It's Christmastime in Hazzard County, Christmas Eve to be exact. In a normal year the Dukes would be settlin' down right about now to exchange gifts with some of their favorite and not so favorite friends at the Boar's Nest. But this year's different. You see, Little Tommy became a permanent resident at the Frothy Camp just a couple of months ago when his dad landed the position of year round maintenance man. So as you might have guessed, the Dukes have a change of plans this year.
"Daisy!" Eight year old Tommy Vineyard exclaimed in delight. His pleasant greeting was matched with outstretched arms, arms that Daisy was only too happy to fill as she wrapped her own around his neck.
"Hey Tommy, Merry Christmas!" Daisy replied, giving Tommy a quick kiss on the cheek before she released herself from the embrace.
"Hey Tommy boy." Luke greeted him, arching his eyebrow in surprise. "I didn't know one of Santa's helpers was gonna be here tonight."
"One of Santa's helpers?" Tommy asked in confusion.
"Sure. Right here." Luke replied, pulling a green and red elf's hat from behind his back. As Tommy chuckled, Luke placed the hat on the young boy's head. Tommy took delight in shaking his head, setting off the melody offered by the dozen or so jingle bells that was attached to the hat.
"Did I hear one of my helpers was here?"
Tommy took one look at the source of that voice and laughed. Uncle Jesse stood in front of him, looking the same as he always did with the exception of the fact that his trusty red cap had been replaced by a fur lined red velvet hat that made him look very much like Santa.
"Wow, Uncle Jesse, you look just like Santa!" Tommy beamed.
"Maybe the way he looks when he's feeding the reindeer." Jesse replied, fingering the strap of his overalls.
"Tell Uncle Jesse a joke, Tommy." Daisy suggested. "We'll see if his belly shakes like a bowl full of jelly when he laughs."
That brought chuckles to everyone in the room, that is, except for Jesse. "You leave the jelly belly jokes for J.D." He advised Daisy.
"Well we sure are glad you folks could join us this Christmas Eve." Thomas, Tommy's father, announced. "But, uh, what did ya do with Bo?"
"Oh." Daisy replied as if she suddenly remembered. "He'll be along in a little bit. He had to run back to the farm to ah,…..to ah……"
"To get Tommy's present." Luke offered. "Wouldn't be much of a Christmas without a present, eh Tommy boy?"
"Oh there will be presents here when Santa comes!" Tommy replied in excitement that quickly faded away. "'Least I hope he comes."
"What do you mean you hope he comes?" Jesse asked. "Don't you think Santa would come to see you of all people?"
"Well, I wasn't sure." Tommy admitted. "When ole Brandon was at the camp last summer, he told me that Santa Claus wasn't real. It made me real sad until Dad told me how wrong Brandon was." Tommy's face brightened again. "Dad said he guaranteed Santa would show up tonight. When I see him, I can be sure again. And I really want to be sure!"
About ten minutes later the group was settled in the living room of the tiny caretaker's house, awaiting Bo's return from the farm when it happened. The front door burst open and a man wearing a red and white suit entered boisterously.
"HO HO HO!" Santa said with a big wave.
Tommy's face lit up in excitement as Santa entered the room, carrying a large green bag behind him. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas yourself, Santa." Daisy replied. "I been a real good girl this year."
"Now darlin' don't you go lyin' to Santa." Santa teased. "I've been watching you in my magic snow globe this year."
"No Santa, Daisy's been real good this year. She's been one of the nicest people to me." Tommy argued.
"Aw don't get yourself all upset, Tommy boy." Santa replied. "I'm just teasin' the girl."
"Tommy boy?" Tommy gleamed. "Why you do know me, don't you? I get called Tommy boy by Bo and Luke all the time." He then turned to his dad. "It's gotta be him, Dad! The REAL Santa! No one else would know me that good."
"Bo and Luke? Oh yes." Santa continued. "I know for a fact that's Luke sittin' there next to ya. Now I don't think it would be a surprise to anybody to learn he can get in a bit of trouble from time to time. But Bo on the other hand, I just can't find any fault in that boy. Good looks, wit, charm….I could just go on and on."
"Uh..hmmm." Uncle Jesse cleared his throat, giving 'Santa' the evil eye as Daisy giggled. She suddenly stopped, though, when she discovered a problem.
"Uh, Santa. I think you'd better check your bag."
Santa suddenly discovered the problem himself when he smelled smoke in the air. Turning toward the fireplace, it was quickly discovered by all in the room that when he had had the bag facing the fireplace, that it had somehow caught on fire.
"Dang it!" Santa said. Dropping the bag, he quickly commenced to finding a way to put the wayward fire out. As Daisy and Jesse ran for water, the others in the room attempted to smother the flame. When it refused to calm down, Santa commenced to removing his hat and using it to bat at the flame.
Moments later, the arrival of the water and several tense moments of batting led to the demise of the flame. Unfortunately, the attempt to demise that flame had led to the demise of something else.
"Bo." Tommy choked back, having seen a layer of blond curls revealed after 'Santa' removed his hat to bat at the fire.
Bo stood with a slightly guilty expression and removed the beard that now hung crookedly below his chin. Before he had a chance to say anything, Tommy wheeled out of the living room and, eventually, out the back door.
"I'll go talk to him." Daisy offered.
"No, I's the one that screwed up. Let me." Bo replied.
She simply nodded as Bo tossed the smoky beard along with the equally smoky hat on the back of the sofa. Moments later he was also outside and walked up behind Tommy.
"Hey Tommy boy." Bo began with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."
"Brandon was right." Tommy replied with a sniff, rubbing tears away with his forearm. "All this Santa Claus stuff is just pretend."
"That's not true Tommy." Bo replied. "You just gotta believe."
"I tried." Tommy said. "Dad said the real Santa would show up tonight, but it was just you."
"Tommy, I showed up in a Santa suit to try and make you happy. But you're right, it was just me. I'm just a helper. That don't mean he's not coming."
"Yes it does. Santa's not real." Tommy replied.
"Tommy, you gotta believe me. He's out there." Bo announced.
"I don't think there's anybody I can believe about this anymore, 'cept maybe Brandon." Tommy replied. "Dad said the real Santa was coming, and you were pretending to be the real Santa. But in the end, Santa didn't show."
"Are you serious, Tommy?" Bo asked. "You're putting all your faith in Brandon? The boy who did nothing but pick on you all summer? That's the only person you can believe anymore?"
"No." Tommy said after a few moments. "There's one more person that I know who would never tell me a lie. You once said it yourself."
Tommy then turned his wheelchair back toward his house. Bo knew instantly, and with a sinking feeling, who he was going to ask. And it was true. If Tommy came right down and asked him for an honest answer, Uncle Jesse would not lie to him.
Bo really didn't want to be there the moment Tommy's dreams and vision of Santa would be forever shattered, but at the same time he couldn't tear himself away. Walking into the house in his soot covered Santa suit with head down, he arrived just in time to hear Tommy asking the question of questions.
"Uncle Jesse, tell me the truth. Is there really a Santa Claus?"
Unconsciously everyone in the room froze, expecting the worse. But without missing a beat, Uncle Jesse looked the youngster in the eye. "'Course there's a Santa Claus. What a ridiculous thing to think there wadn't."
Tommy blinked and a slight smile spread across his face. "Really Uncle Jesse? Are you sure?"
"Why sure I'm sure. I see him all the time."
"You do?"
"Of course."
"Wow." Tommy said after a few minutes. "I wish I could see him."
"Well now." Uncle Jesse replied, clearing his throat. "If you're sure about that, if you're really sure, then I know for a fact that he's gonna be payin' a visit to little Chris Smith long about 9 o'clock tonight."
"Really?" Tommy asked. "I'm glad Uncle Jesse. Chris told me he wanted a pair of roller skates more than anything this year. 'Course everybody knows his family can't afford Christmas gifts. Can we go there and watch for Santa, Uncle Jesse? Surely he's bringin' Chris his skates."
"Well now Santa, see, he don't take too kindly to people tryin' to see what he's up to. He's gonna make sure Chris is in tha bed 'nd sound asleep 'fore he leaves him anything. So we can't exactly go visitin' right now."
"Well can we just sit in the truck and watch? I've just gotta see Santa!"
Jesse smiled. "Alright, but only if you're sure you want to see the REAL Santa."
"Oh yes, Uncle Jesse. I want to see the real Santa."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Uncle Jesse, we ain't never gonna get to see Santa if Chris don't git back in the house!" Tommy complained from the truck where he sat with Jesse and Bo, hidden behind some bushes near Chris' house.
"Chris, come back in here, its way past your bedtime." Chris' mother announced.
"Just a minute, mom. I have to finish sprinkling the oatmeal for Santa's reindeer." Chris replied, scattering the last of the contents of a small bag over the lawn. He then bound back up the stairs and gave his mom a quick hug before entering the house. His mom turned to look at the small bit of scattered oatmeal on the ground, almost looking as if she were about to cry before she turned into the house herself. After a few moments, all of the lights of the house had been turned out.
"Did you see the way his mom did? Tommy asked. "If Santa don't bring them skates, Chris ain't gonna have any."
"You're right." Jesse replied.
He then opened the door and reached for something in the back of his truck. He returned a few minutes later and handed a bag to Tommy.
"What's in here?" Tommy asked.
"Well, open it up and find out." Jesse replied.
Tommy opened the bag. Inside he found a wrapped Christmas box, the type with the lid and box wrapped individually so that the top can be taken off to reveal the contents. In excitement, he removed the lid, looked at the contents, and frowned.
"Uncle Jesse." Tommy whispered. "Skates?"
"That they are." Jesse replied. "Now go on and make your delivery…..Santa."
Tommy sat in shocked silence for a few moments before realization began to set in. By that time Bo, still in his soot covered Santa suit, had stepped outside and was waiting for Tommy. In moments, Tommy nodded and Bo scooped him up, carrying him toward the Smiths' porch.
Shooing the cat away, Tommy placed the package containing the skates on the porch. Fingering the ribbon just a moment, a good feeling came over him.
"Wait!" He whispered a bit too loudly as Bo began to carry him away.
"Mom? Did you hear that? I think it's Santa!" They heard Chris yell out from inside.
Bo started to run but Tommy quickly stopped him. Pointing to the ground, he made a sweep of some of the more obvious patches of oatmeal, gathering it in a gloved hand. By the time the oatmeal had been discarded on the other side of the bushes and Bo and Tommy were safely back in the truck, the front porch light had come on and Chris was rushing outside, his tired looking mother appearing in the doorway.
"I told you mom! I told you it was Santa!" Chris beamed, scooping up the box and showing it to his surprised mother. Tearing off the lid, he picked up his prized skates. "Oh mom, Santa is the best! I've got to go show dad!"
With that, Chris ran back into the house, yelling for his dad. In moments, the door was once again closed and the porch light darkened, giving Jesse the opportunity to inch away unnoticed.
"Well Tommy." Jesse asked after they were on their way back to his house. "Do you doubt the existence of Santa anymore?"
"No Uncle Jesse." Tommy replied with a smile. "He's real…and more beautiful than I ever imagined."
Wishing you all a joyful and safe Merry Christmas. I hopes that each of you enjoy good health, a fat turkey, and the company of those you love the most. May all the Santas in your life be good to you! Remember that the greatest gift of all is Jesus, the reason for the season. Luke 2:11.
(In the mood for Christmas Stories? Don't forget to re-visit my old one....'The Night Before Christmas Dukes Style'.)