- "Of GOSSAMER DREAMS and CHRISTMAS
WISHES"
-
-
-
-
-
- Genre: The A-Team
- Title: "Of
Gossamer Dreams and Christmas Wishes"
- Author/Copyright: © 2003 Isabel Florence
- First
Written: January
26, 2003
- First
Posted: December
24, 2003
- Revised: December 2004
- E-mail: isabelsparlour@yahoo.com.au
- Rating: PG
- Type: Light SLASH. Angst. Sap.
- Pairing: Face/Murdock (Lieutenant Templeton "Faceman" Peck/Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock)
- Status: Complete
- Chronology: Christmas Eve 1984
- Summary: Face is finding it difficult to live and feel
the Christmas spirit. Can Murdock help him?
- Warnings/Content: Light male/male SLASH. (Consensual m/m facial touching, kissing, and
expressed words of love).
Childhood memories. Lots of snow, sap, angst, general sweetness
and fantasy like elements.
- Disclaimer: I do not own the A-Team characters, and am
making no profit from this story, which is a work of fan fiction
only. The A-Team characters belong solely to Universal, Frank Lupo
and Stephen J. Cannell, and I thank them for their
existence.
- Thanks &
Acknowledgments:
With great thanks to Pam for Beta reading the original story, and
for creating and suggesting the title. Thank you, Pam! :o) Very deep thanks also goes to Karen Davis for
Beta reading this revised version. Thank you, Karen! :o)
- Accompanying
Article:
"Yes Virginia, There
Is A Santa Claus".
The New York Sun, September 21, 1897.
- Comments: YES, please. :o)
-
- *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
-
- CHRISTMAS EVE 1984
-
-
- Face sat alone in the
attic of the big old farmhouse, next to a large arched window.
Outside, snow drifted in lazy circles to the ground, coating the
yard and fields with a carpet of fine white powder, turning the
surrounding countryside into a picture postcard of breathtaking
beauty. He saw none of this, however. His thoughts were instead
turned inward, fighting, as they often did this time of year, with
his memories, with his pain, even with loneliness and
longing.
-
- Longing for so
much.
-
- God, but he hated
Christmas sometimes. The exaggerated hype of it. The
commercialism. The fleeting caring people professed for each
other. The fly-by-night charities with their causes of the month.
The colorful decorations. The Christmas carols.
-
- Everything.
-
- Just about
everything.
-
- Most especially, he
hated Santa Claus, or to be more exact, the whole idea of Santa
Claus.
-
- So deep in thought
was he that he didn't hear the soft steps behind him, was
oblivious to the other presence now in the room. He went on
staring with sightless intensity out the window, lost in his
past.
-
- "Face?"
-
- No
response.
-
- "Faceman?"
-
- Still no
response.
-
- The speaker touched
him lightly on the arm.
-
- "Faceguy? You in
there?"
-
- He jerked a fraction
then shivered.
-
- "Mur... uh...
Murdock. I... um... I didn't hear you come up." He smiled, a shaky
half twist of his lips, up at the other half of his
life.
-
- "That's obvious,
darlin'." Murdock studied him thoughtfully for a moment, a small
smile on his face, his brown eyes radiating warmth. "Why don't you
come on down 'n join us, Face," he suggested, his voice warm and
cajoling. "The Andersons have got the fire goin' in the parlor.
We've finished with the Christmas tree, and Ma Anderson's made up
some eggnog. It's real toasty 'n warm 'n cheery. What do you say,
muchacho?"
-
- Face stared up at
Murdock and fought down the raising panic he could feel growing
stronger and stronger the more words his partner poured out.
Swallowing, he gave himself a mental shake then turned back to the
window, unconsciously dislodging the hand resting on his
arm.
-
- "No... uh, no... I
ah... want to stay up here for a bit longer. I'll come down
later," he responded, his soft, subdued voice emitting a wispy
cloud of dissipating warmth into the chilly air. An almost
imperceptible quiver ran through his slim form and he clasped his
hands around his upper arms, rubbing them through the thin,
inadequate, fine woollen sweater, his fingers
trembling.
-
- With a faint sigh,
Murdock looked around the attic. It was surprisingly well ordered
and had obviously at one time been a child's bedroom, if the toys
scattered about here and there were anything to go by. Little of
the toasty warmth from the lower rooms filtered into this part of
the house, however, and the air temperature had a definite bite to
it. His eyes came to rest on just what he needed, a pile of folded
blankets resting on a bed sitting against one wall. Walking over,
he grabbed one off the top and shook it out, suppressing a sneeze
when a fine dusty mist wafted up his nose. Taking it back over to
Face, he draped it around the cold shoulders, a frown of worried
concern creasing his brow.
-
- Face pulled the
enveloping folds around his body and hunched down inside the
blanket, attempting to trap some additional warmth within. He
hoped Murdock would leave soon. He just wanted to be alone. Needed
to be alone. To his dismay, he heard the pilot dragging over an
old chair and setting it beside him. Then flinched at the creak
when, without saying anything further, Murdock settled down on it
with a quiet rustle of clothing.
-
- For several long
minutes, the silence stretched between them, becoming increasingly
uncomfortable. Every now and then, Face rearranged his grip with a
flutter of nervous fingers entwined in the folds of the blanket,
and flicked his gaze Murdock's way, only to shift it away again
quickly when it looked like their eyes might make
contact.
-
- "Want to talk,
Faceguy?" Murdock asked gently, after a while.
-
- Face shrugged,
glancing at Murdock under lowered lashes, and then looked back to
the window to stare unseeing out of it once more.
-
- "Templeton."
-
- That caught his
attention. Face looked around in surprise at his warmly smiling
partner, this time not looking immediately away again.
-
- "That's better,
darlin'," Murdock murmured, just in time stopping himself from
reacting with any outward sign to the raw, aching pain he could
perceive within the deep aquamarine eyes.
-
- "Murdock..." Face
drifted the word off, looking away from him again, his eyes
shadowed.
-
- "What is it, Face,
what's bothering you?" Murdock prodded, his voice
gentle.
-
- He hoped Face would
open up and let him know what was going on with him. Of course, he
had a fair idea already. Some years, the whole concept of
Christmas just seemed to get to Face. Almost every year was the
same. During those years when Face just could not seem to get into
the Yuletide Spirit, he either moaned or complained about the
expense of Christmas, about the frequent lack of jobs they got
over Christmas, at the crowds in the stores, or at the
commercialism and so on. Or he went quiet and withdrawn, often
disappearing for several days, then reappearing on Christmas Eve,
looking neat and sharp as always, with nothing but dark circles
under his eyes to testify to having had a rough few days. Murdock
had little idea where Face went over those days, although he
suspected he probably went to visit the Sacred Heart Orphanage
where he grew up. In spite of the military threat, he'd always
retained close ties with his former home and with Father Magill
and Father O'Mally.
-
- In the first few
years after they had rediscovered their love for each other again
in mid-1980, the Christmas days they had shared together had been
magical - full of great love, good cheer and tender togetherness.
Then last year --the culmination of a difficult year for them
both-- had seen the restlessness returning. That year had seen
their relationship come close to breaking down, and together
they'd had to work at restoring their equilibrium, and, for Face,
his total trust in their union again.
-
- Then right before
Christmas, Face had disappeared for almost a week, leaving Murdock
frantic with worry. That was, until Father Magill had called him
during the second day, just to let him know that Face was with
him, safe at the orphanage, helping them with the kids, and not to
worry. Five or six days later, when Face had turned up late on
Christmas Eve, at the secluded bungalow he had scammed for them
for the holidays, he had avoided disclosing to them where he had
been. Without a second thought, Murdock had decided not to tell
him about Father Magill getting in touch, wanting instead to
respect his partner's right to, and need for, privacy.
-
- Now this year, the
restlessness in Face was even more pronounced. It was so bad, it
approached full on depression, and that worried Murdock to a
considerable degree. The past six months had been, if possible,
worse than the year before, and they had taken an enormous
emotional and physical toll on Face, who was still not completely
fit, even now.
-
- About three months
before, Face had been shot and had come close to dying on a
mission gone disastrously wrong. Almost dying, coupled with weeks
and months of illness and recovery, had left Face with an almost
pale shade of his former skills and abilities, as well as a little
more edgy and restless than he had ever been before. Only now was
he beginning to regain his former fitness levels, although he
still had to be careful not to over do it, especially in
altercations with crooks and thugs.
-
- It therefore, had not
really surprised Murdock when Face started showing signs of
climbing the walls and wanting to get away. Not from their
relationship, Murdock felt sure that wasn't it. He was pretty
certain Face was simply over tired and fed up with the never
ending, frustrating cycle of life on the run, of restricted
freedoms and constant dangers, and of never being able to have a
single place to settle down and call home.
-
- As a consequence, the
misery he'd woken up to see in his lover's eyes that morning had
left Murdock feeling scared for his wellbeing, and with the
determination not to leave Face alone that day, where and when
possible. In spite of his good intentions, however, Face had given
him the slip again and again that afternoon. Every time he'd
glimpsed his attractive partner, he had seemed to melt into his
surroundings and disappear, using his old commando skills to
easily evade Murdock.
-
- The hours spent
looking for Face after lunch, had been spurred on by Murdock's
nagging fear for him. The search driven by his growing
apprehension at the misery and depression he'd perceived in his
partner that morning. Murdock had not wanted to spook Face, but he
did not like the thought of him alone and brooding, especially not
when he was so miserable, and so, he had continued looking. The
breathless relief he'd felt upon entering the attic to find Face
simply sitting quietly by the large old window, watching the snow
falling in frosty spirals outside, had been close to
dizzying.
-
- "Murdock?"
-
- He brought his
attention back to Face, aware his thoughts had drifted off further
than he'd intended.
-
- "Yeah, muchacho?"
Murdock smiled, encouraging, and waited for him to speak further.
Face, however, was looking out the window again, his face in
profile revealing nothing to him.
-
- "Do you believe in
Santa Claus, HM?" he then asked quietly after a few moments, not
changing his position.
-
- Murdock felt an
instant urge to laugh, startled and amused that Face had asked the
question in present tense, almost as he would have done if they
had been six years old. Suppressing the reaction - knowing it was
the complete wrong time - he instead allowed a broad, delighted
smile and spread his arms out wide.
-
- "Hey, Faceguy, look
at who you're talkin' to. It's me, Murdock. I've got an invisible
dog named Billy. I've been the Range Rider, Captain Cab and
Pasadena Murdock, to name a few. I've got a pet sock named Socky.
'Course I believe in Santa Claus. You better believe it, darlin'!"
He did laugh then with sheer delight... delight at just being
alive, at being here with Face, and at the small tentative smile
now playing across the features of his life partner, who had
turned now to face him.
-
- The smile faded all
too quickly, though, and Face looked down at his hands where they
were clutched within the folds of the blanket. "Yeah, well..." He
drew in a breath, and gave a short nervous sounding half laugh.
"You see, um, I don't. Never ah... never have, you know, HM." He
paused for a moment. "Heh..." He drew in a sharp breath, and tuned
his head away, a slight mocking smile on his lips. "It's funny,
you know, I never felt any reason to believe. Not even back then,
when most kids did." Shivering, Face drew the blanket in around
his shoulders some more and turned back to the window again. "Just
didn't have a reason to believe," he finished with a soft
sigh.
-
- Moved by the wistful
sorrow, Murdock blinked away sudden tears, not wanting to frighten
Face off with them.
-
- The silence stretched
out again, a little more companionable this time.
-
- Murdock thought about
the elderly couple downstairs. A bunch of thugs from the
neighboring farm had been hassling them, trying to run them off so
that the owner could buy their property dirt-cheap and add more
acreage to his own.
-
- The team had been
passing through a small town not too far distant, when they had
witnessed the couple being harassed. Face had been the first
across the street when they emerged from the local general store
and witnessed one of the thugs knocking the little old lady down.
He had helped her back up on to her feet and dusted her off, while
the rest of them had taught the goons a thing or two about manners
and sent them on their way, nursing various minor
injuries.
-
- Meanwhile, the
elderly couple had been telling Face all about their plight. The
upshot of it was that they had ended up coming to stay at the old
couple's farm and then successfully running off the bad guys, who
were now languishing in the local jail. A somewhat painless job,
really, and what's more, there had been no sign of the military. A
Christmas miracle, if Murdock had ever seen one.
-
- Ma and Pa Anderson -
as the couple had insisted the team call them - had invited them
to stay for Christmas. It was only a couple of days away anyway,
the couple had told them, and since their children - a son and a
daughter, who lived up in Canada with their respective families -
would be unable to join them that year, they would love to have
the team stay on. They had all agreed, except for Face, who had
been the only reluctant voice, moaning about the need to move on,
the danger of staying in one spot for so long, and about wanting
to go home to Los Angeles for Christmas. He had been quite
agitated about it, in fact.
-
- Murdock wondered if
maybe he had been hoping to spend this Christmas at the orphanage
with Father Magill and Father O'Malley, as well as the nuns, and
of course, the kids... at the only home he had ever known all his
young life. Quite likely, in fact, Murdock surmised. It would go
part way to explaining his initial deep agitation at the
invitation to stay.
-
- Face had been out
voted and had, of course, backed down, all the while groaning
something about their strained financial resources, the military,
and being in the middle of nowhere.
-
- That had been
yesterday. This morning, Christmas Eve, Face had woken up quiet
and withdrawn, eventually disappearing after lunch. Although
Murdock had searched the whole house nearly top to bottom, then
the entire yard three times, he had only managed to catch glimpses
of Face here and there, before he eventually disappeared
altogether. When it finally occurred to Murdock to ask Ma Anderson
about potential hiding places, she suggested the attic, which he
had not thought to look in. Wanting to make sure, he had left the
others finishing off the tree and the decorations, and raced right
on up the stairs to find Face sitting in the small, cold room,
motionless, as if he were carved from marble.
-
- Even now, Face
continued to gaze out the window. Outside the snow was getting
thicker, inside the air temperature more chilly. He didn't seem to
notice, though. He appeared to be miles away.
-
- Finally, Face drew in
another sharp breath. "What was Christmas like for you, HM?" he
asked, so quietly, Murdock had to lean in to hear him.
-
- Murdock smiled,
remembering. "Oh, just wonderful, Faceguy. We did the whole bit,
y'know. Christmas with all the trimmin's. Mom and Dad made sure of
it." His smile turned a little sad. "Then Mom died, and Dad...
well, Dad didn't seem too into it for a few years, y'know. But
Grandma and Grandpa, they sure did make up for it. Made sure we
had a real great Christmas, no matter what."
-
- Face turned and met
Murdock's gaze with sad eyes. "I almost forgot your Mom died when
you were little." His voice was tinged with sorrow and regret.
"I'm sorry." He went to turn away again, but leaning in towards
him, Murdock reached forward and took his hands, loosening them
from the folds of the blanket, clasping them warmly within his
own.
-
- Letting go of one,
Murdock lifted his hand to lightly caress Face on one cool cheek.
"It's okay, darlin'," he half murmured, "it was a long time ago
now. What's buggin' you?" He drew the fingers tenderly down the
cheek then dropped his hand back down to gently caress those
resting in his partner's lap.
-
- "Murdock, do you
remember your Mother?" Face asked, with softly spoken curiosity.
-
- Murdock's smile
brightened, his thoughts turning inward. "Yeah, mostly. She was
the best, y'know, Faceman. She used to sing to me, play games with
me, and hold me when I hurt myself. She smelled so good, like
roses. She got sick an' died when I was five. Those five years,
they'd been the best of my life. After that, things got kinda
tough. Dad took it real hard, y'know. Grandma and Grandpa looked
after me mostly. Then Dad died when I was a teenager, and they
took over completely. It wasn't an easy life, but it wasn't hard,
neither. They gave me a good life; got no regrets, Faceguy... none
at all!"
-
- Face fought down the
surprising pain the story caused him. He was happy for Murdock, of
course. More than happy that he'd had everything he'd needed, in
spite of the loss of his parents. He just couldn't help wishing...
but then, wishing had rarely gotten him anywhere over the years.
He had always found it a pointless exercise. He believed in going
out and grasping things, rather than wishing for them. Maybe that
was part of what made him such a good conman. The ability to get
or obtain anything any of them needed at any time. Proactive. But
then, the skill had never been able to give him the one thing he'd
always so badly desired... had always dreamed of for as long as he
could remember...
-
- "I don't remember my
mother," he whispered, after another long silence. "I try
sometimes, you know. Try to see if I can remember anything at all
about her. Her voice. Her smell. Her touch. But there's so little,
just scattered, unconnected memories... so little." He drew in
another shaky breath. "All I have is this old crucifix, and a
vague memory of it belonging to my mother, and little
else."
-
- Face touched the
place under his clothing where his mother's antique marcasite
crucifix rested, like a small patch of warmth against his skin,
his thoughts turned inward, introspective, a slight sad smile on
his lips.
-
- "I don't remember
anything about the first five years of my life before the
orphanage," he continued. "I don't even know how I came to be
wandering alone out in the rain, or why and how I'd been hurt,
nothing about the accident they say I must have been in. My
memories are even vague about being rescued, of the hospital, then
going to the orphanage and Father Magill. I couldn't even remember
my name. They told me it was traumatic amnesia, that maybe
someday, if I was lucky, the memories would return. They never
have. Not so far. The priests named me Alvin Brenner, but when I
was fourteen, I asked them to legally change it to Templeton
Arthur Peck, 'cause I liked the sound of that better. It had a
sophisticated ring to it, and I liked that. Alvin had never suited
who I was, Templeton did. Don't ask where I got it from, I can't
remember anymore."
-
- He tightened his hold
around Murdock's hands, the grip just shy of painful, his eyes
downcast. Murdock allowed the grasp without complaint, feeling
deep concern for his partner's state of mind.
-
- "I just wish
sometimes that I could remember her, just a little," Face went on,
in a half whisper. "Just... just so I could have something.
Anything. Something that could tell me I once had a real life. A
family. Friends. A... home. Just... something." He looked up at
Murdock then, his eyes pleading. "Is that too much to ask for?"
His voice cracked. Pulling away from Murdock, he once again turned
back to the window, another faint quiver running though him. The
silence fell again, but only for a moment this time, before Face
spoke again. "Murdock, what did you used to ask Santa Claus
for?"
-
- Murdock raised
surprised eyebrows, more than a little worried by the questions,
and the behavior, wondering where all this was coming from and
why. He smiled with gentle tenderness at his partner's averted
profile and replied, "Oh the usual stuff, y'know. Red fire
engines, train sets, toy trucks and cars, model airplanes, toy
airplanes and helicopters. Anything that flew, 'cause I wanted to
fly so bad, and drove 'em all nuts tellin' 'em I'd fly higher than
the sky someday. Y'know, the usual kids' stuff... why?"
-
- Yeah, he'd had a
pretty nice childhood, up until his Mom died. Christmas had always
been great. Even afterwards, with Grandma and Grandpa taking over,
it had been all right. Murdock felt sad now, though. He knew Face,
being an orphan, hadn't had it so great at Christmas, no matter
how much the nuns and priests obviously loved the children and
tried to spoil them as best they could.
-
- Face still wasn't
looking at him. Murdock suppressed a small sigh of frustration,
uncertain what to do to snap his best friend and lover out of his
depression.
-
- More silence, then
Face sighed, sounding weary, and began to speak again, his voice
soft and sad. "I used to wish for my mother. Wish she'd come and
get me, and take me home. Home to whatever home was, or had been,
to whatever I couldn't remember. I used to dream of going home
with her for Christmas... of trees, and snow, and presents, and
mistletoe. Of warmth, and love, and just... God, just so much,
which could never be."
-
- The self-mocking half
smile was back, the nervous mannerisms, the trembling hands, the
hesitant, halting speaking. Murdock wanted to hug Face tight in
against him and never let go, but he suspected the time wasn't
right just yet for that. Face needed to talk first. The rest could
come afterwards.
-
- "But she never came,"
Face went on, sounding strained. "I waited, year after year, but
she never came. After a bit, I stopped believing in make believe,
and started making my own luck." His lips still quirked in their
cynical twist, he shifted around from the window, hands quivering
in nervous agitation around the blanket, eyes bright and shining
as they met the pilot's. "Murdock, I used to wish so hard, but it
was like, it was like, grasping at gossamer."
-
- Face paused for a
bit, as if searching for the right analogy to fit what he was
trying to say. Then, after drawing in a quiet, sighing breath,
began speaking again. "I would dream sometimes, and in my dreams
I'd hear her voice, feel her touch, smell her scent. Then I'd wake
up and the dream would evaporate like mist, leaving me with
nothing. My memories were like... like gossamer in the sunlight,
no matter how much you reach for it, it slips right through your
fingers, as if it wasn't there at all. You can see it, you know
it's there, but you just can't grasp it, no matter what. Then, if
you turn the wrong way, it seems to disappear altogether. That's
what it used to feel like. That's why I stopped
believing."
-
- Tearing his eyes away
from Murdock's, Face gazed down at his lap. "That's why," he
whispered, "Because no matter how hard I've tried, the people I've
loved the most in my life, they've all just slipped right on
through my fingers, like gossamer, leaving me with next to
nothing." He released a soft, sad sigh, then looked up and sought
out Murdock's eyes once more. "Sometimes I... sometimes I get
afraid... so afraid, that one day I'll look around for you, but
you'll be gone too."
-
- Murdock's heart ached
for the pain he could see, and even feel, in Face; his eyes a dark
stormy ocean, as they swirled with all his conflicting, tumultuous
emotions. Moving further forward in his chair, Murdock pulled Face
in to himself, encircling his arms about him, holding him close.
After a long, tense moment, Face relaxed against him, and allowed
the embrace to continue, resting his head on the pilot's
shoulder.
-
- Murdock stroked his
hair gently. "That's where you're wrong, muchacho," he said after
a bit, with firm conviction.
-
- Face pulled back to
stare up at him, his eyebrows rising in question, wondering where
Murdock was going with that statement, the pilot's smile bathing
him with the strength of its warmth.
-
- Murdock touched the
upturned cheek softly, slightly breath taken, as always, at the
intensity of the beautiful aquamarine eyes. "You're wrong, because
you still have me, Face. You still got a holda me. I ain't goin'
nowhere, muchacho. You're stuck with ol' HM Murdock, no matter
what y'think of that."
-
- Face smiled then, and
Murdock was relieved to see that it was a genuine, clear, charming
smile, one which reached right into his eyes, making them shine
and sparkle.
-
- Murdock found it
impossible to resist the slightly open lips. Bending his neck, he
captured them with his own, kissing his partner with deep, gentle
passion. When they broke it off, Face laid his head on Murdock's
chest, sighing in contentment.
-
- "Do you think there
really is a Santa Claus, HM?" Face broke another companionable
silence to say, a slight hint of smiling amusement in his soft
voice.
-
- "You bet, Virginia.
You bet I do," Murdock stated, gratified to hear his lover's soft
laugh of delight in reply to his words.
-
- They stayed like that
for a long time, holding each other, until the shadows lengthened
outside and it became difficult to see within the room. Finally,
they decided to join the others downstairs.
-
- As he closed the door
behind them, Face could swear he heard the jingling of bells and a
snuffling and trampling of hooves. Shaking the image from his
head, he turned and looked into Murdock's eyes, allowing himself
to fall into their dark, glorious depths as always.
-
- Maybe it was going to
be a good Christmas after all, he decided.
-
- They walked away,
hand in hand, back down to the cheer of Christmas, good friends,
good food, and the people Face loved, and yes, had managed to keep
a hold of... and always would.
-
- Somewhere, in another
time and place, where fantasy ruled supreme, and dreams always
came true, a reindeer snorted, and Santa laughed in hearty
cheer.
-
- And Face, feeling the
warmth of Christmas cheer and Murdock's love filling him, looked
up into his partner's eyes and... smiled.
-
- Merry Christmas to
all, and to all a goodnight!
-
- *~*
-
- "Is There A Santa Claus?"
-
- From the Editorial
Page of The New York Sun, written by Francis P. Church, September
21, 1897
-
- We take pleasure
in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing
at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author
is numbered among the friends of The Sun:
-
- "Dear Editor--I am 8 years
old.
- Some of my little
friends say there is no Santa Claus.
- Papa says, 'If you
see it in The Sun, it's so.'
- Please tell me the
truth, is there a Santa Claus?"
-
- Virginia
O'Hanlon
- 115 West
Ninety-fifth Street
-
- Virginia, your
little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the
skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they
see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by
their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or
children's are little. In this great universe of ours man is a
mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the
boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable
of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
-
- Yes, Virginia,
there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and
generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and
give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary
would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as
dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike
faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this
existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight.
The eternal light with which
- childhood fills
the world would be extinguished.
-
- Not believe in
Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might
get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on
Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see
Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa
Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most
real things in the world are those that neither children nor men
can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course
not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable
in the world.
-
- You tear apart the
baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a
veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man, nor
even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived,
could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can
push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty
and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world
there is nothing else real and abiding.
-
- No Santa Claus!
Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from
now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will
continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
-
- Fini.
:o)
-
-
- Copy
Right: (c) 2003
Isabel Florence
- Main Fan Fiction
Menu for the A-Team writings of Isabel Florence: http://webspace.webring.com/people/dc/casper67/ateamfiction.html
- E-mail
To: isabelsparlour@yahoo.com.au
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