Why Won't Santa Visit Poor Children?

A Christmas story from the Philippines by Roy Thomsitt

 

 

 

Tina Delights The Philippine TV Audience - The Fireworks Begin

Di went to sit at the side of the garden where she could still see Tina on stage but could also watch everyone in the garden. She wanted to see others enjoy Tina's peformance as much as she was going to enjoy it herself.

The garden hushed, and the presenter got down from the stage. Tina allowed the silence to build up the anticipation of the start of her song. Although just dressed in tight jeans and yellow t-shirt, Tina looked stunning under the spotlights. With her long black hair flowing down to her waist, and her beautiful face lighting up the stage, Di thought her cousin looked every bit the television star.

The music began and Tina then began her first song, I Will Always Love You. Her voice was not like that of Whitney Houston, but she could sing her songs in her own style, with her powerful clear as crystal voice, fed by the true passion of her heart, mesmerising everyone within earshot.

Di sat in her own little cauldron of pleasure, watching her dream come true for a second time that evening. She had always hoped Tina would be a star, but since they were so close after Di's holiday with Aunt Paula, Di had wanted it even more. Maybe now Tina would sieze her opportunity. Santa had said she would be famous, so Di was happy to believe him.

Tina carried off the song to perfection, and accepted the applause and the cheers like an experienced professional. Then it was time to brighten things up a bit with a dance song, one everyone loved and would jig around to. As the music started up to Sa Iyo, several young girls got together to dance the movements they were all familiar with. Tina smiled, and looked across to the presenter. She nodded, and the girls got up on stage. There was scarcely space for the three of them to dance, all aged ten to thirteen, let alone a fourth. But Tina looked across at Di, and summoned her. Di loved dancing and knew the routine for this song inside out now; with everyone turning to watch her, Di ran over and joined the other girls on the stage.

Soon most of the people in the garden were dancing along to the jaunty music. Di thought it was wonderful, and never gave a thought to the millions watching; but all the time her thoughts were on Tina.

Another enthusiastic reception from the audience greeted the end of the dance song, and the four young dancers getting down from the stage. As Di went back to her seat on the bench, she saw the friendly macaque immitating her dance in front of the bushes. Di laughed, and did another little dance just for the monkey before she finally sat down to absorb the silent anticipation of Tina's final number.

The presenter had asked Tina to sing again the song she had sung earlier, Forever Is Not Enough. Tina was very happy with that, as it was her favourite Sarah Geronimo song.

Di caught Tina's eye before she started singing, and mouthed: "Sing your heart out Tina."

And that is exactly what Tina did, putting every ounce of feeling into the song which was bringing tears to Di's eyes, not because of the words of the song, which she hardly understood, but because of the sight of Tina singing her heart out.

"Thank you Santa Claus" Di thought, not knowing that Santa Claus had nothing to do with what was happening to Tina; he just knew she was destined to be famous, and tonight was the start.

Di loved every moment of the song, and never wanted it to end, but end it did to a wild reception from everyone in the garden, the animals hiding in the bushes, and the 20 million plus people around the country watching on TV.

Di's thoughts suddenly switched back to Santa Claus, as the television crew dismantled their equipment and the presenter chatted with Tina and her parents. It was closing in on midnight fast, and her Papa and some neighbours were already setting up the fireworks on the foundations of their new concrete house in the adjacent lot.

At the first opportunity after the presenter moved away, Di went over to Tina, and they hugged each other. Tina was elated after all the excitement, and had been told she may be offered a contract with the television company, but she still sensed there was something far more happening on this Estrella Christmas Eve.

Di was again sizzling inside, as she recalled what Rudolph had told her about sleeping as soon as the fireworks ended, and Tina sensed that. Di held her arm and guided her across to the edge of the garden where she had been sitting on the bench. Di could see the eyes of the macaque peeping out from the edge of the bush where he had been hiding, except when he had come out for a quick dance.

"Excuse, Ate Tina," and Di ran across to the bush to the macaque.

"Hey, you must go, there's going to be noisy fireworks, lots of bangs," she told the monkey.

"I know," he said, "you do that every year, wake us all up in the forest. I wanted to see Tina," he added.

Di smiled, but was concerned too. Would Santa mind such a thing?

"Is that ok?" she asked the macaque.

"Of course," he said.

Di ran back to Tina and ushered her towards the bush. Nobody else took any notice of what the girls were up to. As they approached, the macaque came out and jumped into Tina's arms.

"I love you Tina" he whispered, then jumped down. Before running away, he did a little Sa Iyo dance for them both before running away into the bushes.

Tina was aghast, and she laughed as she looked down at Di.

"What did he say?" Di asked.

"He said he loved me," Tina replied, and they both giggled.

"Everyone loves you, Tina; you have the voice of an angel," Di told her.

Just as they spoke the first firework burst into the air. Midnight was just a few minutes away, and Di and Tina stood with each other to watch for the next twenty minutes as the calm and quiet tropical night was disturbed, not now by the voice of an angel, but by a crescendo of firecrackers, rockets and every other firework you can think of.

It was the noisiest Christmas Eve Estrella would ever know, but as the last giant rocket was launched, Di began to feel like that midnight sparkler again.

She had to sleep, but normally the party would go on well into the early hours, and surely Santa would not come with lots of noisy people around?

Remarkably, as soon as the last firework had died in the sky, the party goers quickly dispersed, the remaining food was gathered up, and all the equiment on and by the stage was being put away back in the house. The television crew's van had gone, and the garden was given back to the usual night sounds of the tropics.

Di and Tina soon found themselves sitting alone on the bench, with nobody else in the garden.

"Tina, this has been a wonderful evening. I'll never forget it. I'm so happy for you."

Tina put her arm around Di and they sat quietly.

"Magical," said Tina. "Just magical."

Di's eyes were as bright and alert as could be, but she told Tina:

"I have to sleep now."

Tina could see Di was too excited to be tired, but accepted that was what she had to do: go to sleep.

Di looked up at the chimney, smiled, and squeezed Tina's hand.

"Come, we must sleep now, Tina," Di told her older cousin, and led her inside and directly to the bedroom. All the children were already asleep in there, and Di and Tina had to snuggle up on the edge of the mattress on the floor.

Di slept immediately. Outside, the air was totally still, a few frogs croaked in the distance, cicadas shrilled from all sides, and the sky was clear and bright. Through the trees, the Christmas lights of the road had been left on to guide Santa Claus to Estrella Falls.

Next: Santa Claus Story (cont)