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ChristmasDayintheMorning–ChristmasStories
ChristmasDayinthe
Morning
PearlS.Buck
Hewokeupsuddenlyandcompletely!
Itwasfouro’clock,thehouratwhichhisfatherhadalwayscalledhimtogetupandhelpwiththemilking.
Strangehowthehabitsofhisyouthclungtohimstill!
Fiftyyearsago,andhisfatherhadbeendeadforthirtyyears,andyethewakedatfouro’clockinthemorning.
Hehadtrainedhimselftoturnoverandgotosleep,butthismorningitwasChristmas,hedidnottrytosleep.
Whydidhefeelsoawaketonight?
Heslippedbackintime,ashedidsoeasilynowadays.
Hewasfifteenyearsoldandstillonhisfather’sfarm.
Helovehisfather.
HehadnotknowituntilonedayafewdaysbeforeChristmas,whenhehadoverheardwhathisfatherwassayingtohismother.
“Mary,IhatetocallRobinthemornings.
He’sgrowingsofastandheneedshissleep.
IfyoucouldjustseehowhesleepswhenIgointowakehimup!
IwishIcouldmanagealone.”
“Well,youcan’t,Adam.”
Hismother’svoicewasbrisk,“Besides,heisn’t’achildanymore.
It’stimehetookhisturn.”
“Yes,”hisfathersaidslowly.
“ButIsuredohatetowakehim.”
Whenheheardthesewords,somethinginhimwoke:
hisfatherlovedhim!
Hehadneverthoughtofitbefore,takingforgrantedthetieoftheirblood.
Neitherhisfathernorhismothertalkedaboutlovingtheirchildren–theyhadnotimeforsuchthings.
Therewasalwayssomuchtodoonthefarm.
Nowthatheknewhisfatherlovedhim,therewouldbenoloiteringinthemorningsandhavingtobecalledagain.
Hegotupafterthat,stumblingblindwithsleep,andpulledonhisclothes,hiseyestightshut,buthegotup.
AndthenonthenightbeforeChristmas,thatyearwhenhewasfifteen,helayforafewminutesthinkingaboutthenextday.
Theywerepoor,andmostoftheexcitementwasintheturkeytheyhadraisedthemselvesandthemincepieshismothermade.
Hissistersewedpresentsandhismotherandfatheralwaysboughtsomethingheneeded,notonlyawarmjacket,maybe,butsomethingmore,suchasabook.
Andhesavedandboughtthemeachsomething,too.
Hewished,thatChristmashewasfifteen,hehadabetterpresentforhisfather.
Asusualhehadgonetotheten-centstoreandboughtatie.
IthadseemedniceenoughuntilhelaythinkingthenightbeforeChristmas.
Helookedoutofhisatticwindow,thestarswerebright.
“Dad,”hehadonceaskedwhenhewasalittleboy,“whatisastable?”
“It’sjustabarn,”hisfatherhadreplied,“likeours.”
ThenJesushadbeenborninabarn,andtoabarntheshepherdshadcome…
Thethoughtstruckhimlikeasilverdagger.
Whyshouldhenotgivehisfatheraspecialgifttoo,outthereinthebarn?
Hecouldgetupearly,earlierthanfouro’clockandhecouldcreepintothebarnandgetallthemilkingdone.
He’ddoitalone,milkandcleanup,andthenwhenhisfatherwentintostartthemilkinghe’dseeitalldone.
Andhewouldknowwhohaddoneit.
Helaughedtohimselfashegazedatthestars.
Itwaswhathewoulddo,andhemustn’tsleeptoosoundly.
Hemusthaveawakenedtwentytimes,scratchingamatcheachtimetolookathisoldwatch–midnight,andhalfpastone,andthentwoo’clock.
Ataquartertothreehegotupandputonhisclothes.
Hecreptdownstairs,carefulofthecreakyboards,andlethimselfout.
Thecowslookedathim,sleepyandsurprised.
Itwasearlyforthem,too.
Hehadnevermilkedallalonebefore,butitseemedalmosteasy.
Hekeptthinkingabouthisfather’ssurprise.
Hisfatherwouldcomeinandgethim,sayingthathewouldgetthingsstartedwhileRobwasgettingdressed.
He’dgotothebarn,openthedoor,andthenhe’dgotogetthetwobigemptymilkcans.
Buttheywouldn’tbewaitingorempty;they’dbestandinginthemilkhousefilled.
“Whatthe—–,”hecouldhearhisfatherexclaiming.
Hesmiledandmilkedsteadily,twostrongstreamsrushingintothepail,frothingandfragrant.
Thetaskwentmoreeasilythanhehadeverknownittogobefore.
Milkingforoncewasnotachore.Itwassomethingelse,agifttohisfatherwholovedhim.
Hefinished,thetwomilkcanswerefull,andhecoveredthemandclosedthemilkhousedoorcarefully,makingsureofthelatch.
Backinhisroomhehadonlyaminutetopulloffhisclothesinthedarknessandjumpintobed,forheheardhisfatherup.
Heputthecoversoverhisheadtosilencehisquickbreathing.
Thedooropened.
“Rob!”
Hisfathercalled.
“Wehavetogetup,son,evenifitisChristmas.”
“Aw-right,”hesaidsleepily.
Thedoorclosedandhelaystill,laughingtohimself.
Injustafewminuteshisfatherwouldknow.
Hisdancingheartwasreadytojumpfromhisbody.
Theminuteswereendless—ten,fifteen,hedidnotknowhowmany—thenheheardhisfather’sfootstepsagain.
Thedooropenedandhelaystill.
“Rob!”
“Yes,Dad—”
Hisfatherwaslaughingaqueersobbingsortoflaugh.
“Thoughtyou’dfoolme,didyou?
Hisfatherwasstandingbesidehisbed,feelingforhim,pullingawaythecover.
“It’sforChristmas,Dad!”
Hefoundhisfatherandclutchedhiminagreathug.
Hefelthisfather’sarmsgoaroundhim.
Itwasdarkandtheycouldnotseeeachother’sfaces.
“Son,Ithankyou.
Nobodyeverdidanicerthing—”
“Oh,Dad,Iwantyoutoknow–Idowanttobegood.”
Thewordsbrokefromhimoftheirownwill.
Hedidnotknowwhattodo.
Hisheartwasburstingwithlove.
HegotupandpulledonhisclothesagainandtheywentdowntotheChristmastree.
Oh,whataChristmas,andhowhishearthadnearlyburstagainwithshynessandprideashisfathertoldhismotherandmadetheyoungerchildrenlistenabouthowhe,Rob,hadgotupallbyhimself.
“ThebestChristmasgiftIeverhad,andI’llrememberit,son,everyyearonChristmasmorning,solongasIlive.”
Theyhadbothrememberedit,andnowthathisfatherwasdead,heremembereditalone:
thatblessedChristmasdawnwhenalonewiththecowsinthebarn,hehadmadehisfirstgiftoftruelove.
ThisChristmashewantedtowriteacardtohiswifeandtellhowmuchhelovedher,ithadbeenalongtimesincehehadreallytoldher,althoughhelovedher
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