The Christmas Flush

December 24th. It was another typical New England December in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Light patches of snow covered the ground in parts and the bare trees looked sad without their leaves or wintery covering. A small, two-story house surrounded by trees and neighbors was bustling with excitement on Wallwind Drive. Christmas was tomorrow, and Nancy Parks was busy wrapping up the many gifts strewn across her brown sofa while her husband, Jonathan, was tightening the back wheel on their twelve-year old daughter’s bicycle in the safety of their bedroom. Their two children, Lucy and Devin, were busy playing with Devin’s dog; a cocker spaniel named Shostakovich. Devin was two years old and had fallen in love with the little dog when his parents bought him a few months back. Everyone agreed that since the two were inseparable, Shostakovich might as well be Devin’s. “All right you two,” said Nancy, “time to go to bed. Brush your teeth or Santa won’t come.”

“But Mom,” said Lucy, “there’s no—”

Nancy, being a mother and schoolteacher, was accustomed to staring at children when she needed to discipline them or get them to be quiet. She had perfected a look that could make you cry if you were thirteen and haunt you if you were fifty. It was this look she gave Lucy, causing the twelve-year old girl to close her mouth almost immediately. “Um, yeah, mom, okay,” said Lucy rather quietly. “C’mon, Devin, let’s get ready. You first. Go use the bathroom.”

“Can I try?” asked Devin.

Lucy sighed. “Yes, Devin. You’ll miss. But you can try.”

Nancy smiled and shook her head as her children ran up the stairs to their respective bathrooms. They had been teaching Devin to use the small toilet they purchased for toddlers but the boy simply hadn’t been able to go. Nancy and Jonathan tried every trick in the book to no avail. Devin was about to be three and still in diapers. Her husband had tried to convince Devin to keep trying and if he was successful, they would buy him a brand-new fire truck for Christmas. Here it was December 24th and Devin still had not successfully used his toilet. No fire truck had been purchased, and while Devin had plenty of gifts Nancy hoped her son would be successful before the new year.

As Nancy wrapped up the presents for her sisters, cousins, and aunts Jonathan carefully walked out of the bedroom. Wiping his hands, he was gleaming. “All set, honey.”

“Good!” exclaimed Nancy happily.

They had wrapped up Lucy’s and Devin’s gifts the night before, but the bicycle hadn’t arrived until that afternoon. Jonathan spent almost four hours putting it together. “It’s a lot better than the one she’s had for a few years. A real keeper.”
“I’m glad,” said Nancy.

Just then a loud flush was heard. Then giggling followed by laughing. Nancy and Jonathan heard loud stomping on the floor above them, and a child’s voice scream “Yay!!”

In a minutes time, the little feet of Devin bounded down the stairs followed by Lucy. A piece of toilet paper dangled from his right leg as he jumped up and down in his Superman pajamas. “I do it!” he screamed with glee, “I do it!”

Nancy looked up from the gifts. Her little boy was laughing, smiling, and jumping. “I do it, Mommy,” he yelled, “I do it!!”

“Did what?” asked Jonathan.

“PODDY!” yelled the little boy.

Jonathan Parks gulped. He was excited, but knew what would be coming next. He asked Lucy to confirm the fact, which she did, smiling as big as her little brother. “I get the truck Daddy!” shouted Devin, “I get the truck!”

Nancy leapt to her feet chuckling as she hugged her son and Jonathan looked at his watch. It was 7 o’clock. Stores would be closing in a short two hours before the Holiday. And he had promised his little boy a fire engine for Christmas should the boy successfully use the bathroom. “I get truck, right Mommy?” asked Devin.

“We will do our best,” said Nancy as she hugged Devin.

“Yay!” screamed the little boy.

“Now, go to bed, Devin. Santa will be coming real soon.”

“With my truck,” exclaimed the boy.

Nancy nodded as Lucy took Devin back up the stairs. The kids would soon be sleeping and they would have to bring out the gifts. But Jonathan had an errand to run. Nancy couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, darling,” she said, “you shouldn’t have promised him a fire engine. Because now you have to get it!”

Jonathan shook his head. There was no way he would be able to find a fire engine on Christmas Eve, but he had to try. He couldn’t disappoint his little boy. Throwing on his winter coat, Jonathan kissed his wife goodbye and hurried out into the cold. Every department store was a fifteen-minute drive, and Jonathan had to search them all before he could call it a night. Racing out Wallwind Drive and heading towards 300 Colony Place, Jonathan wasn’t looking at his speedometer when he heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights. Sighing, he pulled over to the side of the road and came to a full stop. He looked at his watch, it was already thirty minutes passed the hour. Sighing, Jonathan rolled down his window as the cop approached him. “Well now, my friend,” said the officer. “A bit of a speeder on Christmas Eve.”

“I can explain, officer.”

“Sure,” replied the policeman. “Christmas shopping, or your wife is ill, I’ve heard them all mister. License and registration please.”
Taking a deep breath, Jonathan opened his glove compartment and handed the officer his license along with the registration. “Well, Mister Parks,” said the policeman, “this little Christmas drive is going to cost you three bucks.”

Blinking, Jonathan couldn’t help but look stunned. “Three dollars?” he inquired.

“Yes,” said the officer returning Jonathan’s belongings along with a ticket. “Payable after the Holiday. Merry Christmas. And don’t let me see you speed down these roads again.”

“No sir,” said Jonathan with a smile. “Thank you, sir. Merry Christmas!”

As the cop walked back to his car, Jonathan kept an eye on his speedometer until he reached Box Mart, parking as close to the entrance as possible. Hurrying into the store, he bumped into a sales clerk accidentally. “My apologies,” said Jonathan.

The salesman nodded. “Yeah. I know. Toys are in the back.”

“Thank you.”

“And we close in an hour,” said the salesman.

“I won’t need it, but thank you,” said Jonathan.

Racing to the back of the store, Jonathan joined the hoards of other moms and dad as they walked around the toy section. Looking in every aisle, Jonathan finally came to the toddler toys. Most of the large trains and cars had already been taken. But a bright red fire engine sat in a lonesome corner. It was almost calling to Jonathan. Bending down, he put his hand on the truck. At the same moment, another hand touched his and he looked up. A woman with disheveled hair and a long green winter coat stared at him. They both eyed each other for what felt like minutes but was truly only second. Breathing heavily, the woman picked up her hand. “You saw it first,” she said. “Merry Christmas.”

“Thank you,” nodded Jonathan with a smile. “Merry Christmas.”

Picking up the toy, Jonathan made his way to the register counters. Another long line greeted him, but he did not care. His little boy was not going to be disappointed. And while Jonathan promised himself he would never make a rash promise again, he couldn’t help but smile. Devin was going to have a great Christmas, Jonathan was making sure of it. Especially after the Christmas flush.

The End

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!