot down. The door gunner jumpsout, throws the wounded man inside, then quickly hops back in. Two men shot trying to save my sorry ass, Dan thinks as he wishes once more for that dream. Dan walks down Main Streetas he always does on Christmas Eve. The foot prints in the snow barewitness to the passing of time. There are a lot more people in town andsome are strangers. Dan never got with Sherry. By the time he got backshe was married to Billy. He married Mary, who came to town when the big paint factory opened out on Coldwell Road. They have five children, his youngest son is now in Iraq.Dan prays for his safe return. Man's ultimate tesis being a warrior.Dan thinks about their wars. They are similar in the fact that the"defeat with dignity" crowd is at it again, looking for the easy wayout. Soldiers don’t think politics, it's all about duty. It's time to get home; the family is gathering for the feast. When hewalks in he is greeted by hundreds of little bears, mice, snowmen,angels, and elves, all in Santa hats, looking out of every nook &crannie. Mom is now gone but the tradition has been passed on. At thetable they pray and an empty seat waits in respect for his soldier son.After dinner all of his borthers, sisters, cousins, and his family singcarols. Dan looks at the Christmas tree that sits upon a mountain of presents.He thinks about that Christmas in July where he got his greatest gift.That gift being the will and the fight to make his dream come true.
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