The Red Kettle, by B.G. Smith

15/12/2021

Christmas Eve. Parents stuff dollar bills and loose coins in the red kettle before rushing into the department store to make last-minute purchases. I ring the bell and offer my jolliest, "Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas." Most don't bother to acknowledge me. I'm just another guy in a Santa suit.

They're not wrong; my glory days are behind me. The North Pole Association has a mandatory retirement age of 75. My birthday was last August.

Billy Powell—I gave him his first bicycle—drops a few quarters in the bucket.

"Merry Christmas, Billy."

He never looks up from his iPhone.

Mary Wallace

15/12/2021 11:26:17 am

Poor Santa. I wonder who is going to take his place?

Pamela Kennedy

15/12/2021 11:55:01 am

I enjoyed your story...and, sadly, common courtesy seems to be disappearing from society.

Fliss Zakaszewska

15/12/2021 12:07:59 pm

Nice slant on Santa, BG, and on today's society (and self-obsession) - nicely described.

Gautam Sen

15/12/2021 12:56:16 pm

Poignant

Peggy Gerber

15/12/2021 02:25:52 pm

Somebody needs to do something about that ageist North Pole Association.

B.G. Smith

18/12/2021 02:41:16 am

Agreed!

Marjan Sierhuis

15/12/2021 02:52:24 pm

Nicely done.

Jim B link

15/12/2021 04:11:49 pm

What an imaginative story! And, of course, Billy never looks up from his iPhone..
Nicely done
Jim

Jane Reid

15/12/2021 10:00:47 pm

This alternative-Christmas story is enjoyable. (And not sad, because we are too old to believe . . . ?

Jeremy Leariwala

16/12/2021 03:58:46 pm

Merry Christmas, Smith...

Sue Clayton

17/12/2021 04:10:30 am

Even Santa has to face up to the fact of old age and retirement, but surely he'd have earned a decent pension.

B.G. Smith link

17/12/2021 02:40:59 pm

Thanks everyone for your gracious comments. Merry Christmas!

Dee Lorraine

18/12/2021 01:07:51 am

A thoughtful look at our society and values. Thanks, B.G.

Comments are closed.

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