who goes there?

    Hinges squeeked as Josh pushed open the window as gently as he could with his five-year old hands stuck into mittens. The rust and age had betrayed him as it creaked slightly. He did this as to not wake his mother. Josh was outplaying in the snow when the stranger came.
        The stranger was dressed in a baige overcoat with a scarlet scarf draped around his shoulders. His top hat was slightly darker in color than his overcoat. As the stranger approached, snow crunched under his sporty Columbia boots. "Hey there, little fella. Is your mommy or daddy home?"
    Josh looked at him, his shiny blue plastic sled and his start of a snowman long abandaned. "Uh.huh", he muttered as he backed away.
      Responsible and intuitive for such a young age, Josh was never acused of being a liar. It was true that his mom was home, but she was fast asleep. Josh had to be very quiet because mommy needed to sleep. If mommy didn't sleep, she was mean, and she didn't go to work at her nightshift restaurant job at the local truck stop.
      Joshua's uneasiness was detected immediately by the stranger. "Josh, may I come in?
      He shook his head vehemantly, surprised that this strange man knew his name. "No, he stated firmly"
      The stranger took a deep breath and sighed. "Okay, maybe another time."
      And with that, the stranger walked away. Josh went inside, gently closed the door, and peered out watching that strange man walk away.
    The stranger slumped his shoulders and strode down the icy sidewalk with a heavy heart. "My own son, my little guy, my dream...he doesn't even know who I am.