Starting Small

Starting Small

Jane landed on the lap of the giant red and white person. She grabbed frantically for Daddy, but Daddy laughed and pulled her hands away, dropping them out of reach, then stepping back before she could catch him. Meanwhile the giant red and white person reached around her with his giant arm and held her tight enough that she couldn’t get away. She froze.

She looked at Mommy and Daddy, standing just off to the side, both smiling as if they were happy. Maybe this was a big toy? Maybe she was supposed to play with this big toy. She turned and looked at it again.

Most of her toys didn’t look so real. But David had a toy that walked across the floor! She was scared of that too, until David showed her it was just a toy.

She reached out her hand and touched the hair coming off its face. It was very soft. Suddenly it smiled and then said her name.

“Jane, what do you want for Christmas?” the toy talked! It knew her name already! She loved it! She threw her arms around its neck and hugged it.

“Ho, ho, ho!” her new toy said, as Daddy picked her up again, laughing and smiling. Mom gave her a hug too. They were so happy!

As they started to walk away, Jane realized they forgot to pick up her new toy, she started pointing, and crying! Eventually screaming.

They had lovely pictures of Jane with Santa that year, however, she never would go see him again.

Jane grew up to be a child psychologist, top in her field. She has a way with children, somehow understanding the way they think in a unique manner that most adults can’t comprehend.

Oddly, she always attributes that understanding to Santa.