Really Christmas

REALLY CHRISTMAS

Kids are playing on the land that is set before them, by their great-grandfather. Hills roll like the waves on the ocean. Swollen valleys full of snow. Now Jeremy being the youngest of his brothers says to his dad! You know this will be just like the Christmas we use to spend with Grandma and Grandpa, I really miss those years.
Grandpa always told me son forever is a long time to wait on the things we want out life, the best way to ensure your future is to work on it now. I built this land with my dad to make the future for my children and grandchildren a little less stressful. They could have this land to fall back on. Grandpa had told me never to give up on my dream, because if things go wrong I could always come home to the farm, but in all reality this farm was always my dream. Dad I really miss grandpa, he was always a big part of my life.
It was now December 24, 1980 and Jeremy left his dad with this, I am going to the mountains to get a Christmas tree. Son be extra careful because the valleys being swollen, you could come across some patches of ice and slush. Well Jeremy knew the mountains and the other areas better than anyone ever had because after all that is where he spent all his off days while growing up.
Now Jeremy finds the right tree for the kids, after all that is the only reason he had went up the mountain anyway, but his trip back down would be more event filled as he started back across the valley he becomes blocked in because of the slush and the ice, well he still has a one option and the is to cut down the narrow logging road, to get back to the main road which takes twice as long but it is his only option. Now after traveling about an hour and only making it about one and half miles Jeremy comes across an old twig shack, that has never been there before, so he pulls up and walks up to the shack and to his surprise there is a family lying on the inside nearly froze to death, he first grabs the kids, takes the wet blankets off them and puts them all in the truck. But the dad couldn’t go because of the room in the truck. Back at home everyone has arrived and now waiting on Jeremy. Well as he arrives everyone rushes out to meet him, but also to their surprise they find Jeremy carrying these two little children in his arms, Jeremy shouts to Tom and Paul the other three children are in the truck and the mother is there also. Tom and Paul rush to get them out of the truck and to the house, as this is going on Jeremy tells his dad, it is getting darker and the dad is still out there in that weather I have to go get him. Jeremy’s dad says son you can’t it is too bad. Jeremy say dad I can’t leave him, I wouldn’t want anyone leaving you out there, and it isn’t any different here. Those kids love there dad just as much as I love you. I am going to fuel up the tractor and go after him. Tom replies, not without me your not. So they kiss there families good-bye and off they head.
The weather has worsened and the visibility on this tractor is unbearable, but Jeremy presses on and finally, three hours later makes it to the man and he is on the verge of shock. Jeremy and Tom grab the man and get him in the tractor. Well there isn’t enough room for three people on the tractor so Jeremy demands he stays behind and they come for him in the morning. What they didn’t know is about an half mile from where the shack was there was a cave and Jeremy has stored some firewood in there just cases such as this, but he didn’t want anyone to know because of hermits.
Well the next morning was at hand and everyone worried about Jeremy, but Jeremy is at the breakfast table eating his bagel and bacon, with a cup of coffee. Everyone at awe, they ask how did you get back in this weather, well Mr. W Brown was passing by and caught a lift. Dad said, Son I never doubted you, Jeremy says dad I know.
Well Jeremy goes up to check on the kids, he finds them all awake but just lying in bed, he asks. Why are you in bed still? The oldest says we usually don’t get up until it is time to eat then we go back to bed until the next day unless dad has come back with food for another meal for the day. Jeremy says, I promise you there will be no more days like that. Breakfast is being prepared, but until then there are kids and toys to be played with this Christmas day, go join.
Well Jeremy passes the wife on her way to the bathroom; he tells her the kids are downstairs playing so you need not worry about them. She wants to sneak around the corner to see. All five are playing among the kids whom were of the people whom had saved their lives and she can not hold back she bellows out a loud cry that she could not stop. The wives of the boys run to her as they would rescue her, but she says I am fine this is the most joy I have ever seen on the faces of my children, Thank you from the very bottom, of me.
Jeremy goes up to check on Mr. Dawson. He walks in the room and Mr. Dawson is sitting up on the bed and Jeremy says you need your rest. Mr. Dawson replies, I have burdened you enough so we will be on our way. Jeremy says, no sir we are honored to have such a man in house, someone who will do for their family to keep them alive needs a medal. You and your family are welcome in my house as long as you want. As he was leaving Jeremy says supper is ready anytime you are.
Mr. Dawson walks down the stairs and all the men of the house starts to clap at a man that would risk his life to keep his family alive. Mrs. Dawson starts to cry and Mr. Dawson comes over to Jeremy and gives him a hug that he would never forget, he tells the rest of the family it is people like you that make people like us go on.
Well as they sit at meat, Jeremy looks at Mr. Dawson and asks what he does for work when he has a job. Mr. Dawson’s’ reply, I farm, carpentry, just all sorts of different things. Jeremy says well we have a position for someone it pays $215 a week, a four bedroom house and a pickup to run back and forth around the mountain. Mr. Dawson chokes up as he can’t speak. Jeremy says we also pay a doctor to come around and do checkups. Mr. Dawson says the pay and home were enough. I will take it I am just overwhelmed. Thank you so much.
Well this was the best Christmas the Fulton’s or the Dawson’s ever had. Jeremy says to his dad after everyone had left, Grandpa would have loved the way this Christmas turned out. He always said that this is what Christmas was all about
Well years had passed since the meeting between the two families of the Fulton’s and the Dawson’s. The two families became quite close. More like two families joined as one. This would be the fifteenth Christmas they all had spent together; it would show to be the most difficult because Jeremy became ill shortly before Christmas.
Mr. Dawson as Jeremy had always called him had gotten the truck ready to carry Jeremy and his dad into the city to see the specialist. Well they get to the office and everyone sits outside to wait on the news, the doctors come out to tell them that Jeremy had a kidney that was failing him and he would need a transplant or it would cost him his life.
Weeks had gone by and still no results for a donor until one day the doctor had called Jeremy to tell him that out of the blue someone stopped by the office to have tests run to see if they would be a match for you, but the funny thing is, the gentleman was and he agreed to go through with the process. Jeremy was excited, but then he said to himself who could it be. Then he asks the doctor who was it the doctor replied Mr. Dawson. Jeremy dropped the phone and he bellowed like a baby in disbelief and then he called Mr. Dawson and asks why. Mr. Dawson replied you saved my family and me. If I were to die tomorrow it would be fifteen years longer than I should have, because of you. The conversation ended and they agreed to the surgery and in two weeks the process would take place.
The big day had arrived; the two families were at the hospital. The two men say their good-byes and then looked to each other and embraced like they were brothers. They go in for the surgery. All goes well and both men are in recovery.
Well as they make their way back in the room. Mr. Dawson is fine but Jeremy is still recovering since he did have one kidney taken out and the other replaced but in days he would get closer to normal. In the mean time months have passed but still in the back of everyone’s mind Christmas was lost, but Jeremy looks to tell everyone, the Christmas fifteen years ago make this one up. Mr. Dawson and family are invited to come over to eat dinner.
As everyone was at the table Jeremy using the help of none other than Mr. Dawson’s help tells that his new partner for his part of the 75,000 acre farm would be Mr. Dawson. Mr. Dawson’s knees grow week and doesn’t know what to say. Then Jeremy says this means you and your family are now our family and we will be yours, just like brothers. Our blood is your blood. We love you. Merry Christmas

THE END