Santa's Big Helper

by Olivia Gaines

  Tomorrow would start a new day for him. So much to do. So much to get done.

  Saturday mornings were her time to sleep in. Most Saturdays she would get up about nine, head to the market about 10, pick up a movie and lounge about the house. This morning, Nick was up, had made breakfast and left her a note indicating he had to take care of the details this weekend.

  Details that began with his home. He stopped by the office supply store and bought several stacks of moving and packing boxes. Large roll of tape in hand, he made a dozen open boxes, lined the bottom with bubble wrap and began to take down all of the Christmas décor in the living room. The clock, the train, the animated creatures that chanted “Santa” every time his dad sat down were boxed up. The Christmas village that covered the dining room table – boxed up. The red garland and the green garland strands were taken down from over the mantle. What was going to be left was a simple tree, lightly decorated, and a mantle with three stockings. He pulled one extra out of the box and hung it on the mantle for Patience.

  The baby Jesus in his manger by the fireplace – boxed up. All of it was sealed and loaded in the back of his truck. He unplugged the animated reindeer and loaded them on the back as well. The 12-foot tree he would take care of when he returned.

  His house looked like a house again. Time to share the Christmas joy of Big Charlie. His first stop was to the church. He was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church and his parents were members. Even after his mother passed, Big Charlie still went every Sunday. Pastor Bryant was there when he pulled up.

  “Season’s Greeting, Nickolas. What have you there?”

  “I have some Christmas decorations I would love to donate to the church on my father’s behalf? I know how much your wife loves the animated reindeer,” he told the pastor.

  “We would be honored. You know most of our stuff is so old, it is barely holding together. I am grateful for your gift,” Pastor Bryant said as he helped Nick unload the bed of the truck. Nick even went as far as putting the reindeer in the back of the pastor’s truck so they could be taken to his house.

  He shook Pastor Bryant’s hand and was surprised when he said, “I will see you Monday for Big Charlie’s service.”

  Nick stopped. What is he talking about? “I’m sorry, Pastor. My dad’s service is at the funeral home.”

  “No, I got a call from Patience yesterday and the home going service is here on Monday.” The man was smiling like the Cheshire cat.

  “Pastor, I don’t have the funds to do a full service,” he said with a serious look on his face.

  “It’s all taken care of, son. We will see you on Monday at 10 am,” he told Nick as he looked at the reindeer. “Katie is going to love these!”

  Nick stood there staring after the man. The church was large and held upwards of two hundred people if full. What was Patience thinking? His dad only had a handful of friends. He pulled out his cell phone to call her, but instead he looked down to see an incoming call from the funeral home.

  “Nick Pines,” he answered.

  “Nicky, this is Bob Connelly as Connelly Brothers Funeral Home. How are you holding up there, son?”

  He was the second person today to call him son. “I’m well, Mr. Connelly, is everything okay?”

  “Yes, son, everything is fine. We received the check for the payment for your father’s service, and we will have his remains at the church by 9 am for people to pay their respects before the service.”

  “What?” Nick thought he had misheard him.

  “Well, I was calling to ask if you could bring over a suit for us to dress him in. Preferably one of his Santa suits?”

  “What?” Nick hoped he had misheard him

  Bob chuckled into the phone. “A lot of people knew he was a plumber, but most people knew him as Santa.” Nick could not believe what he was hearing. “Can you get the suit here by 3 pm so we can go ahead and get him ready for his home going?”

  “Sure. Whatever. Mr. Connelly,” Nick said into the phone. “How... who... what... everything is paid?”

  “Yes. Patience has taken care of everything. Now don’t dawdle, son, I need that suit,” he said in the tone a grandfather would use to get a grandchild ready for bed.

  I’ll be. He would head over to Patience’s to find out what was going on. But first he had to find his dad’s suit. In that room. Full of stuff.

  This time, instead of boxes, he entered the room with a large garbage bag. He started with the newspapers on the floor that Big Charlie had clipped images of himself out of to put in a non-existent scrapbook he claimed to have been making for the past five years. Then there were the liquor bottles under the bed. The tons of prescriptions he was taking and all of the Christmas cards. So many Christmas cards piled up. He grabbed them all and started to throw them in the trash but stopped. He opened one and a $100 bill fell out. The next one a check. The next one a fifty.

  What?

  He sat down in the chair and went through the envelopes. When he finished, there was $1500. The last card said for the kids at the Holly Oak Presbyterian Mission House. That’s where Patience works. His ministry. That is what she had said when she first met him and asked if he would continue to be Santa’s big helper.

  The sheds. What was in the sheds?

  He rambled through his father’s things until he found a ring of keys. He ran out of the back door and tried the first shed. He went through every key on the ring until he could open the door. The same with the second and third sheds.

  The first one was storage for all the Christmas stuff. Even after he had given away 12 boxes of holiday décor, there was still a ¾ full shed of more stuff. The second shed held toys marked “children’s hospital.” The next shed was marked Holly Oak Presbyterian Mission House and the Sweet Oak Home for Boys. The presents were already wrapped. Dear God, Dad.

  He went back in the house and plopped down in the chair. Patience called, but the conversation was brief. “Are you coming back tonight?” she wanted to know.

  “No. I have some things to sort out. I will see you Monday at the church,” and he said no more. Instead, he went to his father’s closet to find the Santa suit, but was shocked when he found four in 4 different sizes. Including a Mrs. Santa suit.

  Well, I’ll be.

  The Power of Christmas...

  Nick lost himself in his father’s room. So much information, so many memories, so much... of so much. By the end of Saturday night he had given up and fallen asleep in the middle of his father’s bed. On Sunday, after his morning cup of coffee, he thought about all the cards and remembered he had not checked the mailbox in several days. His eyes were wide at the mailbox stuffed full of envelopes.

  His intention of going to church today was side tracked by all the Christmas cards full of checks, money, and specific notes for the children the funds went towards. “Wait a minute,” he went out back to the shed for the children’s hospital. He recognized one of the names in the envelope and remembered a name on one of the gifts. This is how he paid for all of this.

  By nightfall, Nick had made three separate stacks – one of 100s, the next of smaller bills and the third of checks. Earlier, he had found his dad’s Christmas list. He made a copy of it and matched the names and donations to the list to make sure everyone was covered. There were at least $8,000 on the table. His ministry. A blow hit Nick in the chest.

  How will I ever fulfill this order, Dad? Now more than ever, in a time when he needed to believe, Nick’s faith was shaken. He sat in front of the fire, staring at the flames until he drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow, he will have to really say goodbye.

  The call came in at 7:30 from Mr. Donnelly. “The car will pick you up at 8:30.”

  “What car?

  “The car that will take you to the church, then on to the mausoleum where Big Charlie will be interred.”

  “Mr. Donnelly, I didn’t order any of that. My father was not a fancy man. I wanted to put him away quietly without any fuss. I can’t afford any of
this,” he tried to emphasize again.

  “No worries, son. Patience has taken care of everything,” he said. “Again, be ready at 8:30.”

  What had she done? He could not afford all of this stuff. If she was paying for it, that was even more unacceptable. Big Charlie’s hospital care was nearly $250,000. I will be lucky to feed myself and keep a roof over my head trying to take care of all of this. Nick slowly got dressed in one of his two suits. He had a navy blue one and a black one; he opted for the navy blue with a Christmas tie. The car arrived at exactly 8:30 and the driver escorted him to the town car, which followed the hearse. The hearse, which carried his last parent. He had never felt so alone. He was going to put his father away with just him and Patience to stand and witness his home going.

  He wiped at his eyes. My dad gave so much. And yet he died with no one at his side, but Patience and me and we will be the two to put him away. I don’t want this life for myself. I want a houseful of kids and a big family, and to be surrounded by friends and live a life full of love.

  The cars pulled up to the church and used a side door to roll Big Charlie in. Nick took a deep cleansing breath before the driver opened his door. The cold December wind slapped at his face like an angry lover furious with his words. He wanted to climb back into the car and just pretend this was already over. The car door slammed behind him and he jumped. I can’t do this. I can’t.

  Nick turned to start walking away, but he looked up to find her standing there. She held out her hand to him and his feet obeyed her command. His gloved hand fell into Patience’s as she looped her arm in his and led him into the church. The viewing had commenced as Big Charlie’s casket was opened. The funeral home had handled him nicely, even added some color back to his cheeks.

  A large Christmas chest had been placed beside the casket next to the myriads of flowers and plants that surrounded his father. All in red, white and green. Soft Christmas music played in the background as Patience urged him to sit at the corner of the pew. For a half hour, a slow trickle of people came in to pay their respects, each dropping a few bills into the box. Patience sat with him, saying nothing, just sitting close so he could feel her warmth as mourners shook Nick’s hand.

  At 9:45, Patience rose to open the side doors of the choir stand as the choir filed into their positions. Nick sat in wonderment at the number of church members who came out on a Monday. He could hear the people coming into the doors of the church and was shocked to see almost every pew filled.

  The mayor, William Howard, walked up to Nick. “Today has been declared Big Charlie Day and we are flying the flags at half-mast at city hall. Your father meant the world to me.” He shook his hand and dropped a check into the chest.

  Nick’s voice was croaky as he mumbled a thank you. The black lady who always paid his father in pies stood at the microphone as the organist played a few chords. He remembered his dad called her Ms. Patti. In the cleanest, clearest of voices, her soprano filled the vestibule, the sanctuary and every heart in the church, as she started a rendition of My God is Real.

  Pastor Bryant spoke briefly about the Christmas ministry Big Charlie had put together and how wonderful it was for the community. He opened the floor as he would for the tithers to come into the storehouse, as body after body passed by Big Charlie, dropped a monetary gift in the box and shook Nick’s hand.

  Patience stood up and went to the mic. “Nick, Big Charlie gave so much to each of us. For me, he found the perfect set of parents.” Reginald and Andrea came up and shook his hand, dropping an offering in the box. “There are others of us who he did the same thing for. We are called Big Charlie’s kids. Would the rest of Big Charlie’s kids please come forward?” At least 40 people of various ages from full bearded men to toddlers with pacifiers walked by and shook his hand, dropping something the hope chest. The toddler even dropped in a peppermint stick which made Nick wipe away the tears that had started running from his eyes.

  “There are also others who Big Charlie helped during the holiday season. It was his vision, his ministry, to make sure every child had at least two or three presents. These kids, Charlie called his elves.” Nick looked about the packed church. “I invite the elves to come forward.”

  Everyone in the church began to ooh and ahh as Ronnie Mark Lawson stood and made his way up front. He stopped in front of Nick. “Nice to meet you, man,” he said as he turned and faced the crowd. “I don’t know if any of you are aware, but every Christmas, Big Charlie gave my mother $175 for my goodies under the tree. What he didn’t know was that money also bought me cleats, put food on our table and helped us out more than he could ever know. He did that until I went off to college. Matter of fact, my freshman and sophomore year, he still gave to my mother. In return, every year, I sent him a check for a $175 to help another child. Today, Nick, I wanted to help his child.”

  The emotion nearly overtook Nick as Ronnie handed him the hospital bill from Charlie’s stay. At the bottom of the bill it read Balance Due, $0. Nick broke down. He fell to church pew and cried. His body wracked with tears as Ronnie sat beside him with his arm about his shoulder. “You are my brother, Nick. Big Charlie was a good dad to me, too.” Patience cued the choir as the lady who tried to pay him in jars of preserves stood up and sang a most beautiful rendition of His Eye is on the Sparrow.

  Pastor Bryant called forth the pallbearers as they closed the casket and rolled Big Charlie out to the hearse. The chest, half full of money and gifts, was closed and placed in the trunk of the town car. Nick was loaded in next as Patience climbed into the car and sat beside him. The man could not find any words to even start to express... understanding... fathom what his father had given to Harrisonburg.

  “He wanted me to make sure you believed in the power of Christmas, Nick. This is what Christmas meant to Big Charlie. He gave everything of himself for those 30 days to make sure every child who believed would continue to give and pay back to their community.”

  Holding his hand she wiped away his tears. “Moreover, he wanted you to believe in the power of Christmastime and what the love of God and your fellow man can bring to even the most broken man.”

  Nick’s voice was wobbly when he spoke to her. “Thank you, Patience. Thank you for helping me see who my dad really was.”

  “Your dad was Santa to so many people. Even to me.”

  Laughing All the Way...

  The entombment was a quiet affair. Present was his father’s longtime friend, Benny, the Pastor, Patience and her parents. The black lady who always paid in pies was also present. “I remember you from my childhood,” he told her.

  “And I know you as well, Nicky. Big Charlie was good to me. My pies were his favorite.”

  He hugged her and was glad she was there. Her name was Patti Demerove. And she was Big Charlie’s girl. This he knew after going through so many of the papers in his room. There were a few letters between him and Patti, but Nick never knew the pie maker’s name and never equated the name with this woman. There were questions that he had, but now was not the place and this was definitely not the time. But based on the letters, she and Big Charlie had been in love for a long time. Charlie had married his mom because she had gotten into trouble, and Benny introduced them. However, based on what he understood from the scribbled handwriting of Patti, she felt Big Charlie chose the perfect family over one with her. There was one question he asked in a lowered tone of voice. “Do I have any brothers or sisters?”

  Patti’s large chest puffed up at the implication, the recognition and realization that Nick knew everything. “Yes. You have a sister.”

  “I look forward to meeting her soon,” he told Patti. Nick turned back into the Pastor’s final words as Charlie’s body was pushed into the case and it was sealed. He only stood for a few seconds before heading towards the car. “Patience, can we drop you at home?”

  “No, I’ll ride with my parents,” she told him, uncertain of where his head was at. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she had to spend some time at
the orphanage, but she wanted to spend the evening with him. Not knowing how to ask, she watched him climb into the car and ride away.

  Nick’s brain was buzzing as he brought the chest inside and stuck it in Big Charlie’s room. The hospital bills were paid. Just from peering in the chest, there was enough there to pay off Big Charlie’s credit card and Home Shopping accounts. In his heart, he knew there was something else that needed to be done.

  In his dad’s closet, Nick took a peek at the three remaining Santa suits. Each one was a different size. As Big Charlie grew wider and more rotund, he had to get a new suit. The oldest of the three was the perfect size. Next was firing up the Santa mobile.

  In the garage, and under great care was Big Charlie’s Santa mobile. It was big, it was red and it made no excuses. It was a Ford F250 long bed, candy apple red, with door magnets on each side of Big Charlie’s face in his Santa hat and full on white beard and long curly white hair. It was like a toy carrying ice cream truck. It also came complete with exterior speakers that played Here Comes Santa Claus as Big Charlie drove by. He had not driven it in years because the change in his eye sight. Nick had driven him to many of the gigs he had or Benny would serve as his elf. There was no way he was ever able to get Nick into one of the elf suits.

  “I will go you one better, Dad,” he said as he went out to the shed and brought in all the toys and began to load the various sections of the back of the truck. There were four stops on Christmas Eve and four compartments. Each had a big red bag, and extras that belonged to the boys at the group home went on the back seat, as well as items for the kids with special needs or specific allergic reactions. The list for the kids was in the small office off the bedroom that used to be a walk-in linen closet.

  Big Charlie had made the list and Nick was checking it twice. He needed a good night’s sleep because Christmas Eve was going to be a full day.