Christmas Crepe

Family Short Story – Christmas Crepe

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!!! Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

There were hugs, handshakes, kisses everywhere. At the stroke of midnight on the Christmas eve, Christmas was for real begun accompanied by the usual bone chilling weather. People were rushing in and out of the church; wishing one another with glee and sparkle in their faces and their eyes. There were the usual hugs and handshakes greeting among each other. Some were busy distributing hot tea and a slice of cake, as for a gesture of happiness and gratitude among themselves. Little kids with their tiny Red Santa Cap and big overpowering jackets were mostly hovering around where the cakes were being distributed. Some of them were ecstatic and were boasting about their wittiness among friends and their families as they were able to have more than a single slice. There were flashes of SLRs and DSLRs from everywhere.

“Merry Christmas Baba, Merry Christmas!” told little Stephen to his father.

Michael hugged his little 5 year old son and carried him and kissed him on his cheek, and replied, “Merry Christmas to you too beta.”

He then holds his wife Rebecca with one hand and greeted her too. They were happy. But deep down inside an uncomfortable knot in the stomach was un-comforting Michael albeit, he was in Lord’s home. They headed out of the church to a big beautifully lighted and decorated Crepe outside.

“Baba we too will build a crepe just like this one na?,” said little Stephen.

“Of course dear,” replied Michael.

He then took out a one rupee coin from his pocket and hiding it from others slipped it into the donation box. There was no sound made by the coin’s drop into it.

He then folded his hands and prayed to his Lord, “Merry Christmas to you too Jesus. Thank u very much for everything I have. Shower your blessings upon us & the only thing I wish for in this auspicious day is to have a Christmas that Stephen wishes for, along with his Christmas cake and Christmas crepe. Thank you Lord.”

Then he turns around to watch the busy Christians with their confined and segregated Christmas being celebrated. The greeting passes were only among the so called upper classes of the society and among themselves. No one even bothered to shake a hand with him. He tried to smile and wave but most of it was in vain. In the midst of all these, head priest comes outside for the greetings. Seeing this, Michael carries his son and gestures his wife by his hand to come along.

“Merry Christmas Father”, says Michael and bows down for the blessing and lowers Stephen’s head too.

“Merry Christmas my son,” replies the priest and takes out a candy from his pocket and gives it to little Stephen and blesses him. Then a wave of people rushes towards the priest for blessings, which pushes Michael and his wife to the side and in the midst out of the site.

He steps aside and watches. His wife holds him by his arm and says, “Let’s go home now na.”

So for the last time Michael and his family prays and walks away. On the way he meets Henry, head of the Carol group. He enquires about the Carol that would be coming to his home tomorrow.

“It’ll be around 3 pm. But make sure you have a Christmas Crepe and Christmas tree this time around unlike…….” says Henry in a very audacious and husky tone.

“I will. I surely will this time around,” replies Michael a little embarrassed.

Then how could he forget the embarrassment of that year, when the whole Carol group had walked away before even entering and singing a hymn. So, the next year he had to lie that they would be out on Christmas somewhere else just to avoid the embarrassment. He had had locked his door from outside and the family stayed inside in pitiful and miserable state. But then how could he have done anything. He was a petty waiter in a small roadside dhaba. He thought this time around he would make things better for his family.

But Alas! God too plans his plan in a very subtle way that we could barely try to understand it. Michael was sacked from his job a month before Christmas without any reason and notice whatsoever. So he was in dire straits. He clearly remembers his promise to his little son. Promise of a beautiful decorated Christmas Crepe, big delicious Christmas cake and a lovely Christmas Carol at his house just for him. All those promises seem to be anything but. He knew Jesus was with him, and everything would be fine.

“Ok then. 3 pm it is,” says Henry and walks away.

“And oh Merry Christmas Sir,” replies Michael.

“Oh yes yes. Merry Merry. Ya ya……….’ says Henry and disappears in the dark.

Then he walks along with his family.

“Baba? We have so many things to do na. But we haven’t bought anything toh,” says little Stephen.

“Of course dear” we will, early morning tomorrow.

“Yippee!!!!” Stephen jumps and catches his father’s hand and smiles.

Then they walk away.

After a light dinner, Michael and his family get down to sleep. Little Stephen falls asleep the moment he lies down. But sleep from Michael and his wife’s eyes were far far away lost in some horizon. May be somewhere in the distant future, which was if even possible at all.

“Listen,” says Rebecca.

“I know. But I don’t know how. It’s Christmas, of course. But I have no job, no savings whatsoever. His school too…….” says Michael.

“I don’t know what God has planned for us, but I hope whatever he has……..”

“Whatever what?” enquires Rebecca.

“Nothing, How much do you have ha?” asks Michael.

“I have 100”. And that hundred was bloomed out as if she said a Lakh.

“You?” asks Rebecca.

“Probably 800,” replies Michael lengthening 800 to extreme.

“So how will you?” says Rebecca.

“I know dear. I know. It is no way enough. But what can I do,” replies Michael.

“I have a suggestion dear,” says Rebecca.

“And what is that?” enquires Michael with a little enthusiasm.

“Our wedding ring,” replies Rebecca.

“What?? No way. You mean the one I gave you? No, no way” Michael replies in an instant.

“But that is the only thing I can think off now. There’s no other option. You tell me? We will pledge it and when you’ll get a job we can always get it back na,” says Rebecca albeit with grief.

“I can’t dear. I can’t. That’s the only thing I have been able to give you, and you want me to…..” replies Michael.

“But it’s for Stephen, it’s for Christmas, it’s for our Lord. He’s watching us na,” says Rebecca.

“But Reb—c….” that’s the only reply he could utter from his mouth. He sobbed. A tear rolled out from his eyes and wet his pillow. He stared at the ceiling and was unable to speak.

“Everything will be fine dear. Lord is with us,” replies Rebecca consoling him wiping his tear.

“I wish we never had converted at all. I wish I was Ram again, sometimes. At least, I would have my relatives, my parents with me in my paternal house”, says Michael cursing his fate, cursing himself.

“What? What the hell are you saying dear? Don’t you ever utter those words again. Lord is always with us and soon we will be alright. Please, don’t say that. You know deep inside you don’t mean it. It’s a test from our Lord in our belief, on our faith. Don’t falter,” says Rebecca.

“Now go to sleep and tomorrow first thing in the morning we will go out with our ring ok,” adds Rebecca.

Michael simply nods. “You go to sleep dear,” he says.

He then loses himself staring at the ceiling above seeing various pictographic images upon it. Wondering. Pondering. With questions. With answers. And fell asleep finally.

Next morning while Stephen was still asleep, they head out with a ring in his pocket. They arrive at a local ornament shop where a huge round bellied man was sitting with legs folded upon each other, working on a beautiful necklace, beaded with expensive and glittering stones upon it. He used a magnifying glass albeit a thick spectacle was hanging on his face.

“Maailk we want to pledge this ring of ours,” says Michael.

He looks up from above his spectacle and stares Michael and his wife to and fro. Probably this wasn’t the first time he’d seen people come to him in a sorrowful state. Without uttering a word, he showed his palm expecting the ring to be placed on it.

Michael in some haste takes out the ring from his pocket with one hand while catching hold of his pant with the other and places upon it with both.

Then he starts inspecting as if it was a bomb with his magnifying glass, turning upside down sometimes, brushing against his small whatsoever rock, and weighing on his palm the other and sometimes upon the little electronic weighing machine beside him. After a long hardened scrutiny of the ring he finally speaks, “I can give you four thousand at max.”

“But its half a tola,” says Michael.

“Not now”, the man replies.

“Then how much is it,” asks Rebecca.

“You see it for yourself,” says the man.

“But…… says Michael.

“Why you don’t believe me? Then go somewhere else,” says the man in a little rage.

“Only four,” says Rebecca.

He then looks at both of them placing his spectacle just above his nostrils with his index finger and says, “Ok. Five thousand. But not a rupee more than that understand? And an interest of 20 on 100 per month.”

“But that’s too much,” whispers Rebecca looking at Michael.

“I know, but we have no choice” says Michael.

“Ok then give us the money, we will pledge it,” he adds.

“Wait here,” replies the man and heads inside one of the dark room.

Rebecca and Michael stare at each other in despair and hold each other’s hand.

He gives them the money and says, “Put your finger’s impression here and here.”

Michael does it with a sense of guilt and sorrow. He nearly tears. But he knows he shouldn’t.  He then takes a long last look at the ring which he had given to his wife with such love someday, with a heart filled hope of a new dawn into his and his family’s life.

They head home and still finds little Stephen sleeping. Michael wakes him up while Rebecca goes to the kitchen to make some tea.

Then they all head out for Christmas shopping. Stephen has his say in all the items that had to be bought, especially for the Christmas Crepe. Christmas cake that he had wished and demanded for is not exactly the same, but nonetheless he seems jubilant. The whole day the entire family was busy decorating their Christmas Crepe and Christmas tree with sparkling blue, red, yellow lightings; little red cotton santa; glittering tiny bells; hay covered crepe with sheer tranquillity etcetera. Michael was happy and this happiness was not the same as ever before. He was happy because his son was happy. He was happy because he was finally able to build and decorate a Christmas Crepe that he had so long before wished and dreamt off. But at the same time he was going through sourness and bitterness on his chest due to the price that he had to pay for it.

Carol group arrived as said at the prefixed time and it went well. Hymns were resonating. Michael’s home was for the first time blessed by it. Never before he and his family had the chance to experience Christmas Carol in their own house, just for them. Just for them. And it was extremely pleasing for him. Little Stephen was on cloud nine. Seeing Stephen, Michael wiped a tear, this time it was a tear of happiness. Tear of satisfaction. Tear of serenity. Tear of Love.

Finally it was over and everyone had departed. All Michael was left off was his family and load of things to think about and work about, but still he was enjoying the moment. After all it was a significant day in his life.

Next day Michael’s cell rang. He was still asleep. The overtime his brain had to do last night along with his thoughts was too tiring for him. He answers it and to his sheer amazement learns that he has been offered a job in one of bigger hotels of the town with a handsome salary to go with it. Without a pinch of hesitation he accepts the offer and thanks the man who had called. He kisses his rosary and thanks the Lord.

He then hurls away from his bed to find Rebecca in the kitchen and tells her everything. She nearly jumps up in the air and was jubilated.

Rebecca hugs her husband and wipes her tear which was brimming on the edges of her eyes.

“No dear don’t,” says Michael.

He holds her hand and adds, “I’ll get our ring back within 3 months dear. I will. I surely will. Everything will be better from now on. Lord is with us.”

Stephen hearing the excitement runs off towards the kitchen leaving his toy behind. Michael carries him on his chest and kisses him.

He says, “Dear, How was this Christmas?”

“Great baba,” replies Stephen.

“Next Christmas will be much much better. I promise you dear. You’ll have new clothes to wear and your mum too. A Christmas Gift too, a Christmas cake way bigger than you’ve demanded for and a CHRISTMAS CREPE taller than you. A real Christmas Crepe. I Promise.”