Christmas Eve, 1924.
Oh crap. Christmas Eve and I had still forgotten to get Abner a Christmas present. Is it just me, or is this getting too much of a tradition? I'd forgotten to get him a present for the last... oh... let's see, I'm fifteen, and I was eight when I first forgot, so seven years? Most of the time I stayed up all night to attempt to knit a scarf (that was when I was eight, nine, and ten) and for the last five years, I've drawn up a card and given him two presents at his birthday.
"Abner, I'll be out for awhile. Fran's having a Christmas Eve social, so I'm going to go and say hi." I yelled, walking out the door. In reality, I was walking downtown real quick, as we lived just three of four blocks away from the main mile. I had exactly twenty dollars, enough to buy two pairs of cufflinks for Abner.
It was snowing slightly. I had just enough time to get the cufflinks and go to the social before Dad got suspicious.
"Sir, I want to buy these shoes..." A little boy said, holding up a pair of very pretty shoes. They were size nines, much to big for my size five feet. The little boy was dirty, and was trying to convince the manager to just give him the shoes. "My mama doesn't have much time left, she's been sick for a long time. I want her too look pretty if she meets Jesus tonight." "Do you have enough money, kid?" The manager asked. The boy shook his head. "Then get out." "But sir, you don't understand. I can't afford these shoes. Please, sir." The boy begged. My heart broke, seeing the little boy who couldn't be more than seven, beg for a pair of shoes for his dying mother. I guess Abner doesn't need cufflinks, after all.
"Here, little boy. Buy the shoes for your mother." I said, softly, and handed him the twenty dollars I had. His eyes got a little wet as he hugged me.
"Thank you, Miss." He said, sounding like he was grateful.
"Happy Holidays. I hope your mother gets better." I replied, then walked out. But I saw the little boy triumphantly give the manager the money, get the change, and run out to the east.