"Gift Me Not"

The holiday hustle was in full swing at the Super Center packed with shoppers buying gifts for the season. Just outside the entrance stood George, dressed in a soft, velvety red suit with his name tag visible. Though children called him Santa, George was clearly miserable, ringing a bell while battling the cold and the discomfort of his tight boots. He repeatedly looked down and lifted his left foot, seeking brief relief from the pain of standing.

“Humbug!” George muttered, balancing on one foot. As a solitary, elderly war veteran, George often took on part-time work to supplement his income. Relying on military benefits alone was a struggle; the monthly payments barely covered his utilities. This need for extra funds was why he consistently worked twenty hours a week.

George carried a wartime injury that occasionally resurfaced to trouble him. The monotonous task of standing at the front entrance, ringing the bell, was not something he relished, yet it was essential for his mental well-being.Years of solitary life at home had led to a decline in his mental acuity. His visiting nurse often advised him to venture out and engage with others more frequently. Before his injury, George was known for his genuine humility by many who had known him since his youth. However, his friends began to notice a change, as it was widely believed that George was never the same after returning home from the war.

George often misinterpreted the kind words and encouragement offered by old friends who visited the store, taking them as insults. He felt that his friends viewed him with sympathetic pity, looking down on him because of his disability. Determined to be seen as an equal, not a medical patron, he firmly pushed back against any perceived pity. He was keenly aware of people's pity and rejected it outright; whenever someone offered him a gift, he would return it, stating emphatically, "I am not a charity case!"

On the night before Christmas, George stood at the front entrance doing his usual routine. He greeted the customers with the rehearsed line that was given and rolled his eyes as they walked in. “Humbug,” said George. “These people think that I can’t see through their thoughts of pity but I can, and I won't let them see me as weak.” “I am as strong as I have ever been and I won’t let a little pain in my foot get me down.” said George.

George continued ringing his bell as shoppers entered the store. An attendant offered him a chair for a rest, but George ignored it. "Merry Christmas!" he called out, adding under his breath, "Merry Christmas, Jingle Junkies!" He watched the big-grinning shoppers drop coins or bills into his bin. George was getting cold and tired of standing, yet his pride kept him from sitting. He was resolved to prove to the town that he wasn't a charity case, but a man willing to work for what he deserved.

Suddenly, George's life was about to change. At the checkout, a family of four was placing items on the conveyor belt, their two young children standing beside them. The youngest, a little girl, was staring outside at George as he was taking his shoes off while wiggling his toes. She tugged her father's coat and whispered in his ear. Her father looked out at George, then back at his daughter, smiling. He nodded, kissing her on the cheek.

The father knew that his daughter wanted to do a good deed, so he told her to do her thing. The attendant had run out of printing paper so she went to the office in search of some. She told everyone in the line to hold their horses and that she would be back in a jiffy.

Returning to the counter, the little girl brought with her a pair of thick, warm, and fuzzy long socks, as well as a pair of X-large, soft, fur-lined, and roomy orthopedic boots. Just as the attendant arrived, she added these items to her family's purchase. She also presented the attendant with a gift bag and a huge red bow for the boots. After packing everything, the attendant handed the gift bag to the little girl and wished them a Merry Christmas as they left the store.

The little girl set her bag down in the chair on her way out. She then approached George, giving him the biggest hug she could manage. "Merry Christmas, Pa-Pa!" she exclaimed, looking up at him. Her father shook George's hand, thanking him for his service. After wishing George a Merry Christmas, the family departed.

George put the bell down and looked at the chair. He then turned around and looked at the family as they drove away in the car. He picked up the bag and pulled out the socks along with the boots. George began to smile as he sat down to put on the warm fuzzy socks and fur boots. But as he began to put his left foot in the shoe there was something else inside the boot. He reached down to feel around and pulled out a gold clip with a stack of bills in it. The engraving on the clip read, “Courageous Soul!”

”George initially insisted on not keeping the clip. He went back inside the store to ask the attendant if she knew the family or if they were regular customers. However, the attendant, overwhelmed with the number of customers, couldn't recall the family or if they had even been in her line. When George asked, she responded sharply, "I don't know what you're talking about! I've had so many people hand me bags to pack that I didn't ask questions; I just did my job."

When the manager emerged to remind George he had two hours remaining and ordered him back to work, George simply smiled instead of grumbling. In that moment, he started feeling like a true member of the team, no longer a recipient of charity. He was grateful to be among kind-heart strangers. George let go of his worry about the generous family gift and focused on continuing to spread cheer and happiness on Christmas Eve.