JACK BATSON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

by Georgekutty Adappur

  Then Jack Batson looked at his siblings to know their opinion. They just smiled and said together.

  “We are very proud of you Jack. Now you got a lotto, don’t lose it, keep it always with you. Many people say that you wasted your many years without doing anything; even then we can say that it is not too late. God will help you and we want to see the same people who grumbled against you praising you in the near future.”

  “Thank you all for your advices and prayers. I know, I wasted many years without doing anything. I still have hope and this is the right time to begin. I remember a quote in a book that really shook me. The book says, NEVER LOSE YOUR HOPE, YOU ARE NOT TOO LATE, IT IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TO SUCCESS. So, I will start right now.” Jack Batson said and he realized that his mind is becoming stronger every moment.

  He was visualising with his inner eyes, what would happen in the near future…

  The people cursed him would have to swallow their words and start praising him soon. He always wanted to become famous one day. That was his dream. He wished to become a renowned adventurer and he wanted the people to come to meet him from faraway places. He could see with his inner eyes an ocean of his fans crowded in front of his gate to have a glimpse of him. He waving his hands towards them and they waving back.

  “O.K. Then, let’s go to bed. Don’t forget to wake up early. Tomorrow is the Christmas eve and we have many chores to complete before the Christmas celebration.” Gringer Batson reminded all his family as he got up from the chair to wash his hands after the dinner.

  After their heavy meal everyone went to bed. Jack didn’t know when the Goddess of sleep embraced him!

  CHAPTER 5

  SANTA’S CHRISTMAS PRESENT

  It was December 26th and one of the coldest days in the winter season. The golden sun rays spread in the sky and peeped down through the white thick clouds into earth as though it was lighting up the world with fire. Jack Batson and his brother Matt were sleeping peacefully in Batson Palace which is located in Danger Forest. The clock struck at 8’O clock in the morning, yet they didn’t wake up from the bed.

  They were very tired after their last night’s adventures, that caused them to go to bed very late. The previous day they had Christmas celebrations throughout the country.

  Jack and his brother Matt attended Christmas carol disguised themselves as Santa Clauses. You may be amazed to know that the real Santa Claus who is also known as Saint Nicolas, was also present for the Christmas celebrations as their chief Guest in St. Mary’s Church, Danger Forest. The chief guest for the New Year celebrations in their country will be His Holiness Pope Francis. His Holiness has agreed to spend one week in Billston between January 1st and 7th.

  This year’s Christmas was very special to Jack and Matt. A few days back on 20th December, their Dad Ben Batson gifted them a flying car which was his own creation that he named “Angelus Wings”. Now they can travel anywhere in the world wherever they wish, without any interruption from traffic jam or any other hindrances. The notable attraction of this car was its fuel which was just water and air. This cute scientific marvel is totally fuel efficient, eco-friendly without causing any pollution and pretty cost effective.

  The lovely siblings Jack, Matt and Ann rode this car, the very first day they received it. This amazing car has a very powerful engine with an acceleration from 0 to 500 KMs within 10 seconds. They took Angelus Wings to participate in the Christmas Carol celebrations and later midnight Holy Mass in the Church.

  Even though the Church celebrated Christmas day with wonderful festivities, they planned to make even merrier celebrations in the New Year to give honour to their celebrity chief guest. In the fabulous Holy Christmas night, Jack Batson performed different types of fascinating circus tricks to cheer up the parishioners. He used his Flying Jet Jacket (also invented by his dad Ben Batson) to fly to the top of the tall flag post which was 300 metres tall from the ground level. This post is used to hoist ‘the Flag of Faith’ (this flag depicts a dove that comes upon a cross planted on the world globe) on the occasions of the Church festivals. Then he jumped downwards from the top of the flag post like an expert gymnast and reached safely on the ground.

  And there was another trick played by Jack in which his younger brother Matt also participated as Santa. They had a very lean thread made of Nano fibres (again invented by Ben Batson), which was as thin as a small cotton thread used by a tailor. Yet, it was a strong thread capable of pulling back an elephant. They tied up one end on a big pine tree and other end around a silver oak which was hundred metres away. Then, these two Santa blocked their visions with black cotton clothes and walked on this narrow rope, above 300 metres from the ground level.

  Everyone was amazed witnessing these tricks and the people started applauding like monsoon thunder. Bewilderment of the people increased when they realized that these gymnasts were just walking on the rope, without using even a pole to balance their body. Normally even experts would use some protective gear, when they walked in such unimaginable heights. At the peak of this adventure they started dancing upon the rope by singing the famous Christmas hymns ‘Silent Night, Holy Night’; ‘Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells’, as if they were attending a procession during Christmas Carol.

  While traversing through this small thread, they had to eat the whole Christmas cupcakes, which were being hovered around them like a kit of pigeons. As the reward for these life-threatening adventures, they received an invitation from Santa Claus to visit his dwelling place in North Pole. They would be going to stay with Santa for a month to help him to pack the Christmas gifts for the children in the coming year.

  After the Christmas celebrations, Batson family invited Santa Claus to their home to give him a special treat. Initially Santa denied the offer because he was in a hurry, yet finally he agreed to stay with them for a day. So, after the Holy Mass at the Church, Santa approached the reindeers and muttered some words in their ears.

  Then he waved his hands towards Batson family as an invitation to accompany him in the sledge. They happily accepted the trip with Santa in the sledge.

  Santa then raised his whip and gave a slight slash on the back of the reindeers. It was a very soft whip like a feather. The reindeers rose up into the sky by pulling up the sledge behind them and started to glide as though they had wings. They flew among the dark rainy clouds as well as on the white puffy soft clouds, as if they were skating on the smooth solid ice.

  Jack Batson’s Angelus Wings had a remote-control system, so, it followed them behind the sledge. When they reached above the landing zone of the Batson family’s private airport (located at the back of their Batson family bungalow), the sledge jerked and stopped as though, it was going to drop downwards. Finally, at a low speed, they landed onto the airstrip and everybody alighted from the sledge along with their special guest Santa Claus.

  Santa Claus’ eyes strode to every direction, going through the beauty of the bungalow in its nook and corners. His eyes were gleaming and he was enjoying a very special Christmas reward gifted to him by God for his endless endeavours and hardships to meet His people. He was startled by the beauty of the bungalow, enhanced by the silvery moonlight shone upon it. That time the image of the bungalow reflected in the pond that may trick people that, a silver bungalow was hiding under the water. And they had a special dancing fountain in the middle of the pond that jet water onto all directions according to the rhythm of the music. The broad garden around the palace, the river and waterfall behind it and the mountain beyond that also attracted him.

  “It is so beautiful and mesmerising!” He murmured with surprise.

  “Really…. do you really like it Santa?” Jack’s grandpa Gringer Batson asked him.

  “Well, everything is very beautiful, how old is this palace?” Santa Claus asked him in astonishment.

  “This palace is six hundred years old, but nobody would believe that; even you may find it hard to believe it.” He answered while they walked towards the main do
or.

  When everyone reached in front of the main door, it greeted them: “Hi, my dear family welcome back; a special welcome to our dear Santa Claus, our special guest, hearty welcome to all of you.”

  When the door gave him such a hearty welcome, Santa Claus smiled and gave back his blessings:

  “My dear brother, the Main Door, you are one of the close family members of Batson family and your relationship with this family started more than six hundred years ago. You have protected this house and its people like a soldier that protects his mother land from all its enemies and invaders. I bless you that, you may continue to exist with these people for generations to come until the end of the world.”

  “Thank you, dear Santa. Thank you for your blessings!”

  “What else can I say; Awesome and beautiful! Dear ones, I can see only amazing things at your home and surroundings!” Santa Claus spoke happily while he rubbed both hands. They all entered through the main door and it closed itself behind.

  “Now, look at the sun…it is rising slowly into the sky and the clock would strike five within a few minutes. Dear Santa Claus, let’s have breakfast together in the morning at 8:30, I beg you to take rest until then or as long as you wish. I know, you are very tired, and you need rest. So, please go with Jack and Matt to our special guest room. They will take you to that room. Jack, ask Matilda and Amanda (house servants) to prepare bed for him. Let’s all go to bed. Please be ready before 8:30 to enjoy the special banquet that we would prepare to honour our special guest.” Ben Batson said.

  Thus, everyone assembled in the living room dispersed. Santa went upstairs to the second floor with Jack and his brother Matt to take rest for a few hours after his long journey all over the world that he started since the Christmas eve.

  “Dear Santa!” Jack Batson called while they climbed up the steps.

  “What my dear child?” Santa asked looking into his eyes.

  “May I ask you one doubt?” He whispered.

  “Yea, dear child, ask me. But, no need to ask the question, because, I already know what you are going to ask me. Your question is, how I became Santa Claus and until then who I was? Then why I chose such a hard job of travelling around the world and finally when I would stop this journey? Also you wanted to know when do I begin and finish this journey every year during the Christmas season? Aren’t these your doubts?” Santa asked quietly looking into Jack Batson’s perplexed eyes.

  “Yes, dear Santa; but how did you read my mind? Do you possess the sixth sense to see through people’s mind and read their hearts? My dad, mom, grandpa and grandma had told me, many…many…miraculous things about you. But, when I heard all those stories, really, I thought those are all just stories made out of human imagination, but now I realize it is true. I read many stories about you. I have watched documentaries and movies about you wherein you are depicted as a fairy-tale character. But this is my first time I come across with the real Santa in life. I have seen many people who disguise themselves as Santa Claus in the Christmas season, but I knew that the real Santa Claus would be someone entirely different to them. And now I know you are more enchanting than them.”

  “It is true my dear child…it is true…, what you think is absolutely right. Only a few people in the world got the chance to meet me. They knew who I am. Rest of the people have different notions about me. But, NO BELIEF IS RIGHT OR WRONG, EACH ONE HAS ITS OWN RIGHT AND WRONG. I shall clarify all your doubts later.”

  Santa Claus caressed his white beard like a dad caressing his own child who reposes peacefully upon his chest. Continuing their conversation, they passed the first floor and climbed up stairs and reached the bedroom the servants prepared for Santa.

  “Santa you look very old, so are you not tired to climb up all these steps swiftly?” Matt raised his doubt.

  “No, my dear child. Yes, it is true that I am very much older than you think, yet, I am never tired of any work since I was born and I will continue this mission which I chose myself out of my love towards our Lord Jesus Christ and His people. In my earthly life when I became an adult, I took a decision that I wouldn’t waste my time even a second. So, if I had to do a job for the next day, I completed that task on the previous day itself. Thus, I did all my duties before time. It is not my bodily strength that helped me to work hard and fulfil my duties, but Lord Jesus Christ’s blessings which strengthens me to keep me steady to finish off my tasks. So, if you challenge me to climb the top of the ‘Mount of the Lord’ within a day without any aides or help, I will do it.”

  (‘Mount of the Lord’ is the tallest Mountain on earth, 100 times taller than Mount Everest and it is located in Billston. Every year on the Easter day, Holy Trinity would appear with Holy Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, all Holy Angels, all Saints and all the Holy Souls in Purgatory in the valley of this mount, at three in the afternoon. And this apparition lasts until quarter past three. The people in Billston assemble in the valley and celebrate this as a feast which is the most famous celebration in the country known as ‘Heaven Apparition Feast’.)

  They entered the guest room that was prepared for Santa Claus. Santa went to the bathroom to have a shower. After washing he came out wearing a red pyjama, t-shirt and a red cap. His slippers also were red in colour.

  “Dear children, please go and change your clothes and come back if you are not tired. Then I shall give answer for all those questions that you asked me.” Santa Claus said while he sat upon a polished wooden chair.

  Jack and Matt went back to their rooms and changed their clothes hurriedly. They were thinking about their distinguished guest at their home. They had heard many strange mysterious stories about Santa since their childhood, yet never got a chance to acquaint with him personally. So they also believed that he is just an imaginary character.

  When they returned to the guest room, Santa was sitting on a chair, his eyes half closed, chanting a rosary and whispering ‘Our Father in Heaven’ and ‘Hail Mary’.

  “Do you pray Rosary every day?” Jack and Matt asked together as they were seeing something unusual.

  “Yes, my dear children… I celebrate Holy Mass and pray Rosary every day by meditating on its 20 mysteries.”

  “Are you a priest to celebrate the Holy Mass?” Jack was curious.

  “Yes, I was a priest, I am priest and I will be a priest.” He murmured.

  “Then, why people call you simply Santa Claus instead of Fr. Santa Claus?”

  “Really…do you think so…?” Santa Claus asked Jack as though he heard something novel.

  “Certainly, I also had the same doubt…” Matt stammered.

  “O.K. dear children; I can clear your doubts. Before that, I have brought two special gifts to give you dear Matt.” Santa Claus smiled and took a red bag from under the cot.

  He took out two packets from his bag, one wrapped in golden coloured foil and other one in silver colour. Then with a smile he handed over the gifts to Matt and said:

  “Please open and see the wonderful gifts I brought for you from Santa Claus village.”

  With great amusement, he received the gifts and his hands started to shiver as though those presents were wrapped in ice cold wraps. As soon as he received the gifts, he opened the cover swiftly and placed it on the bed. The gift in the silver coloured wrap was a clock and the one in the golden coloured wrap was a pair of shoes.

  “A clock and pair of shoes!” Jack Batson was delighted.

  “Thank you, dear Santa.” Matt thanked Santa and shook his hands. Santa grabbed Matt’s both hands, held it between his hands and rubbed it softly. Then he advised Matt to look into his palms.

  When Matt opened his hands, he could see a scene like in a television screen. He could see himself as walking along the road with trees on both sides, and carrying the clock presented by Santa. Then one of his friends named Arthur was coming from the opposite direction and asked him why he carries that clock. He answered that, it is a gift from Santa Claus on his Christmas’ visit to his house. Then Arthur
argued with him saying that he is a liar and that clock was not Santa’s gift. Arthur went on saying that the clock belonged to him which he got from his uncle, who lives in Waterfield. Arthur also blamed that Matt stole it from his house during his visit on the previous day. Then Arthur insisted to handover the clock back. But, Matt denied it and challenged him to prove it himself. He also promised that if Arthur could prove it, then he is willing to handover it to him. Suddenly, a yell came out from the clock:

  “You little thief, how dare you to snatch me away from Matt’s hand. I am not yours, I belong to Matt and has been gifted to him by Santa Claus during his Christmas visit. You little robber Arthur, how dare you to put your hands in your father’s pocket and think that nobody was watching you. I know that you were on the way to the market to buy a new hat with the stolen money that you stole. Don’t you feel ashamed of your guilt? I warn you, if you continue these bad habits, one day the people will stone you to death. I order you to go home, give the money back and say sorry to your parents for your misdeed.”