Episode 9: Descent Into Darkness-One Christmas Wish
CHAPTER 1: THE PRODIGAL SON RETURNS
Home for the holidays,
I believe I've missed each and every face,
Come on and play my music,
Let's turn on the love light in the place
It's time I found myself,
Totally surrounded in your circles
Whoa, my friends
Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
Please, celebrate me home
Play me one more song,
That I'll always remember,
And I can recall,
Whenever I find myself too all alone,
I can sing me home.
Uneasy highway,
Traveling where the Westerly winds can fly,
Somebody tried to tell me,
But the men forgot to tell me why,
I gotta count on being gone,
Come on woman, come on daddy,
Be what you want from me,
I'm this strong, I'll be weak
Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
Please, celebrate me home
Play me one more song,
That I'll always remember,
I can recall,
Whenever I find myself too all alone,
I can make believe I've never gone,
I never know where I belong,
Sing me home.
Please, celebrate me home,
Give me a number,
Please, celebrate me home
Play me one more song,
Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate, celebrate
Celebrate me home
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home
Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home
Well I'm finally here,
But I'm bound to roam,
Come on celebrate me home
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
Please, celebrate me home,
A bus was moving along a highway into Sparkyville one December winter night. It had traveled from a far distance and there were quite a few folks on their way home for Christmas. One passenger was a small boy, dressed in a military suit and matching soldier dress hat. It was Thibault, Peppermint Patty's old baseball teammate. In the months that he had left for military school, a lot had happened in town that he was sure Peppermint Patty would tell him about it. This wasn't the same Thibault that was there before Halloween. Gone was his long, shaggy hair and sideburns replaced with a crew cut that would do Shermy proud. Also gone was the angry, confrontational, chauvinist attitude he once carried. This Thibault was more respectful of others, more open minded to the opposite sex, and no longer carried a chip on his shoulder.
After the bus made it to the station, Thibault got off and gather his belongings. He looked around and started to leave the station. He walked along the neighborhood. He even walked by the remedial school he went to and noticed that there were police guarding the school. That stoked his curiosity. He stopped a boy walking home to find out what was going on.
"Hey kid," he said. "Why are the police guarding the school?"
"You don't know?" said the boy. "About a month ago, some gang broke in and trashed the place. The cops have been patrolling the grounds ever since. They say it may have been a female gang, but they aren't sure."
Thibault couldn't believe it. Even though he didn't particularly care for the school himself, he never would have dreamed of vandalizing it. He kept walking towards his neighborhood. He finally made it to his house and went in. His father wasn't around, but knew he was coming home. Thibault found a note from his father on the dining room table. He read it:
Dear son,
Sorry I couldn't be there for your coming home for the Holidays. Had to work late. I will be home tomorrow morning and we can have breakfast and catch up. You can tell me how things are going at Melendez. Welcome home, Thibault. I missed you.
Love,
Dad
P.S.: There's a snack for you in the fridge if you're hungry.
Thibault placed the note on the table and went to the refrigerator and saw his father left a sandwich and potato chips with a can of cola for him. He grabbed the meal and went to watch TV as he ate his snack his father left him. He wondered what the next day would bring.
NEXT CHAPTER: KEEP ON YOUR TOES
"Celebrate Me Home" written by Kenny Loggins and Bob James
© Gnossos Music / Milk Money Music