A Christmas Tale : Doing Time On Christmas Eve

Harlan Paine wasn’t a bad man, nor was he often in trouble with the law in Jessie’s Crossroad, usually just referred to as Jessie’s. The one traffic light hamlet was bustling on this Christmas Eve day, as most similar sized towns across the country were doing. So Harlan had gotten drunk early in the day after he received his Christmas bonus from the local lumber mill.

He didn’t intend to get drunk, just a wee buzz to get him in the holiday spirit. But he ended up getting smashed and into a fight with a local mechanic who'd accidentally stepped on Harlan’s foot. The mechanic was a rather small fellow and Harlan just the opposite, but the little guy was as game as a bantam rooster. If the city police chief hadn’t come along at that time there’s no telling what would have happened.

When the witnesses told the chief, name of Ed Hawkins, how the small fellow had tried to apologize and how Harlan had tried to smack him anyway, the little guy was released while Ed took Harlan to the city hall building which also doubled as the jail. He took all of Harlan’s belongings from his pockets and put them in his desk drawer before placing the still drunk Harlan into a cell to sleep it off for a while.

Ed stoked up the old pot bellied stove in the small office as he thought once again how glad he was to have kept the ancient cast iron relic when the building was renovated a few years ago. There would be no snow in Jessie’s this year as it seldom snowed in this part of the deep south, but a cold, wet, fog had rolled in out of the swamps of Taylor’s Dread as well as, the other smaller bays in the area. Ed liked to hear the tin flue crackle as the old stove heated up, it seemed to make the small space that much cozier on such a day as this.

At 60 years of age the grizzled veteran of many years in law enforcement had learned a lot about people in general and criminals in particular. Although he lived alone, he still had those he cared for and in return, cared for him. He was a truly good man as most in Jessie’s knew. Today was his favorite day of the year. He always looked forward to Christmas Eve and today was no exception.

He had all but dozed off in the chair when the phone rang its insistent jangle. “Hello, City hall, Chief Hawkins here” he routinely answered. The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to an old friend of Ed’s, one he always expected to see on Christmas Eve. When Ed hung the phone back up after talking to his chum for a few minutes, he sat back in the chair and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling for a short while with nothing but the sound of the flue popping in the background.

“Hmmmm” he said aloud to himself, “it just might work. Ed first rummaged around in his desk drawer until he found what he was looking for and then went back to the jail cell where Harlan had finally sobered up and was sitting up on his cot. “How you feelin' Harlan” the chief asked. Harlan didn’t looked sober enough now and smiled as he replied. “Not too bad, Chief. That little feller clipped me pretty good fore you got there though, I got a knot on my jaw.”

“Good thing I come along then, Harlan. It’d be a shame if you got all busted up on Christmas Eve” Ed jokingly replied. “Yeah well, I am glad you were there too Chief, I shouldn’t a got drunk like I did. Can I go now, I still gotta buy some gifts for the kids and it’s gittin’ late?” Harlan, who then stood up and looked out the small barred window, suddenly exclaimed “Look, it’s already startin’ to get dark outside, you gotta let me out , Chief.

“Not so fast, Harlan” Ed said “I need you to do a little penance for your crime spree this morning over at Heckles’ Bar. Besides, I have an emergency I need help with and Charlie Barnes is sick with the flu. You know Charlie always goes with me to deliver gifts to the less fortunate families in the area. And you’re just about Charlie’s size too.”

“Hold on jest a minute there, Chief” Harlan gasped “I ain’t playin’ Santy Claus fer no kids, I need at be home tonight, You know you locked me up last Christmas Eve and Hannah was fit to be tied.” Ed grinned wide at the thought. “I do indeed remember, Harlan. That’s why I know you’ll come on along with me if you expect to get home early enough to escape Hannah’s wrath. I’ll personally tell her you're helping me out. Voluntarily, of course. Dang, I never saw such a big fella like you be so afraid of a little ole gal the size of Hannah.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Chief, you ain’t married” Harlan said. “You’re probably right Harlan, law enforcement is dangerous enough for me” Ed retorted. “Take a shower and try on that Santa suit while I run to the stores and get the gifts for the needy. I’ve got your list too so I’ll have Homer get your kids stuff up for when we get back. That way, you can stop worrying about Hannah being mad at you.”

By the time Ed returned to the office with the gifts it was dark and the fog was so thick it made the street lights, along with the Christmas decorations, appear as if they were surrounded with colorful halos. Everything else, buildings, cars, even the occasional pedestrian, were indistinct blurs in the darkness and haze. When Ed and Harlan finally got the gifts loaded into the patrol car they felt lucky to have the fog lights on the official vehicle to light their way along the narrow streets and dirt roads leading to their delivery sites.

“Gee whiz Chief, I don’t think I ever saw the fog this thick before Harlan said. “Me neither” Ed replied “I’ll bet the old witch from the bay has cast her spell over the town again.” Harlan laughed at that. “Don’t tell Hannah that, she believes those old tales.” Even Ed had a chuckle at the thought. “Nope, that’s all we need is to scare the younguns’ on Christmas Eve.”

They had trouble just finding the right houses to deliver the gifts to. Several times they had to reverse after passing the dimly lit homes of some families. This was the case on their next to last stop. The old unpainted bleached pine siding of the farm house had only a few tiny lights over the front door in honor of the holidays. When they knocked on the door they were allowed in by a small tow headed boy. “It’s Santy Claus, Darcie!” he squealed as he ran back into a large room.

“Come on in, Chief” a young man said “and you too Santa, my kids have been waitin’ for you ever since I told them you might be coming.” The old room had a fireplace crackling with warmth and a small Christmas tree to brighten it up a bit. Second hand furniture filled out the rest of the space in a homey fashion. Though not fancy in the least, there was a sense of comfort and happiness in the spartan room.

Harlan ho hoed his best Santa Claus voice as he gave Bill, the boy who opened the door, two gifts to open. “Please come back to Darcie’s room, if you don’t mind,” said William the young father of the family, “Darcie’s not well tonight. Susan, my wife, is sitting with her now.” They entered the small room where Darcie sat up in her bed waiting with apparent excitement in her deep blue eyes. The tiny little girl looked so fragile with her curly brown hair and slightly flushed china doll face. “Oh Santa” she whispered “I so hoped you’d come.”

Harlan, completely in the Santa mode now, made his voice even deeper than usual as he spoke to Darcie. “Well now Darcie, what is it you want me to bring you this year? Here is a cute little doll for you first, but is there anything else I can do for you?” Darcie thought a moment before answering the question posed by Harlan/Santa.

“I’ve been very sick, Santa” Darcie began "my mom and dad have spent so much money taking me to the doctor trying to get me well again. We had to move out here in this old house because of the money they spent on my medicine and other treatments. Please help them to not worry so much. That’s all I want for Christmas now.”

The long request seemed to have sapped the energy from the fragile child and she almost fell asleep when she was finished. Her eyelashes fluttered but she finally managed to open them a bit before saying “If you don’t mind, I’m going to sleep now so I can get up early to open my other gifts in the morning. I‘m so tired.” Susan wiped a tear but was able to thank both Harlan and Ed for their visit. William escorted them to the front door and shook both their hands as they went outside. “Thanks Chief” he said and you too Santa Claus.”

It was only after they were in the patrol car and heading back towards town for the last stop that Harlan asked the question Ed had been waiting for. “Is Darcie going to die, chief?” Ed didn’t immediately answer, as if he didn’t really want to. “I don’t think they know for sure, Harlan. But I believe that’s better than knowing she is, don't you?” Harlan didn't respond to this last question as the answer was obvious to both of them.

Harlan leaned back in the seat, thinking about the family they had just visited and how lucky he was to have such healthy children. When they pulled in front of the last house on Ed’s list, Harlan was still remembering the look on the little girl’s face and her last request from him. "Get out and take the gifts to this last house while I park the car, Harlan. Just walk straight towards that blue and red light by the door. Dang this fog!”

“Thanks for not lettin’ William know I was the man who started the fight with him this morning, Chief” Harlan said “I shore didn’t want that little gal thinking’ her daddy was fightin’ with Santy Claus.” Ed chuckled at that and said “I think he knew anyway, Harlan. He asked me if your foot was still sore.” With that Ed drove away laughing into the night, leaving Harlan standing there with his mouth wide open.

It was only after walking up to the door through the even thicker fog that Harlan realized he had been delivered to his own house. He had been so preoccupied thinking about the little sick girl he hadn’t even noticed where Ed had been going. Ed knew that, of course. He was a tricky guy alright!

The bag of gifts Ed had handed Harlan had been heavier than the others he had delivered earlier so he decided to open it up and see what was inside. Everything on the list Ed had taken from his pocket this morning had been bought and wrapped carefully with the name tags printed in the chief’s own handwriting.

There was a letter in the bag too, made out to Harlan and sealed in a brightly colored envelope, also with the Chief's writing on it. It said :

Dear Harlan,
You were right when you said the reason I didn’t understand why you were so afraid of such a little woman was because I’m not married. Well I wasn’t always single. I was once married to a small lady myself one time long ago. I sure loved her too. She died at age 26 trying to have our baby girl. Neither of them made it, as you may have guessed. I wish she was still here for me to be afraid of like you are Hannah. I would give anything for it.

But thanks for helping me out on the only Christmas Eve celebration I have each year. You’ve helped make it very special this year, not just for me either. By the way, you owe nothing for the gifts in the bag. The pay old Charlie normally gets from the town for playing Santa each year covered them, plus the frozen turkey you will find at the bottom of the bag is extra from me personally. Thanks again!

Merry Christmas, Harlan

Chief Ed Hawkins

“Well I’ll be dogged” Harlan exclaimed. He opened the front door and entered with a tremendous and extremely heartfelt “Ho! Ho! Ho!” After his 3 kids had swarmed him and Hannah had come out from the kitchen to see what the disturbance was, Harlan said “hey little woman, you gotta cook up this turkey for tomorrow. Chief Hawkins is coming for Christmas dinner.” Hannah laughed and said “I know it you big goof, I ’d already invited him this afternoon.”

"That rascal" Harlan said "he always stays one step ahead, no matter what. "Bless his old soul!"