by Dona Park ('13)

Note: this story first appeared in the Dec. 15, 2010 Reflector.

The screeches and honks of cars echoed eternally outside the mall parking lot. Everything was a competition; a race to find a parking space, a race to buy this and that while glaring at the opponent.

A little boy named Johnny firmly held the hand of his mother, who rushed around to do last minute Christmas shopping. His wide eyes, bewildered, blinked at every fascinating yet familiar sight.

Balloons of themed colors floated around the columns of the mall. Johnny ran around like a lost adventurer, unsure of where to start exploring.

Suddenly a waft of cinnamon and chocolate entered Johnny’s senses as he and his mother entered the food court. The resonance of chatter grew, filling the area with excited screams and animated jabber. With warm greetings of “Merry Christmas,” a young woman offered them candy canes and a brochure.

“Get your six dollar meal right here at Manchu Wok! No need to worry about the perfect chicken, no need to worry about time! The food at Manchu Wok is the best alternative!” read the advertisement. But little Johnny held no interest, as he happily licked at his red and white cane.

One hand holding onto the piece of candy and the other to his mother, Johnny observed people of different races running a marathon around the mall. Hurried voices entered his mind and the world seemed to be spinning in circles. Dark colored jackets brushed past Johnny as his eyes peered around, trying to find another well wisher of the Christmas holiday. Finally, magnificent lights with mammoth figurines looked right at him.

Screaming in glee, Johnny pointed to the six foot tall sled that steadily moved in rough, mechanical motions. The ground was covered in white fluff, a cheap alternative to nature’s finest. Before Johnny’s mother could stop him, he reached for the cotton and licked it. Face changing from gaiety to utter disbelief and disgust, Johnny spat out the remains of the cotton. Yet, something in the corner of his eye changed his emotions.

“Ho ho ho!” Santa Claus belted out. Pushing and shoving, Johnny somehow made it to the front of the line. His mother sighed as she paid Santa’s elf three dollars. Unaware of the smell of beer and cologne, the false hair attached to his stubbly chin, the sore red eyes caused from the twelve hour shift yesterday, Johnny jumped on to Santa’s lap and started yelling out what he wanted for Christmas.

“There, there’s a real cool pirate ship I like! With all the sailors and pirates! Blackbeard is in it too!”

With a sympathetic pat on Johnny’s back, Santa exclaimed, “Of course that’s what you want! I have it on my good kids list! You be a good boy this year, then you’ll be sure to get your wonderful present!”

After the five minutes of jubilation, Johnny skipped and hugged his mother, blubbering the tales of his adventure at Snow Land and how he met the Great Santa Claus. They walked away from the plaza, hand in hand, and out into the silent night. The automatic doors slipped and slid away as a jovial Johnny walked aside his mother. Already, the full moon had joined the pitch black sky.

Far away, across the swarming mall, was a church. In front of it was an imitation of a minuscule manger, with wooden people surrounding what looked like an infant. The artificial lights representing stars illuminated the scene. One LED star was lit directly on top of the roof of this manger.

Johnny’s eyes peered across the street and his feet became rooted to the ground. Questions swarmed around his head, as he stood entranced. His mother pulled him across the opposite side of the replica, breaking Johnny’s trance.

“What’s that all about?” he wondered.