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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Christmas Eve

Saturdays come around so soon these days. Having a JOB has cut into all of my time, but I am determined to make time for Jenny Matlock’s Saturday Centus, my favorite meme. Each Saturday, Schoolmistress Jenny gives us a prompt around which to write a 100 word story - I have even seen poems - not counting the words in the prompt. The trick is to keep the prompt intact and keep your piece to 100 words. You will find the Saturday Centus button on my side bar, so click on it and become part of this wonderful writing exercise. That’s why we’re all here. Right? We are writers who want to be better writers.

This week’s prompt is:

I listened to them from my perch on the top step and didn't know whether to laugh or to cry...

Here is my post for this week. You will see the prompt in bold letters.


It was after midnight, and my five year old head was spinning. Would he come? Did Santa exist? I thought so, but my brother, Henry, said Santa was made up just to trick little kids.

I heard a sound downstairs and slid out of my bed, cracked my door and squeezed through it into the hall.

“Hang it all, Gladys! I’ll never get this bike put together! Why don’t they write instructions in a language that’s understandable?”

“Shhh, Hank, you’ll wake the kids and Sally won’t believe in Santa.”

I listened to them from my perch on the top step and didn't know whether to laugh or to cry...
so I tiptoed into my room and cried my eyes out.



This post is linked to Saturday Centus.

11 comments:

Kim Lehnhoff said...

Poor Sally! Losing the Santa innocence at five seems awfully cruel - hope it wasn't a true story.

Also, couldn't you see this as a beginning of a book - how losing her innocence at such a young age sent her down a much darker path in her life?

Or is that just me, being my usual sick and twisted self?

Jenners said...

Oh No!!! This is one of my worst fears .. that I will "destroy" the magic of Christmas for my son in this way! Well done!

Susan Anderson said...

My sister is the one who spilled the beans to me. And I cried, too. (I was only four...not quite ready to know.)

Great post.

=)

Viki said...

That's no fun. Poor Sally. I remember my son begged me to tell him so I did, wrong move. He cried his eyes out. Oh well!!

cj Schlottman said...

To all of you wonderful readers - This is a made-up story! I was late learning about Santa, even with two brothers who wanted to ruin it for me. I wanted to believe in Santa, so I did - until I was seven! We didn't live in a two-story house until I was ten.
Thanks for your great comments.

..........cj

Kat said...

Oh, I just hate it when children no longer believe in Santa Claus. Cait was older when she finally stopped believing, probably 8 or so. Probably because she didn't have any older sibling to blow it. I, on the other hand, still believe :)

Vicki/Jake said...

Ho Ho Ho...good take on the prompt this week :)

Weezer said...

Oh, goodness. That's the second post I've read today about there being no Santa.
You've got a great way with words. Good job.

Cheryl said...

Ouch. You captured this expertly. Such a tough time in any child's life.

Jenny said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jenny said...

Oh man. This was touching.

Claudia, I'm so glad you are making time for this.

You really help make this meme exceptional each week.

I am always excited to read what you share.

Thank you.

And sorry for my dorkiness earlier!