{"id":4059,"date":"2021-02-04T01:06:33","date_gmt":"2021-02-03T19:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=4059"},"modified":"2021-07-22T01:47:52","modified_gmt":"2021-07-21T19:47:52","slug":"a-late-christmas-story-or-an-early-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=4059","title":{"rendered":"A LATE CHRISTMAS STORY&#8230;OR AN EARLY ONE"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\">\u00a0\u00a0 Here it is February 3, 2021 and I&#8217;m posting a new blahg.<a href=\"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/scottfeb2021.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-4061 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/scottfeb2021.jpg\" alt=\"Scott Henderson, still cool at 58\" width=\"273\" height=\"249\" srcset=\"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/scottfeb2021.jpg 505w, http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/scottfeb2021-300x273.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 273px) 100vw, 273px\" \/><\/a> This isn&#8217;t going to be a long blahg but I accomplished something today that I want to share with everyone.\u00a0 Blahgs don&#8217;t have to be long and this will count towards that 100 blahgs mark I want to reach this year.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\">\u00a0\u00a0 I usually write a short Christmas story every year and end up posting it in one of my blahgs.\u00a0 Most of them are fictional but 2019&#8217;s entry &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/?p=1559\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MEATS AND CHEESES AND BABY JESUS<\/a>&#8221; was a Christmas Entertainment based on real events.\u00a0 In 2020, I was so busy writing and recording for the &#8220;<em>The Dead From The Neck Up 25th Anniversary Covid 19 Quarantine Special&#8221; <\/em>that I didn&#8217;t get around to writing a new story.\u00a0 I guess writing the fictional Christmas themed comedy sketches counts but it isn&#8217;t exactly the same.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\">\u00a0\u00a0 By the way, if you haven&#8217;t listened to the &#8220;<em>The Dead From The Neck Up 25th Anniversary Covid 19 Quarantine Special&#8221;<\/em> then check out this video below containing the remastered version of our special.\u00a0 It&#8217;s just the audio from our program set to images of my Christmas display this past Christmas.\u00a0 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sEHJ2l1jPiU\" width=\"435\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\">\u00a0\u00a0 After Christmas, I got thinking about the idea of someone having a Christmas by stealing everything they needed for the holiday.\u00a0 It was inspired by all of the news stories of stealing parcels off people&#8217;s porches over the holiday season.\u00a0 This of course, has inspired the term &#8220;Porch Pirates.&#8221;\u00a0 I&#8217;m not condoning the practise but the thought did spark the germ of an idea for a short story.\u00a0 The result is the story below &#8220;A Stolen Christmas.&#8221;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It took me more than a month to complete the story.\u00a0 Procrastination was my best friend and motivation was my enemy.\u00a0 I usually write from start to finish and then edit.\u00a0 I think this is the only story where I wrote a snip of a beginning, part of the middle, and part of the end.\u00a0 Today I went back and finished the ending, went back and fleshed out the beginning, and then completed the connecting pieces in the middle.\u00a0 Am I happy with it?\u00a0 I think I am.\u00a0 Writing a story is like getting a gift.\u00a0 Until you&#8217;re finished it, you never know what you&#8217;re going to end up with.\u00a0 So here&#8217;s a late for 2020 or early for 2021 Christmas story.\u00a0 I hope you enjoy it.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">The Stolen Christmas<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">by<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">Scott Henderson<\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was nearing the end of November before Brad realized it was almost Christmas again.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo you realize it\u2019s almost Christmas again?\u201d he hollered out to Carla.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla was in the bedroom that also doubled as her home office. Brad\u2019s home office was in the spare bedroom. He and Carla both were able to work from home during the pandemic. She was part of a team who developed online advertising and Brad did coding for video games. It sometimes made for tight quarters but if staying home and staying safe were necessary then they would make it work.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt seems to steal up on us earlier every year,\u201d she shouted back.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d Brad inquired, leaning into their bedroom.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou asked me if I realized it\u2019s almost Christmas again and I replied it seems to steal up on us earlier every year.\u00a0 Say, aren\u2019t you supposed to be working.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m on a break,\u201d he replied.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s one of the perks of working from home.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI could use a break, too,\u201d she offered in return.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCoffee run?\u201d Brad asked as he stretched in the doorway.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHot Licks it is,\u201d she replied.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hot Licks, was the neighbourhood ice-cream and coffee shop.\u00a0 It was one of the few businesses offering curbside pickup.\u00a0 Brad and Carla could have just as easily made coffee at home but one of the perks of working from home certainly was not seeing the same walls day in and day out.\u00a0 Both made it a point to go out for a walk at least once a day to get exercise and a change of scenery.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It had been challenging this past year working from home.\u00a0 Oh, having home work stations was easily accomplished and their Internet was fast enough to handle their needs.\u00a0 \u00a0It was the social aspect that was the most difficult.\u00a0 In the past few weeks, it had just been the two of them and not getting on each other\u2019s nerves was a conscious effort for both of them.\u00a0 They took walks together, yes, but they also took walks alone or made excuses to run errands without the other.\u00a0 Carla enjoyed going to the grocery store alone and Brad had taken to early evening coffee runs on his own.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat was that you said about stealing Christmas,\u201d he asked of Carla when they were down on the street.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t say anything about stealing Christmas, silly.\u00a0 I said Christmas seems to steal up on us earlier every year.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh,\u201d Brad replied.\u00a0 \u201cStill\u2026\u201d, he said trailing off and looking at some of the houses on their way to Hot Licks.\u00a0 \u201cStill,\u201d he began again.\u00a0 \u201cI wonder if it could be done?\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIf what could be done?\u201d Carla inquired.\u00a0 He was making no sense.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad stopped and pointed to the porch of a bungalow.\u00a0 \u201cLook at that package sitting there.\u00a0 Obviously some courier left it when he realized no one was home.\u00a0 Anyone could just walk up and steal it.\u201d\u00a0 Brad seemed overly excited about the notion.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you going on about? \u201c Carla asked.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not thinking about stealing that package?\u201d\u00a0 She tugged at his arm to try to remove him from the temptation.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo,\u201d Brad said, resisting her efforts to pull him along.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m thinking bigger.\u00a0 I was wondering if it were possible to steal Christmas.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla stared at him.\u00a0 What was he saying?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you saying?\u201d Carla asked, speaking her thoughts aloud.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell,\u201d Brad began.\u00a0 \u201cEvery year we have a pretty good Christmas and I have no complaints but there\u2019s no challenge in it.\u00a0 We spend what we spend and we get each other what we get each other.\u00a0 Maybe it\u2019s the whole pandemic but I want things to be different.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThings are different.\u00a0 There\u2019s a pandemic and we\u2019re in a lockdown,\u201d Carla said, stating the obvious.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI know,\u201d Brad began again.\u00a0 \u201cBut what if we stole our Christmas?\u00a0 Nothing store bought or ordered.\u00a0 Everything has to be stolen.\u00a0 No ordering online either.\u00a0 It can be done.\u00a0 Just look at that package on that porch, for example.\u00a0 It would be so easy and every gift is a surprise box.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla couldn\u2019t believe what he was saying.\u00a0 Was he really serious about this?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m serious about this,\u201d Brad continued.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s do it.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take care of the tree and decorations and you take care of the Christmas dinner menu.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can\u2019t,\u201d Carla answered in reply.\u00a0 Still, she didn\u2019t have a rational reason why they couldn\u2019t.\u00a0 A moral reason yes but Brad seemed so intent on the idea.\u00a0 Could she really go along with this?\u00a0 The idea was insane but Brad was right, it was a challenge and they had so few of those other than those imposed by the pandemic and the lockdown.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust say you\u2019ll think about it,\u201d Brad implored.\u00a0 He was squeezing her hand now.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou won\u2019t get a PlayStation 5 for Christmas, then,\u201d was all she could think to say.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNeither will you, unless one of the mystery porch presents contains one.\u00a0 I know you want a PS5 just as badly as I do.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat about that coffee?\u201d she asked pulling at his arm again.\u00a0 \u201cI have work to do and so do you.\u201d\u00a0 She hoped that removing him from the sight of the porch parcel would eventually aid in him forgetting about his stealing Christmas idea.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They eventually made it to Hot Licks and back home again.\u00a0 Nothing more was said that day about the crazy idea.<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nothing more had been said about the Christmas stealing for almost a week until one evening Brad came in with a Christmas Tree.\u00a0 It had obviously been a struggle to get it in the elevator let alone the building.\u00a0 It was fully lighted and decorated with ornaments.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow do you like that!\u201d Brad declared.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla was taken aback.\u00a0 There was Brad standing there with a seven foot artificial Christmas Tree and a grin almost as big.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t the fact that he was standing there with this tree but that she recognized it.\u00a0 The tree was the one outside of Hot Licks.\u00a0 It still had some of the coffee themed ornaments adorning its limbs.\u00a0 She recognized the star on top and even the red metal stand.\u00a0 Brad had thought of everything.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you don\u2019t like it?\u201d Brad began.\u00a0 \u201cDo you know what it took to get it up here?\u00a0 The stares alone were enough to stop me in my tracks but I was committed.\u00a0 Someone once said \u2018don\u2019t steal anything small\u2019.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh yeah who was that?\u201d\u00a0 Carla decided it would be best to play along.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know, but somebody did,\u201d Brad replied.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey Google,\u201d Carla shouted out to their Google Nest Hub.\u00a0 \u201cWho said, Never Steal Anything Small?\u201d\u00a0 It not only controlled lights and electrical devices in their home, but through its connection to the Internet, it was a wealth of information.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJames Cagney,\u201d Google replied.\u00a0 \u201cNever steal anything small marked the last time James Cagney sang and danced on screen.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere you go,\u201d Brad remarked triumphantly.\u00a0 \u201cNever steal anything small.\u00a0 Do you want to me sing and dance?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo thanks,\u201d Carla replied, \u201cI\u2019ve seen you sing and dance.\u00a0 I\u2019d rather watch the tree.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad took that as his cue.\u00a0 He went to the kitchen and rifled through a drawer and came up with an extension cord.\u00a0 He plugged it into a spare outlet and then connected the tree.\u00a0 Immediately the apartment was ablaze with the glow of the coloured lights.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHey Google, turn off all of the apartment lights,\u201d Brad shouted.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The result was stunning.\u00a0 The glow from the tree was breathtaking.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWill you look at that,\u201d Brad exclaimed.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla was.\u00a0 She was looking at the tree\u2026a tree that should have been outside Hot Licks.\u00a0 He was right, though, it was a sight to behold\u2026certainly better than watching Brad dance.\u00a0 Of course, Brad had set up the tree in the middle of their living area but she could adjust that later.\u00a0 Right now, she would let him have this moment.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That night, Carla lay in bed thinking about the tree.\u00a0 This stealing business was now a thing and it was getting serious.\u00a0 The tree outside of Hot Licks was a source of pride in the neighbourhood.\u00a0 What would people say when they noticed it gone?\u00a0 Should Carla say something to Brad?\u00a0 How could she?\u00a0 Brad had been so proud of himself.\u00a0 Did this mean she was now committed to the stealing Christmas scheme?\u00a0 Could she really do it?\u00a0 Brad had made the first move.\u00a0 Now it was up to her.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The next day during her lunch break, Carla made an excuse about having to get some air.\u00a0 She made sure that on her walk, she passed by Hot Licks.\u00a0 She was right, the tree was gone.\u00a0 On the door there was a sign that read:\u00a0 \u2018Merry Christmas everyone, closed until further notice.\u2019<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla was taken aback.\u00a0 What did this mean?\u00a0 The store had been open yesterday.\u00a0 She had bought coffee there for her and Brad.\u00a0 Did this single act of theft bring about the closure of the store?\u00a0 Had the owners taken it that hard?\u00a0 Maybe it was a sense of betrayal to them.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla felt sick.\u00a0 She stepped into an alley and threw up.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 When she returned to the apartment she was very pale.\u00a0 Brad was still working.\u00a0 Carla went back to work.\u00a0 She was still feeling nauseous.\u00a0 Later, it passed.\u00a0 She said nothing to Brad.<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The gifts began to appear beneath the tree.\u00a0 There were small things at first and then Brad had placed a larger gift under the tree.\u00a0 It was a square box shape and had some heft to it. \u00a0Carla couldn\u2019t help herself.\u00a0 She stopped short of shaking it or tearing off a small piece of the wrapping to get an idea of what might be inside.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Was this one of those porch parcels?\u00a0 She didn\u2019t know when Brad had acquired it.\u00a0 It just showed up beneath the tree one day.\u00a0 Did this make Brad a Porch Pirate?\u00a0 The phrase was all over the media.\u00a0 When she thought about it, she really didn\u2019t want to know.\u00a0 The uneasiness was back in her stomach again.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A few days later, there was a large Christmas gift for Brad underneath the tree.\u00a0 He too, had tested the weight of the present.\u00a0 It was heavy enough and it set his mind wondering what it was.\u00a0 He also wondered where Carla had picked it up.\u00a0 Had she picked it up\u2026off someone\u2019s porch maybe?\u00a0 Brad didn\u2019t want to think about it.\u00a0 Christmas was going to be very interesting this year.<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad began to notice a change in Carla.\u00a0 It had started after he had brought home the Christmas Tree.\u00a0 It was subtle things.\u00a0 She was quieter.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t like to take as many walks as she once did.\u00a0 Maybe it was Christmas.\u00a0 Maybe it was the pandemic.\u00a0 Brad didn\u2019t push her on it.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If it was Christmas, Carla didn\u2019t say anything about it.\u00a0 The whole idea of stealing Christmas was an insane idea but Carla seemed to be taking it in stride.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It started with the canned goods.\u00a0 One day after one of her infrequent walks, the kitchen counter displayed cans of pumpkin, cranberry sauce, water chestnuts, and mushrooms.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI understand the cranberry sauce and the pumpkin but what\u2019s with the chestnuts and mushrooms?\u201d Brad asked.\u00a0 It was safer asking her these types of questions.\u00a0 It was clear she didn\u2019t want to talk about personal issues.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a new stuffing recipe I want to try,\u201d was all that Carla would say.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you need a turkey for that?\u201d Brad asked.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust you wait,\u201d Carla answered.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad didn\u2019t have to wait long.\u00a0 A few days later, there was a frozen turkey in the refrigerator.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow\u2026\u201d Brad couldn\u2019t finish the question.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t sure he wanted to know.\u00a0 But he did know.\u00a0 She had gone out in sweats and then there was the turkey.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo one questions a pregnant lady at the grocery store,\u201d Carla casually replied.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad conjured up the image.\u00a0 Shoplifting was becoming an art with her.\u00a0 Should he be concerned?\u00a0 He had started all of this.\u00a0 A stolen Christmas.\u00a0 Wasn\u2019t that his suggestion after all?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad looked at her.\u00a0 He leaned in and gave her a kiss.\u00a0 He\u2019d have to let this thing play out.<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Christmas day came with many revelations.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It started with the gifts.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGo ahead, open it,\u201d Brad said after placing the large gift at Carla\u2019s feet.\u00a0 There was that big grin like the one he had sported after he had brought home the Christmas Tree.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t imagine what it is.\u00a0 I suppose it will be something totally useless,\u201d Carla began as she tore into the wrapping.\u00a0 \u201cPorch presents never are all that good.\u00a0 People always order the stupidest of things that they don\u2019t really\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Her voice trailed off.\u00a0 Her removal of the wrapping revealed a PlayStation 5.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u201cSurprised, hunh?\u201d Brad asked.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t wrong.\u00a0 She was surprised.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t believe it.\u00a0 This was too much.\u00a0 The Christmas Tree was one thing but stealing a PlayStation 5 was too much.\u00a0 This was a Christmas present meant for someone else and not for her.\u00a0 There was no way this came from somebody\u2019s porch.\u00a0 There was no way that Brad could have known that someone had ordered a PS5.\u00a0 But where else could he have gotten it?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla had so many questions but she felt if she asked them then it would ruin everything for Brad.\u00a0 Instead, she gently set aside the PS5 and quietly grabbed up the large bag and handed it to Brad.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh boy, I just love Christmas.\u00a0 I know I\u2019m just a big kid but\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Brad\u2019s voice had trailed off too after he had opened his gift.\u00a0 Inside was another PlayStation 5.\u00a0 The grin from Brad\u2019s face faded and was replaced by a look of confusion.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d Carla offered up in a quiet crackling voice.\u00a0 The time had come for the truth.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t understand,\u201d Brad began before being interrupted by Carla.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOkay, okay.\u00a0 I bought it.\u201d\u00a0 Carla watched Brad\u2019s face.\u00a0 Was he unhappy with her for not stealing it?\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t tell.\u00a0 The look of confusion on his face grew more intent.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s no way.\u00a0 It was sold out everywhere.\u201d\u00a0 If Brad was disappointed that it wasn\u2019t stolen, he didn\u2019t show it.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRemember last month when I went to visit my sister?\u201d Carla asked?<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah, you told me she was going through something and you went as moral support.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe truth is I was in line at Gamer Station.\u00a0 They\u2019re one of my clients.\u00a0 They tweeted out that they had received some stock.\u00a0 I was the second in line.\u00a0 I had to wait all night.\u201c\u00a0 Carla was still expecting that look of disappointment from Brad.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry I just couldn\u2019t do it.\u00a0 I just couldn\u2019t steal Christmas.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad\u2019s face brightened and the grin returned.\u00a0 \u201cNeither could I.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t understand.\u201d\u00a0 The look of confusion was now on Carla\u2019s face.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCompare\u00a0 your PS5 to the one you gave me,\u201d Brad replied.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla set both gifts side by side and then she saw it.\u00a0 Brad\u2019s gift to her was a PS5 bundled with \u201cGrim Reaper Redux.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s your game!\u00a0 I mean it\u2019s that game you used to play.\u00a0 But that game was more than ten years ago.\u201d\u00a0 Carla was even more confused.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what I was working on earlier this year,\u201c Brad offered.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s the old game remastered with better graphics and more levels.\u00a0 Sony decided to do a special bundle of the game with the release of the PS5.\u00a0 I received a free console for my work.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo you didn\u2019t steal yours either then?\u201d Carla pointed out.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cLike you, I couldn\u2019t steal Christmas either.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut what about the tree?\u201d Carla queried.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, Nico gave me that.\u201d\u00a0 Nico was the owner of Hot Licks.\u00a0 \u201cOr rather he sold it to me for a dollar.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla was relieved.\u00a0 But why did Hot Licks close?\u00a0 \u201cBut why did Hot Licks close?\u201d she shot back.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNico thought it was safer to close over the holidays.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t want to put any of his staff or customers at risk.\u00a0 I saw him putting up the notice one evening and we got to chatting.\u00a0 I asked him what he was going to do with the tree.\u00a0 He told me to take it and hoped it would make my Christmas brighter.\u00a0 I told him I couldn\u2019t just take the tree for nothing so I offered him a dollar.\u00a0 That way I could claim it was a real steal.\u201d\u00a0 Brad seemed very pleased with himself.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAnd the other gifts under the tree?\u201d Carla inquired.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOrdered online.\u00a0 It turns out I\u2019m no thief.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSame here,\u201d Carla responded.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The rest of the presents weren\u2019t as extravagant as the PlayStations.\u00a0 There were clothes and the requisite socks and underwear, as well as books and DVDs and other items ordered online and not stolen.\u00a0 Carla laughed to herself thinking about someone possibly stealing someone else\u2019s underwear.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The day was perfect.\u00a0 They had found out what type of people they really were and amazed themselves at the same quality in their partner.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo one questions a pregnant lady at the grocery store,\u201d Brad said with a laugh later that day over Christmas dinner.\u00a0 \u201cHere I was imagining you with a turkey stuffed in your clothing.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh, that part\u2019s true,\u201d Carla casually replied.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat!?\u201d Brad exclaimed.\u00a0 \u201cI thought you said you didn\u2019t steal anything?\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t.\u00a0 I said the part about no one questioning a pregnant lady at the grocery store was true.\u201d<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Brad replied.\u00a0 It took him a few seconds but Carla\u2019s smile explained everything.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou mean..?\u201d Brad uttered awkwardly.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMerry Christmas Daddy,\u201d Carla said through her huge smile.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Carla had known for a few weeks but she waited until Christmas to give Brad the news.\u00a0 She had suspected the pregnancy after that day she had vomited in the alley near Hot Licks.\u00a0 The morning sickness had continued after that and a home pregnancy kit had confirmed it.\u00a0 Blood work requested by her Doctor revealed the same.\u00a0 The most difficult thing had not been the morning sickness but keeping the secret from Brad.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brad was quiet for a moment with the thought of it all.\u00a0 It was a perfect Christmas and nothing had been stolen.\u00a0 Brad decided that the appropriate reply to Carla\u2019s revelation was to reach over to her and steal a kiss.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t think she would mind that he\u2019d stolen something after all.<\/h3>\n<h3>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And she didn\u2019t.<\/h3>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 15pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold','sans-serif';\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><!--more--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0\u00a0 Here it is February 3, 2021 and I&#8217;m posting a new blahg. This isn&#8217;t going to be a long blahg but I accomplished something today that I want to share with everyone.\u00a0 Blahgs don&#8217;t have to be long and this will count towards that 100 blahgs mark I want to reach this year.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[46,4,133,3],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4059"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4059"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7250,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4059\/revisions\/7250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/falseducks.com\/theblahg\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}