Dec. 08, 2001 - 11:27 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

In Training

Christmas is just around the corner, memories begin to crowd and finally seep out from where ever they had been hiding for this year. But for me, now is the time to remember.

One time, way back when we only had one child, we were living away from our home state far from our families and friends. Heather was working for a woman's wages and I not much more. We managed to pay the rent, buy groceries, gasoline and not much else. Clothes for the boy were bought, usually just in time.

We lived in the second story of a house owned by an old foundryman, a rough and ready bachlor set in his ways. The rent was affordable, no bathroom, no heat but it was shelter. We got the appropriate slop jar with a lid that I carried to the basement each morning and emptied in the only commode in the house. We got a cheap coal oil heater and a likewise cooking range - a two burner. It was at this time I developed a strong aversion to any kind of coal oil fumes.

It wasn't the most pleasant of environments for any of us, but there was always the glow of love and understanding between the three of us that made life liveable and happy.

Between Heather and I we got enough change together that we could buy a small windup train and tracks for the boy for Christmas and decided that love for each other was a sufficient present for us to receive to make Christmas complete.

Not to be content though, I was able to find a cheap, wavy mirror to hang on the wall for Heather to use in doing her hair. I bought it and hid it in the back of our closet. Then I began scrounging. Back then a lot of the fruit and vegetable boxes were made of pine, the ends probably 5/8 inch thick the sides were pretty, thin, smooth wood. So I spent some time making her a bookcase and end table. I found some dime store paint of a color I knew she liked. Built them, painted them and hid them in the basement. Heather unbeknownst to me used money she had saved from the small amount we could afford for her lunches and bought me a winter jacket and warm gloves. I still suspect that her lunches were very slim, all she will say to this day is, "I ate every day."

Our tree was a dinky thing bought at a discount on Christmas Eve and decorated with odds and ends of tin foil and whatever else we could imagine would look pretty. I had put a nail in the wall for the mirror while she was working, so after she was asleep I hung the mirror, went to the basement and brought up her depression style furniture. We had already put out the present for the boy.

Christmas morning was a joy for us to behold, the windup train and tracks caused heavy excitement for the boy and we proceeded to assemble the tracks and made a test run. Heather was happy with her mirror and stuff, she went into the closet and got out my jacket and gloves. The boy was playing with his train with occasional assistance from me when it derailed. Then we sat down to our breakfast, love encircling us all. The boy didn't know that other kids were getting a bunch more stuff and he was delighted with what he got and knowing him through the years I think he would have been happy with what was given to him then. That, the tree and a bit of Christmas candy made it complete for him.

We spent a Christmas day happy with our own small family and thankful that we could do what we did. We cuddled in bed that night and gloried in the good things of our Christmas. As our family grew and better paying jobs came along and after we moved back to our home state and families there were many good Christmases, ones where we were able to do more for the kids and each other. Yet, I sit in my easy chair and hark back to that one Christmas where we did the very best we could for the boy and each other -- where she and I used our inventiveness to the max.

At that time I didn't think of it but we were young kids going for real adults and were In Training . . . . . . .

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