playing santa.
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus
Right down Santa Claus Lane--!
No snow. Not here in the Crescent, not here in this temperate balmy city where the ocean may bring rain but not cold.
Still, it is Christmas. Holiday lights wrapped around ev'ry damn thing, strewn in every wrought-iron balcony railing. Red ribbons an' shiny ornaments. Tinsel. Ellis has been shopping for presents and he has the passenger seat full of them, all wrapped in festive paper.
The radio plays carols, and he hums with them. Sings every now and then. He likes Christmas. And carols.
Flash--
--standing in rows with the others, white robes, High Mass, the church smelling holy, holy, holy as their voices rise, clear and alto. Gloria in Excelsis Deo--
--the cruch of his tires on the gravel brings him back to the now, eighty-five years later, driving down the road towards the house he helped them buy.
He comes bearing gifts. For the children. And tonight he will look at Curtis Jr. and think about whether or not it's time yet. Curtis. He likes Curtis. Curtis has grown up to look so much like daddy.
Maybe later. He don't want to spoil Christmas for the kids.
Right down Santa Claus Lane--!
No snow. Not here in the Crescent, not here in this temperate balmy city where the ocean may bring rain but not cold.
Still, it is Christmas. Holiday lights wrapped around ev'ry damn thing, strewn in every wrought-iron balcony railing. Red ribbons an' shiny ornaments. Tinsel. Ellis has been shopping for presents and he has the passenger seat full of them, all wrapped in festive paper.
The radio plays carols, and he hums with them. Sings every now and then. He likes Christmas. And carols.
Flash--
--standing in rows with the others, white robes, High Mass, the church smelling holy, holy, holy as their voices rise, clear and alto. Gloria in Excelsis Deo--
--the cruch of his tires on the gravel brings him back to the now, eighty-five years later, driving down the road towards the house he helped them buy.
He comes bearing gifts. For the children. And tonight he will look at Curtis Jr. and think about whether or not it's time yet. Curtis. He likes Curtis. Curtis has grown up to look so much like daddy.
Maybe later. He don't want to spoil Christmas for the kids.