Soh and Royce had been out shopping for almost four hours. It was Christmas Eve, and Royce had insisted that Soh buy his team presents. Soh was as bitter as ever, and going through coffee faster than even he could believe. Finally, to both men’s relief, they finally finished.
When Soh dragged Royce to the long lineup at the checkout, his already (or perhaps permanently) sour mood became even worse when a little boy cut in front of him. He had dirty-blond hair and had an excited look on his face. He was holding a pair of women’s shoes. Soh thought they were quite ugly, and, as was his wont. he pointed them out to Royce.
“Look at those hideous things. He’ll wrap ‘em up, give ‘em to his mom, who’ll give him a fake smile and tell him they’re gorgeous, only to throw them out the next day and come up with some lie to tell her kid,” Soh commented. Royce just gave him a look and asked him what he thought Dr. Polic was going to do with the “Idiot Card” he’d insisted on buying. On both sides it said “To find out how to keep an idiot busy for hours, turn this card over.” Soh thought it was hilarious.
After waiting for what seemed like hours in line, the little boy, whom Soh guessed was about seven or eight, went to pay for his shoes. Soh groaned when the boy pulled a handful of pennies and nickels from his pocket.
“Come on! That should be illegal! Can’t you con some bills off of your mother or something? Some of us have lives to get back to, you know!” Soh said angrily.
Royce gave Soh the same look he had earlier. “Give the kid a break, okay? He probably just wanted to buy it himself as a surprise.”
After the cashier took his time counting the money, he told the boy that he still needed nineteen dollars and forty-three cents. Soh saw the boy’s face fall, and watched as he pleaded with the cashier. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Come on kid, you don’t have enough money. Go make a paper ornament or something. She’ll pretend to love it too, and it’s a lot cheaper than these shoes. You can buy her something next Christmas when you’re better at scamming people,” Soh told the boy.
The child, who had been ignoring Soh all evening, finally turned to him. His eyes were now filled with sadness. “Sir, I want to buy these shoes for my mommy. She told me yesterday that she’s gonna go to Heaven soon, and she’s gonna meet Jesus, and I want her to look beautiful if she meets him tonight. Please sir, do you have any money? Please? There’s not much time…”
As the boy trailed off, Soh stared at him, stunned. It was an excellent trick. The kid’s dad was probably around here somewhere, just waiting for the money his child would bring.
As he turned to leave, the boy said, “Wait!”
Soh stopped and turned back to the kid.
“Please sir, I’ve never gotten her anything before, but she gets me lotsa stuff every year. Now I have to get her something. Please sir, I have to!”
The boy’s eyes shone with tears as he begged this stranger for money. “I want her to look beautiful for when she meets Jesus,” he finished, looking at Soh imploringly. “Please.”
Soh saw something in the boy’s eyes. This kid’s mom is really going to die. Soon. It’s not a trick.
He looked at the kid, reached into his pocket for his wallet, opened it and put a twenty-dollar bill in the boy’s hand.
The child’s face lit up, and he threw his arms around Soh, giving him a huge hug.
“Thank-you sir,” he said.
Royce looked on in shock at the small smile on his friend’s lips. Soh even gave the boy a small hug back.
“Now get going. This line’s getting really long and we all have things to do,” Soh said, his voice gruff but kind instead of the condescending tone it had been earlier.
They boy ran off with his shoes, but not before yelling, “Merry Christmas sir!” At his words, Soh smiled-- a real smile.
Royce chuckled. “You’re such a softie, James,” he teased.
“You breathe a word of this to anyone -- “ Soh said.
“You’ll tell the entire hospital I wear dresses. I know,” Royce grinned.
They paid for their presents, and walked to Soh’s car. They spent the rest of the day together preparing for Christmas, and Royce noticed that Soh didn’t reach for his coffee the entire time.
Two days later, Soh was reading the newspaper. As he was flipping through, he saw a picture he recognized. It was the little boy, with his parents. Underneath the picture were the words, “Sally Rea passed away Christmas day at 3:47am. She is seen here in happier times with her husband Hugh and son Max.”
It would be a Christmas he would remember.