'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Christmas Eve in 1973 Sammy came over to the house to have that TALK with Daddy. I was up in my room and didn't even know he was in the house. Daddy was in the dining room putting a bicycle together for Lisa from Santa Claus. Sammy thought that was the perfect time to ask Daddy if he could marry me. He told me he got down in the floor and as they talked he would hand Daddy tools.Said, he had been dreading it all week cause Daddy was a little intimidating. You see he had shown Mama the ring early in the week and she said, he had better ask my Daddy first. So they are putting the bike together, Sammy said, he was sooooo nervous ( should have ask him if he practice at home first. Ha!) Apparently, Sammy did all the talking and Daddy did a lot of gruntin'.( I'd wish I could have been a fly in that room) Anyway, Daddy gave him the go ahead and Mama wasn't happy at all. They got the bike together and hid before Keith and Lisa got home.
A few hours later the informers ( Keith and Lisa ) came running up to my room telling me Sammy was in the house. Of course, I was surprised cause I usually knew when he was coming, (cloud of smoke) but really didn't give it much thought. Finally after everyone went to bed, he said, he had my Christmas present that he wanted to give me. Oh! I was excited and told him I had him a present too. His present to me was in a big old box and it was kinda heavy. Mine to him was in a sweater box cause there was a sweater in it. He wanted to open his first and he absolutely loved it. Of course, doesn't every 20 year old long haired boy want a sweater.ha! My turn: after removing the duck tape off the top, I started digging. You see, he had shredded paper all in that box and put a brick in there. Y'all I tried to act soooooo happy about that brick. After all he acted happy over that dad gum sweater.I can't remember the color of his sweater but dang-it that brick was an orangey color, must've came off the side of the house, cause it favored our house.With my limited vocabulary I ran out of sweet things to say about that brick .I looked a him and he had that sick- to- the- stomach look He said, there maybe something else in there so I felt around some more.There was so much shredded paper in there but I finally felt a little box, I didn't see it just felt it. I thought.... a brick....a box.... so I said there's nothing else in here. I thought he was gonna throw- up. He jumped up, got to feeling around all over his body ( he thought he had forgotten to put it in there) and said check again. I said, well, here's the brick and I think there's a little box in there. He said, ( with color coming back in his face) That's It!!!!! Dummy me said, you want me to pull that little box out. Yesssssssss and he dropped to one knee. He took that little light blue box ( which I still have) from me and opened it and said " Will You Marry Me" Guess what I said, "ask Daddy" He said, I did and he said, I could. I said,YES! YES! Now put that ring on my finger.I was a hoping to get one some day and it fit perfect. I went and jumped in the middle of Mama and Daddy's bed so I could show them.I'll never forget, Daddy said, yeah, that's real pretty and Mama just rolled over and said....... I've seem it! Just ONE of the most happiest days of my life. Can't get much more Romantic than that folks!!!!!!
The next morning Lisa was riding her Christmas bike down a big old hill over by the house. She started down the hill the bike fell apart, I mean completely apart, you know skin to pavement, road rash. Some lady came by and put her in the back seat of her car and the bike parts and took her home. I don't think Daddy or Sammy had their minds on putting a bike together the night before Christmas.
Dear Lord,
You lift me up when I fall down.When I am weak, you are strong. You're my hope in tomorrow. Amen
A few hours later the informers ( Keith and Lisa ) came running up to my room telling me Sammy was in the house. Of course, I was surprised cause I usually knew when he was coming, (cloud of smoke) but really didn't give it much thought. Finally after everyone went to bed, he said, he had my Christmas present that he wanted to give me. Oh! I was excited and told him I had him a present too. His present to me was in a big old box and it was kinda heavy. Mine to him was in a sweater box cause there was a sweater in it. He wanted to open his first and he absolutely loved it. Of course, doesn't every 20 year old long haired boy want a sweater.ha! My turn: after removing the duck tape off the top, I started digging. You see, he had shredded paper all in that box and put a brick in there. Y'all I tried to act soooooo happy about that brick. After all he acted happy over that dad gum sweater.I can't remember the color of his sweater but dang-it that brick was an orangey color, must've came off the side of the house, cause it favored our house.With my limited vocabulary I ran out of sweet things to say about that brick .I looked a him and he had that sick- to- the- stomach look He said, there maybe something else in there so I felt around some more.There was so much shredded paper in there but I finally felt a little box, I didn't see it just felt it. I thought.... a brick....a box.... so I said there's nothing else in here. I thought he was gonna throw- up. He jumped up, got to feeling around all over his body ( he thought he had forgotten to put it in there) and said check again. I said, well, here's the brick and I think there's a little box in there. He said, ( with color coming back in his face) That's It!!!!! Dummy me said, you want me to pull that little box out. Yesssssssss and he dropped to one knee. He took that little light blue box ( which I still have) from me and opened it and said " Will You Marry Me" Guess what I said, "ask Daddy" He said, I did and he said, I could. I said,YES! YES! Now put that ring on my finger.I was a hoping to get one some day and it fit perfect. I went and jumped in the middle of Mama and Daddy's bed so I could show them.I'll never forget, Daddy said, yeah, that's real pretty and Mama just rolled over and said....... I've seem it! Just ONE of the most happiest days of my life. Can't get much more Romantic than that folks!!!!!!
The next morning Lisa was riding her Christmas bike down a big old hill over by the house. She started down the hill the bike fell apart, I mean completely apart, you know skin to pavement, road rash. Some lady came by and put her in the back seat of her car and the bike parts and took her home. I don't think Daddy or Sammy had their minds on putting a bike together the night before Christmas.
Dear Lord,
You lift me up when I fall down.When I am weak, you are strong. You're my hope in tomorrow. Amen
T that is awesome! They just keep getting better & better! If you have a doubt about your story being a best seller and helping millions of folks just like you? Your doing it already dear!
ReplyDeleteEvery time I read one of these, I just get a renewal of my faith with the ending prayer...keep it up!
ReplyDelete