Sad Santa

When Charley stepped out of his car in the Foodland parking lot, he was greeted by a cold, drizzly rain. Everything about the world seemed cold and hopeless to him.

He had just finished his gig as a Santa at Macy's. He hadn't had time to change out of the Santa Suit, although he had removed the beard, and the fake belly. A couple of kids racing through the parking lot pointed at him, and one of them yelled out, "look Mommy. It's a skinny Santa!"

His wife had died of cancer a year ago at Christmas time. He was raising his eight year old daughter Amanda with the help of his mother. He was working two jobs to have enough money for a decent Christmas for her. But nothing could make up for the loss of her mother.

His daughter was the only joyful thing in his life. The world had become such a terrifying place and he wasn't sure he knew how to protect her anymore. Last Friday, a crazed twenty year old kid had slaughtered twenty-six people at an elementary school. Amanda had had nightmares, and he went to her room and held her close until she fell asleep.

He walked into the store and was greeted by Judy Floria, who was standing at a table giving away samples of some new brand of Coke. He'd gone to high school with Judy. She was still blonde and perky at thirty-eight.

"Hi Charley. Nice to see you. How's Amanda?"

"Fine. How are your kids?" He couldn't remember their names, or how old they were.

"Okay. Spending Christmas with their dad in California. Say, why don't we get a drink later? You know, catch up."

He agreed. He liked her, and she was a ray of sunshine in an otherwise hopeless day. He left the store with his groceries a half hour later. Judy was still there by the door with her Coke samples as he left. He gave her a smile as they exchanged cell phone numbers.