Why Won't Santa Visit Poor Children?

A Christmas story from the Philippines by Roy Thomsitt

 

 

On the Night Before Christmas, Rudolph Apologizes to Di

Di knew that it was Rudolph who had come over to her and Tina.

"You really do have a red nose!" she laughed.

The red nose was glistening just a few inches away from her face.

"Oh, that nose," Rudolph replied, shaking his head despondently.

Di was wondering why Santa had gone and left poor Rudolph on his own.

"Rudolph, what's happened to Santa? Why did they leave you behind?" she asked.

"Santa sent me to talk to you," he told her. Then he turned his face away in shame. "Uh, hum. He sent me to apologize."

"Apologize, what for?" she asked, now unaware of anything else around her but the dazzling reindeer.

She looked at him inquisitively as he sought the courage to look at her again.

"For last Christmas," he said. "I was the one who damaged your well."

"You?" she shrieked. "Rudolph, you were in my garden?"

He nodded guiltily, then remained silent.

"What did you do?" Di smiled.

Rudolph could see he would not be in trouble with Di. She was such a sweet girl, like Santa Claus had told him. So he looked into Di's eyes, and confessed.

"Santa asked me to dispose of over a million mince pies from Australia. They were weighing the sleigh down so much, and slowing us down," he explained.

Di was beginning to smile and laugh more now, and Rudolph was feeling a bit silly.

"So I put them down your well," he went on. "I didn't know it was a well; I didn't know what a well is. But I know now, and your water gives you life."

Di patted him on the nose and he could see she was not annoyed; he felt happier continuing:

"Santa was horrified when I told him where I put the mince pies. He knew it was a well; he's well educated, he knows everything."

Di left her hand resting affectionately and reassuringly on the side of Rudolph's face.

"I'm so sorry Di. I know you are a poor family and the well was important to you all," Rudolph went on. "Santa sent some helpers down to clear it all up. He didn't want your water supply spoilt. You have the best water in the world at Estrella Falls, and I did that to your well. I felt so ashamed ever since. But the helpers didn't have time to tie the pail back to the rope. Santa apologized, and said to say I'm just a silly old reindeer."

"Oh, don't worry Rudolph," Di soothed. "It was an accident."

Di suddenly became worried about Santa leaving Rudolph behind.

"Why did they go away without you? Can they manage with one less reindeer?" she asked.

Rudolph laughed with some resignation, and told her:

"Oh, they don't need me. Santa just takes me along for the ride really. He says my nose lights the way, but really he's just being kind."

Di was smiling and listening intently, with real concern and sympathy.

"Ever since I had this wretched cold," Rudolph complained, "I've been a bit short of the old energy. It's over five hundred years now. I don't think it will ever go away."

"Oh, you poor thing," said Di, patting him gently on the nose again.

Rudolph usually got annoyed when anyone patted him on the nose; he was tired of it after all that time. But with Di, he liked it. He was so pleased she forgave him so easily for the mince pies down her well.

"You're not angry with me?" he asked.

"No, no, of course not. Why should I be? I'm just so excited that you're here," she assured him. "But where's Santa Claus gone?"

"Oh, they've just gone to do Vietnam. They will only take two minutes. We changed the route again this year so we could come here to see you before you slept."

"Just for me?" Di asked, "really?"

Rudolph nodded. "Just for you Di, especially for you."

She was puzzled. "Why?" she enquired, "why me?"

The reply came easily and sincerely from Rudolph: "Santa really loves you Di. You never ever had a Christmas gift from anyone, but you never asked, never complained, and always smiled."

Di was not sure why Santa would love her for that; that was just being normal, wasn't it?

Then Rudolph smiled and laughed: "Then you made him roar with laughter when you did ask for a Christmas gift. When he heard you had asked for a chimney, he was laughing for days. He thought it was the most wonderful thing he'd ever heard."

Di was not sure why that was funny, either, but she was very happy that she had made Santa smile and laugh.

There was a flash of gold as Santa Claus, the sleigh, and the other reindeer, returned from Vietnam to collect Rudolph. They resumed their stance above the pond, all the creatures looking on in amazement. Twice in one evening; this was a most incredible day in the million year life of the rainforest.

"I have to go," said Rudolph. "Oh, Santa said you must go to sleep after those fireworks tonight. No excuses, he said."

Di accepted the instruction with no question, either to Rudolph or to herself. Then she had a flash of inspiration.

"Oh, Rudolph," she beamed. "I think by next year I'll have a cure for your cold. There are many wonderful medicines in the forest. I know a man who is 100 years old and looks 50. He's so healthy. He knows them all. I'll ask him for you."

Rudolph was grateful, but not hopeful.

"That's nice of you Di. But 100 years old? How would a baby like that know about cures for my 500 year old cold?"

Rudolph was about to leave when he remembered something else:

"Oh, by the way. Santa also said about your cousin Tina; she's going to be famous. She has the voice of an angel, he says. She must sing again this evening; she must. She really must. She has to sing her heart out."

Rudolph leaned forward and licked Di on the cheek. They looked each other in the eyes the moment before he flashed back to the front of the other reindeer.

"Uh, oh," Rudolph thought as he arrived back. "I'm in trouble again. Santa saw me kiss Di."

A moment later Santa Claus and his team were gone. In another moment, all the creatures watching either flew, slithered, ran, climbed, swung or swam back to their territory in the Palawan rainforest behind Estrella Falls, or out in the fields and down the stream.

All, that is, except the fireflies. They regrouped above Di and Tina, who Di had almost forgotten as she had spoken to Rudolph. The girls knew what they had to do, and just ran as fast as they could; past the statue teenagers, who would only have seen two transient specks of light when Santa Claus had been above the pond, and not given them a single thought.

The escort fireflies dispersed in an instant when the girls were at the Christmas light avenue road, where they could see their way home, back to the Christmas party.

 

 

 

Next: Santa Claus Story (cont)