Jasmine's Place Issue No. 2 - November/December 2012 | Page 13

It was just an orange...but
to the little boy who
spotted his name printed in
charcoal across the bright,
orange-colored peel, it
looked like Christmas!
Years later when my Dad
was relating the story
about that particular
Christmas and his beautiful
orange, tears began to well
up in my eyes. "You mean
an orange was all you got
for Christmas"?
"Hey, oranges were a real
treat back then!" Dad
hastened to explain. “And
you know, it’s not what you
give, but what you wrap it
with that matters.”
“We were poor and fruit
was hard to come by, but
on Christmas we'd usually
get a piece of fruit that
Mother sliced up in five
equal parts for all of us
kids, so we'd each get a
taste, and a couple of
walnuts. “
“But this one particular
Christmas was special!
We each got an orange! I
got a whole orange just for
me! My very own orange!"

…

Well, I guess you know my
brother and I NEVER
complained again about our
friends getting all those toys
and games while we were
given what our parents
called "essentials of life"
type presents … pyjamas,
slippers or warm mittens.
Nope! We never uttered a
peep!
Years went by and
commercialism seemed to
sap the beauty and spirit out
of the holidays.

To get my perspective back,
I'd ask Dad to tell us the
story about that special
Christmas when he got a
whole orange just for
himself!
No, it wasn't JUST an
orange, it was love, warmth
and so much more to a little
boy!
Copyright © Marilyn Schnepp
Published writer, poet and essayist
in various magazines and OP/ED
Sections of local newspapers, and
the ex-Editor of TradeWinds (Senior
Citizen Newsletter). I write to
hopefully touch, inspire, or
entertain readers with my simple
wordsmithing. If I can move the
reader to chuckles or tears...I've
reached my goal.

JASMINE'S PLACE

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