Christmas in July 2021 (1 of 4)

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Episode 2: Christmas in July 1 of 4 – Donald Jay Author Podcast

In this episode, I celebrate Christmas in July and the Fourth of July by reading the first scene of my short story, Christmas Renewal, and giving away gifts. This is the first in a four-part series featuring Christmas Renewal. Today's scene is entitled "Cat Nap."

Christmas In July – How It Will Work

Happy Independence Day, America, and welcome to the Donald Jay Author Podcast episode #2, Christmas in July. I’m Donald Jay, and I am so excited to celebrate the Fourth of July and to be kicking off a series of blogs and podcasts celebrating Christmas in July. One of the Christmas in July gifts I’m giving my readers this year is my short story, Christmas Renewal. You can enjoy reading it on the blog or listen to me read it on the podcast. The link to the podcast is on the blog, so you can do both if you like. You can listen to the story and read along at the same time. But, before we get to that, let’s give away some gifts.

Because today is a dual celebration, I’m giving away a red, white, and blue gift to celebrate the Fourth of July and a Christmas in July gift as well. Check out the announcement at the bottom of this blog to see the gifts, find out if you’re a winner, and learn how to claim your gift.

Gifts throughout the month will include items handcrafted by me that readers and writers might like, including pens, bookmarks, etc. I’ve posted a tentative list of gifts at Christmas In July 2021 Guidelines.

How can you get on the “nice list” for the gifts each week in July? There are five ways to enter; read/listen to the blog/podcast, comment, share, refer, or join. You earn one ticket in the grand prize giveaway by reading or listening to the blog or podcast. Every time you read or listen during the month, you earn a ticket. Now, I have no way to tell who reads/listens, so you must leave a comment to let me know you accomplished this, which leads us to our next way to enter, comment. Leave a comment (on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, anywhere you follow Donald Jay) and earn another ticket. So that’s two chances to win simply by enjoying the blog or podcast and commenting to let me know you participated. Sharing my posts with your friends earns you two tickets, referring someone who subscribes to my blog earns you 3 tickets, or subscribing to my blog yourself if you haven’t already earns 3 tickets. I’ll award weekly gifts in a variety of ways. I’ll award the grand prize, a $25 gift certificate to the Vermont Country Store, to the follower with the most tickets on July 25^th. Individuals may only win one weekly gift, but everyone, including previous winners, is eligible for the grand prize. Full details are available on Christmas in July 2021 Guidelines.

To find out if you’re a winner and how to claim your gift, visit the blog any time during the week to read or listen to the blog/podcast and scroll down. Also, don’t forget to visit the bottom of this blog to see who won this week.

Christmas Renewal – Scene 1: Cat Nap

CHRISTMAS RENEWAL

By Donald Jay

Scene 1 – Cat Nap

“Mr. Gandy? Are you okay?”

I took in a long, slow breath and opened my eyes, surprised to be peering through snowflake-lined eyelashes. A mitten-covered hand rubbed my shoulder to rouse me. I straightened on the unyielding wooden bench only to have something warm nestled on my lap restrict me. Peering down without moving my head, I noticed a cat had joined me during my nap and now slept, unaffected by the angel’s attempt to awaken me.

“Mr. Gandy? It’s me, Lissa Dodson. Are you okay?”

The deep fog in my brain lifted a degree. “Oh, yes. I’m fine.” I narrowed my eyes to glimpse her face within the amber halo of the gas streetlamp behind her. “Dodson? Emily Dodson? From the Daily Telegraph?”

“No, sir. I’m Lissa, her daughter. We met when my mother wrote a newspaper article about you a while back.”

“And you remember my name from an article?”

“No, sir. Your name is on your jacket there.” The young woman’s inflection betrayed a grin.

Why do I still have my name tag on my jacket? No one cares about my name anymore.

I slid upright on the bench seat to better support my aching back. Minuscule avalanches of snow cascaded from every crease in my jacket. “What’s this blasted cat doing in my lap? What time is it?” I blurted like an angry steam whistle.

“It’s almost seven-thirty.” The young lady set her basket on the deck and perched on the other end of the bench.

“Seven-thirty?” I snapped. Gazing around, I saw no one else on the platform and that dusk had fallen.

“I’m afraid you’ve missed the evening train to Rutland, if that’s what you were waiting for. It left a half-hour ago,” Lissa explained. “Were you supposed to be on that train?”

“Seven-thirty?” How long have I been sitting here? Wait, I recognize this platform, 1800s gas lamps. This is Dickens Station. How did I get here? “Oh.” The pang of remorse that swelled in my heart turned to contempt as I remembered. “No, nobody wanted me to get on that train.” I wished I could just go back to sleep.

“Then are you staying in town? Did your wife and granddaughter come with you this time?”

I winced at the dark-complected young woman sitting across from me through weary, moist eyes. “The women in my family are a bunch of … ungrateful, self-centered, busybodies who have no consideration for what a man like me goes through when … ugh!” I was doing it again. “I don’t need them, and they certainly don’t need me.”

She recoiled.

I dropped my head into my hand and turned away. Her expression hurt me more than any words she might choose to put me in my place. I expected her to leave me, just like Sophia did earlier that morning.

Lissa touched my hand. “Are you traveling alone, Mr. Gandy?”

I noticed her for the first time. She dressed all in white. Her raven hair lay in stark contrast to the snow-dusted faux fur collar of her tailored coat. She had the same vibrant smile, sparkle in her eyes, and confident lilt in her voice of another high-school senior I knew. Tears tried to surface. I wonder if that high-school senior will ever visit me again.

“I believe I am alone, Ms. Dodson.” The words weighed heavy in my voice, as if speaking them was admitting their reality. “My wife and Sophia, my granddaughter, and I had a fight this morning. Sophia left. I stormed out to go for a walk. I often ride the rails when I want to be alone and think. When the train stopped here, I just felt like I needed to get off, like there was something I should do or someone I should meet. I’ve been gone all day. So, no, they don’t know that I’m here, and I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t care.”

“Did you come in on the morning train?”

I bowed my head and nodded.

“So you’ve been sitting here on this platform all day?”

I nodded once more. “Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? I thought if I just stayed put, whoever I was supposed to meet would find me, and then it got late, so I waited to catch the return train to Rutland. I guess I fell asleep. The next thing I know, I’m sitting on this bench covered with snow with a cat in my lap. Pretty pathetic, huh?”

My angel smirked and settled back onto the bench. “So, if you didn’t know you were coming, then you haven’t reserved a room at the Inn.”

The lights inside the train station extinguished.

“Chuck is locking up,” Lissa observed in a worried tone. “You can’t stay on this bench all night.”

“Just leave me here,” I snapped and waved her off. “I deserve to stay out here. Maybe I’ll just freeze to death. Then they won’t have to put up with me anymore.”

“Mr. Gandy, you can’t mean that.”

I marveled at the young woman’s tenacity as she stood and picked up her basket. “I’m pretty sure Mom would say I should bring you home to stay in the guest room. Besides, we can’t have Vermont Southern Railroad’s Most Decorated Conductor freezing to death on a bench at a whistle-stop, now can we?”

“VSR’s retired most decorated conductor, if you don’t mind,” I quipped. I yanked off my railroad cap and beat it against my leg a few times to dust off the snow. The Vermont Southern Railroad logo stared back at me like an old friend, an old friend who deserted me. Even the medal pinned next to the logo patch had tarnished to the color of dirt. I flung my friend to the deck at Lissa’s feet.

She set her basket down, picked up my cap, straightened it, and returned it to my balding head. Then she stared down at me with her hands on her hips.

I could not return her gaze.

“Why don’t you come with me?”

I grasped the arm of the bench to haul myself to my feet, anticipating pain. I had been sitting for so long. I stalled, looking up at Lissa as she fetched her basket once more. “Shouldn’t you call your parents first?”

“I won’t have to.” She offered a hand to help me up. “They’re right over there.”

Pivoting in my seat, I spotted where Lissa pointed. A crowd of people had gathered across the field, between the Community Church and Back Street.

“What are they doing?” I growled.

“It’s Dickens Station’s annual Christmas Eve caroling,” she announced with the proud tone of a tour guide. “As the leeries make their way down Market Street ceremoniously lighting the original gas lampposts, the carolers follow, serenading the village with traditional Christmas carols. It’s a ton of fun.” She beckoned for me to join her.

“I would get up, but …” I pointed to the furball, eyeing her from my lap. “Would you please get this d—, I mean darn cat out of my lap?”

“Come on, DC. Come on, sweet cat.” My angel scooped up the cat and ushered it into her basket. “Why don’t you ride in here with my Christmas presents?”

“What does DC stand for?” I grunted, summoning every ounce of strength to stand and straighten without wincing, or worse, groaning.

“Sounded to me like you already knew.” Lissa smiled that smile, Sophie’s smile. I blinked back a tear.

***

Gifts

The gifts and the winners for week one (July 4th) are:

USA Flag Ballpoint Pen: Julie E.

Red, White, and Blue Bookmark: Pat S.

Red and Black Bookmark: Dianna K.

Congratulations, winners! I will send you an email shortly requesting a shipping address so that I may mail your gift to you.