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CalebLindquist
Mrs.JackieBurr,Instructor
English1010,Section5
8March2016
MysteryoftheMan
Chaosconsumedthehouse:childrenscreamedastheychasedoneanother,adults
collapsedonthecouchastheyindulgedinlaughter,andteenagersparoledthevacantkitchen
scavengingforanyscrapsleftfromdinner.Thesinglemomentthewholefamilywasever
committedtoanindividualsubjectwasthetimeSantaClausmadehisappearanceforthenight.
Commotioninstantlyswitchedintotheoutbreakofsong.Generallyonewouldntsaysixty
peoplebeltingChristmascarolswasashiftfromchaos,especiallywithhalfofthefamily
apparentlybeingtonedeaf,butforthistimeweenjoyedtheruckus.
Mygreatgrandmadevelopedthislastingtradition.Eversincetheyearof1972,theyear
ofmymothersbirth,thispartyhasbeenheldonthetwentythirdofDecember.Santahasalways
attendedthisgatheringandoncehemakeshispresenceheimmediatelybeginsentertainingthe
familywithavarietyofunbelievabletricks.Inroutine,Santaproducedaglowilluminatingfrom
histhumbbasedoffofthegoodbehaviorofachild,causedaropetomenditselfindifferent
lengthsafterbeingcutapart,andplayedmindtricksonhiswhiteboard.
Intrigued,mycousinBlakelyintentlywatchedwithhermouthgapinginaweasSanta
performedamindbogglingtrick.Whileholdingaroughlysixteeninchbyeighteeninch
whiteboardhedrewafacesmiling,seeminglypositionedinnoparticularpattern.AsSantatalked
tothekids,pupilsbelongingtothedrawnfaceglidedaroundpeeringatthecrowdandteeth

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begantoemergefromthesmile.Puzzled,Blakelytriedtoabsorbwhatwasgoingon,yether
eyesbrightenedeachtimethesefeaturesofthefacechanged.Toheryoungmindtheonly
explanationcouldbemagic.I,however,hadtoseekaconcreteproofofwhatwasgoingon.I
studiedSanta.LookingbeyondthedistractingappearanceInoticedhewasslidingmechanisms
builtintotheboardcausingthefacesfeaturestomove.IglancedbackatthetimeIbelievedso
easily,butnownothingseemedtosatisfywithoutanexplanation.
WhatwouldyoulikeforChristmas,SantaClausaskedmeasIsatonhislap.Iwas
fourteenyearsold.EvenatthisageIstillbelievedinthebigmanbutIhadmydoubts.Ihad
neverbeenonetoknowwhatexactlytoaskfor.KeepingrunninglistsofstackedChristmas
wishesseemedtobeacommonpastimeofkidsmyage,butthisactivitywasntmything.Now,
ithadbeenthreeyearsandmydadhadnthadaconsistentjob.WealwaysgotbyandImade
habitofgettingusedtomakingthebestuseoutofwhatIhad.Thinkingofthebestthingwas
alwaysachallenge,becausethisman,astranger,waspromisedtosurelygrantmysinglewish
eachyear.IthoughtheavilyasIrestlesslyshiftedonhisleg.
Iwantsomebellsfromyoursleigh,Imutteredoutsoonlyhecouldhere.Receiving
bellswoulddefinitelydetermineifhewasreal.
Hohoho!IwillseewhatIcando,heproclaimedtotherestofmyfamily.Theyounger
kidsattentivelywatchedandpersonallywaitedtositonSantaslapwhiletheparentsgazed
takingintheglowingenergybeamingfromtheirchildsfaceastheyreceivedtheirfirstgiftof
theholidayseason.Uneasy,myfacedidnotreflecttheothers.Iwasntsureaboutthiswhole
thingandneitherwasSanta.IcouldtellinhisvoiceonceIpoppedmywish,causingtheeasy
atmospheretoshrink,hewascompelledtoquestionwhatexactlyhecouldpromiseachild.

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Whatdidheaskfor,Suzanne,mygreataunt,questionedwonderingwhatmyrequest
couldhavebeen.
Santashiftedhisgaze,breathingdeeply,unsureofhowtorespondonceagaintoawish
hewasntsurehecouldfulfill.FirmlySantaelucidated,heaskedforbellsfrommysleigh.
AfterthewholefamilyheardthisIwashumiliated,butIworkedmyhardestnottoshow
it.Ifeltlikeachild.ForfourlongyearsIdetestedeveryglimpseoftimeafriendwouldclaim
thatSantawasntrealandImadeitmyresponsibilitytocausethemtobelieve.Ididntwantto
bealoneinthisbeliefandIdesiredforotherstohavethesamejoyasIdid.Thenfinallyatthis
ageIbegantofeelfoolish,bellswereachildishchoice.Bynowmostkidsdecidednotto
believe.Iwasalatebloomer,Ihavealwaysbeenalatebloomer.Askingforthesebellswasatest
ofmyfaith.TheresultswoulddetermineifIcontinuedinferventbelieforifIwouldstooptothe
expectationsofsociety.
BelievinghadalwaysbeenawayoflifeformeandthetimesIpracticedmyfaithhad
beensomeofmygrandestmoments.IdontknowwhyIchosenottobelieve.Itsnotsomething
Ihadtodo.JustlikemycousinBlakely,IoncecarefullyinspectedSantaallowinghismagicto
fillmylife.SantahadchangedovertheyearsIknewhim.AtaboutsixyearsoldSantausedto
wearaforestgreenvestdecoratedwithChristmasthemedtrinkets.AftersittingonSantaslaphe
gavemeoneofthesnowflakes,trinkets,fromhisvest.Thesnowflakewaspurewhitewithlight
arraysofpinkandpurpleglitterspeckledoveritssurface.IwaspromisedthatifIhidthis
snowflakeundermypillowitwouldfillmynightwithgooddreams.Surelyenoughthatnight
thesnowflakeendedupunderneathmypillow.Spectaculardreamsdancedthroughmymind
fillingthewholedurationIwasasleep.UponwakingIreachedformysnowflake,butitwas

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nowheretobeseen.Ifranticallylookedaroundsearchingthecracksaroundmybed.Ineverdid
findit,butIfoundmyownresolve.Thelifeofthesnowflakecompleteditsmissionanditwas
calledhometoitsmasteranxiouslywaitingtoexciteanotherchild.NowSantahadchangedand
sodidhishabits.Nolongerdidhepassoutthesetrinkets.IwassadtheyleftandIwassadthat
myyoungercousinsnevergottoexperiencethesetreasures,buttheydidntknowanydifferent.
Santawasstillanidolintheireyesandtheybreathedineveryamountofjoyheprovided.

Patiently,thekidswaitedforthelastgrandchildtoslipoffofSantaslap.Thismoment

sparkedanunwrappingfrenzy.Wrappingpaperandcoloredtissuescatteracrossthefloor,soon
tobecompactedintocrumpledspheresintendedtosailacrosstheroomintosomeonesface.
Duringourdistractedstate,Santaunnoticeablydisappears,justasmyunnervedattitudeescaped
inthepresenceofmoreprofoundmomentsofthenight.Exhausted,Igrabbedmygiftandmake
mywaytothecarwithmyfamily.Followingthatnightwouldbringanotherfullday,soasIgot
homeImoseyeduptomybedinstantlyfallingasleepasmyheadhitthepillow.
BesidesthefamilytraditionsonChristmasEve,IhadalistofmyownIneededto
accomplish.AtthecrackofdawnIturnedontheNORADSantaTrackeronlinetoobserveSanta
ashetraveledacrosstheworldleavingbillionsofgiftsinhiswake.Iwrotemyinquisitiveletter
toSantathatwouldadjacentlyaccompanytheplateofbatteredyetstilledibletreats.ForyearsI
wrotetheseletterstofindoutmoreaboutmyidol,questionsthatwouldunravelthetruthsofthe
fantasticalnatureofhisbeing.ReadinghisanswersonChristmasmorningwerealmostmore
excitingthanreceivinggifts.Thisyearsletterwasmeticulouslydecoratedandoccupiedwith
questionscarefullyconsidered,butmostimportantlyImadesurenottoevademypurposeasI
hesitantlyaddedthequestion,CanIhavesomebellsfromyoursleighplease,oncemore.

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Asalways,Iwasrestlessthatnight.Ilieddowninmybedirritablyshifting,workingmy
hardesttocreateacomfortablepositiontolaydownasatremendouspowerofexcitement
compelledmetostayawake.Hoursuponhoursslowlytickedby.Icarefullylistenedtoeach
secondofthenighthopingtohearthemysticalsoundsofSantassleighlandingonourroofand
thebellssinglysecuredontotheharnessofeachreindeertoringthroughthestillair.
Finallymorningcameandtogether,assiblings,weranintoourparentsroomto
precipitouslystarttheChristmasroutine.
Itstimetowakeupmomanddad,eachofusexclaimedattemptingtobringthemto
lifeinaninstance.
Bahhumbug,dadmuttered.Igiggledrecognizingthisphrase,butstillunsureofwhatit
meant.
Comatosed,momanddadfinallygotoutofbed.Iracedtothetopofthestairswithmy
siblings,accordinglyliningourselvesbyage,readytomarchdownthestairseagertoseewhat
Santahadleft.Oncedownstairswestoodatattentiondeterredbyablockade.Theinfamous
forestgreenbedsheethung,pushpinned,acrosstheentrancetothefamilyroom.Common
procedurewastoletdadmakethefirstmove.
Dadtauntinglyantagonizeduswithhisoosandaahsfromtheothersideofthe
curtainknowingwecouldhardlywaittocomein,buthewantedtotortureusbymakinguswait
aslongaspossible.Heusuallymakesanextrastatementtomylittlesistertomakeheralittle
extraexcited.ThenunexpectedlyIheard,Caleb,IthinkSantagotyousomethingalittleextrain
here.Tooanxioustositoutsidethecurtainanylonger,Ibrushedpastthesheetmakingmyway
inside.Nervously,IshotmyeyesovertowhereIleftmyletter.MyeyesbeamedasIsawabelt

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ofbellsrestingonthetable.Iranovertopickthemup.Theyweresoauthentic.Sixtarnished
goldbells,withagreenpastecoveringtheunderneath,restedpinnedtoatatteredredbeltabouta
footandahalflongjointedtoametalloopsurelyabletohavebeensecuredtoSantassleigh.
ThefireoffaithwasrekindledinmyheartandIwascertaintoneverdoubtagain.
Sadly,itonlytookoneyearformycertaintiestobecomeshaken.Finally,atagefifteenI
foundoutthebiggesttruthevertoentermylife,thefactthatSantaClauswasnotreal.Crying
convulsively,IsatontheabusedblueformicacounterfeelingangryanddisheartenedasIfeltI
hadlostabattlewithmypeersandmydedicationtobelievinghadsuddenlyturneduselessafter
findingoutthetruth.Ididntfeelliketrustinganymore.Christmaswasntspecialanymore.
RememberingmybellsIinquiredabouthowtheirstorywasalie.
Silently,Iwaitedformyanswer.Oncethroughthediscussion,thesebellshadbecomeso
muchmoreandtheybroughtanewmeaningofjoytoChristmas.Theirstorywasnolie.
BetweenthetwentyfourhoursofourfamilypartyandChristmasEvemyparentssoughthelp
frommygrandpa.Frightenedwiththelackoftimetheyweretroubledsomehowknowingwhat
thisgiftmeanttomethatnightknowingnothowtheyweregoingtoaccomplishthisandnot
wantingtoallowthemagicofChristmastofadeaway.Iwastoldthatthroughoutthespecialday
ofChristmasEve,mygrandpatraveledacrossthecountydiligentlysearchingforsomebells.No
successfellintohisarms.Hewasntabouttogiveup.Inthelateafternoonastoreclerkwas
finallyabletohelphim.Thesebellshungabandonedinashedinthebackofthebuilding.
ThiswasaChristmasmiracle.Butevenmoreamazingwasmygrandpaslove.Tothis
dayhestillrefusestoadmitthatthiswashisdoing.NevermorehadIfeltsolovedand
compelledsomuchtolove.

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Recently,mydadhasstillhadunfortunateluckwithfindingalastingjob.Acollege
degreeisimportant,withoutoneitshardtofindajobanditshardtostayhiredonifthe
economyofthebusinessbeginstofail.ThislastChristmashehadajob,heinstalledgarage
doors.Dailyhewouldcomehomebroken.Violentlyhecoughed.Workinginthecolddidntdo
himanygood,buthepressedonprovingtohimselfhewasntafailure.OnChristmasEveafter
ourannualneighborhooddinnerastrangerstrolledintoourhousethemomentourguestsleft.
Appalledbythismanbargingintoourhouseweallstaredhimdownwonderingwhatexactlyhe
wasgoingtodo,buthewasobviouslynotathreat.Santahadenteredourhomebearingagiant
redvelvetbagbulgingwithgifts.Isatthereastonished.Hesilentlyfinishedhisworkandleftthe
scene.Togethermysister,mymom,mydad,andIcried.Giftsdidntmattertous,butknowing
someonewasouttherewatchingoverusrekindledourspirits.