Even Humbugs Can Have Happy Endings

"Even Humbugs Can Have Happy Endings"
Breana M.


         Mr. Button was sitting at his office, counting all of the money that he had earned that day at the toy store. He was a middle-aged man who had brown hair and bright, blue eyes; he always wore a fancy suit and polished-black dress shoes. Mr. Button owned a shop at the age of only 32; he had everything that a man could ever desire as a wealthy business owner. Mr. Button still was not happy and he could not figure out why. That was until the painful memories journeyed back to his mind that very night; the night that most individuals adored, Christmas Eve. He closed his eyes, which held in the tears, and visualized his first upsetting memory.
         When Mr. Button was almost at the age of five, he experienced difficult times with his family. Everyone fought, did drugs, and sometimes even beat each other to the point of bleeding. Mr. Button was the only one who was "normal" because he was the only child in the whole family. Then, one night, his life was changed forever.
         His mother grabbed him out of bed, got him dressed, and told him that they were going on a walk. Thirty minutes had pasted after they had walked for about a mile. His mother stopped in front of a large building, holding his hand nervously. Young Mr. Button could even feel the shivers that ran across her body through just that one hand. He just assumed that his mother was cold from the snowy weather that they had gotten in the past few days. Little did he know at that moment, his mother was about to make a decision that would ruin Christmas for him. She then moved them both up towards the door and began to known on it. An eccentric-looking woman in a bright-pink, fur coat, opened the door and gazed onto the two of them. Her expression was hard and cruel towards his mother as she crossed her arms. Mr. Button was confused because he was certained his mother did not know this woman. He, certainly, did not.
         Mr. Button was gently grabbed from his mother by the woman and was made to stand next to her. His mother kissed his cheek and wished him a good Christmas and a happier life before walking away from the steps. At the time, he just thought that maybe his mother was just getting him out of the house for a few days. However, after a month had pasted, the woman who had taken him in told him that his mother was not coming back. Also that his mother had given all rights to him to the state government. The worst part of being abandoned by his own mother was the fact that Christmas was only days away.
         Opening his eyes, he wiped his face with the back of his hand. Suddenly, he slammed his fist against the top of his deck, sending the money flying through the air. Mr. Button hated the Christmas season for another reason that had happened over the years.
         Like when he finally gotten into college and met the girl of his dreams, Sarah. Mr. Button had everything going his way and he thought he was going to have the best future possible. Christmas was right around the corner and he was going to purpose to Sarah at the Christmas lighting of the college's tree that is arranged two nights before Christmas Eve. Since Christmas happened to be Sarah's favorite holiday, Mr. Button wanted to make the holiday a joyful memory for him like it was before. But, Mr. Button let his feelings for the holiday control him and he screwed up and lost the girl forever. What he did, you ask? Sarah had rejected the proposal and told him that she needed more time before they could go to the next level. Instead of being a patient man that they both knew they could be, Mr. Button had thrown the ring into the river and pushed the college's Christmas tree to the ground. Mr. Button cussed like a sailor towards Sarah. On that very night, not only did he loose the girl he so deeply cared for but he was also kicked out of the college before he could complete his degree in art and education.
         Years later, Mr. Button was able to go back to school and got a degree in business as well as marketing. However; he was not the same person he was when he went to school to become an art teacher. Now he went to school for one reason and one reason alone; to make as much money as he possibly could. He no longer cared for other people around him and Mr. Button kept to himself. Not allowing anyone to get close to him again. Then, when he finished college, he opened a toy store. Knowing that every child would beg their parents enough daily to give in and buy them a toy. And that meant money to him. Now, do not think that he is a completely heartless jerk, there were those few homeless children that he would see out on the street, staring into his store daily, wishing to have a toy of their own. Mr. Button knew how it felt to not have anything or anyone, so he would give them one free toy and a couple of dollars to buy something to eat.
         Mr. Button, now, placed a hand onto his forehead and sighed. Why couldn't he had been that way from the beginning? He knew he could be kind but Christmas had always just given him more bad memories instead of cheery ones. Why had he had let those events change who he truly was? Why did he let himself become such a humbug? Mr. Button never wanted to be like this and, because he was like this, he lost so much that could had made him a happier and more worthy man.
         "That's it," Mr. Button announced loudly as he raised up from his chair, "I have had enough of being this type of man! I want to be someone more worthy to the people around me!" He threw all of his money into a suitcase and rushed outside into his car. Mr. Button drove down to the orphanage that his mother had left him at so many years before. He knocked on the door and the same woman who had taken him in opened the door. He hugged her and the young boy who stood beside her. They were both confused to what was happening but Mr. Button threw the suitcase into the lady's arms and thanked her. "Merry Christmas," he yelled through the town that day. Throwing Christmas toys to every child that he saw.
         Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from behind him, "I never thought I would see the day." Mr. Button turned around quickly to find Sarah. She walked over to him and his heart skipped a beat. "Is this the same Mr. Button who had hurt me so many years ago?" she asked him gently. Mr. Button handed her the ring that he had thrown so many years ago, "It is; however, the old Mr. Button is gone. But this new and improved one is here now. Are you willing to give this Mr. Button the chance that the old one had so carelessly thrown away ten years ago?" Sarah nodded her head and took his hand in hers'.
         It was amazing how just one day of change to someone's personality can bring on so much good fortune. Everyone has parts of them that they are not proud of. No one is perfect or completely evil at heart. Its human nature to have a few bad flaws. However, people can have very good values to their character as well. It is just up to the person themselves if they want to show their good side or not. Mr. Button, was one of those few who could not show their great values when it truly mattered. But, as you can see, even an older man can still learn from their mistakes from so many years before. And after five more years Mr. Button finally acknowledged that truth as he slipped the ring onto Sarah's finger in front of the city's ten foot Christmas tree that year.