A/N: As a good Clevelander and loyal A Christmas Story fan, I felt I should write a little quip- Ralphie's wish for his gun. Note that if you haven't seen the movie, this may not all make sense to you. If you haven't seen it, you definately have to! This is a one-shot, and from Ralphie's POV.
Disclaimer: I don't own the storyline, characters, or anything, which is pretty obvious...I do live in Cleveland, though! Does that count for something?
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The snow was falling, at last, Christmastime was here! I stood outside the department store window, Randy by my side. As he was preoccupying his mind with the trains and the trucks and the toy soldiers off to the side, I plastered my eyes to the sight before me- the biggest, baddest shoot-em-up'per in the Wild, Wild West- Red Ryder. There was his gun! A real air-range rifle with a compass in the stock! And there was Red Ryder himself, the figure of freedom waving out to anxious children, advertising with everything he had. How I wanted that rifle!
My old man came up to us just then, resting his hand on my shoulder and for just a moment, staring at the rifle himself, and seemingly losing himself in his own thoughts-
"Did you two have fun with Santa Claus?" asked my mother, suddenly grounding us dreaming cowboys back into what some might call reality. Lifting my eyes from my hero and his partner of choice, I nodded and followed to the car, anxious to go home and dream about Red Ryder vs. Black Bart- it wouldn't be long now before I could join them in the shoot-out.
Put 'em up, Black Bart! Surrender now. Red Ryder's here.