Ch.3-Santa.

JAMAL'S POINT OF VIEW

I make sure to take the route that’s the farthest from the ghettos because even though it’s snowing, and people wear hats and scarves to protect themselves from the cold wind and snow, I don’t want to drive around that place and risk seeing him, seeing them, and to be extra careful, I keep my eyes on the road, avoiding to look on the sidewalk or at other drivers, afraid that I’ll see them hand in hand... or...

“God, I’ll go crazy here!” I exclaim as I realize just how paranoid I am, but still do not look around.

The phone rings in the speakers of my car, and I see that it’s mom, but I’m not in the mood to talk to her right now, so I ignore it.

Yes, she helped me tremendously during college, sending me at least five hundred dollars monthly, and giving me thirty thousand dollars when I finished so I could start my company, but that doesn’t mean that I forgot all those years of abuse, all the cold nights, the hunger, or the guys that she brought home, and some beat me around, one almost raped me, and when I told her, she told me that I’m a brat that seeks attention.

I give her more money than she can spend as a thank you for the help that she gave me, but that was most probably because she knew that someday I'd get rich because I really didn’t and still don't buy that ‘I felt guilty and wanted to redeem myself’ bullshit.

I turn the radio on to keep my mind occupied and stop the thoughts that I can’t seem to be able to control, and out of goddamn nowhere, a black Santa appears in the front of my car at not even 7 feet away, and I quickly push the breaks and swerve right so I wouldn’t hit him.

The car stops together with my racing heart and breath, and I look around to see if he is ok and panic when I can’t see him.

I quickly get out of the car, and almost fall due to my shaking legs, but I’m caught by two arms that belong to none other than my reckless Santa.

“Are you ok?” He asks in a gentle voice, as he comes and stands in front of me, looking at me worried with a pair of cerulean green eyes that stand out due to his dark skin tone, and I open my mouth to say something, but I can’t. I’m too shaken up, and also angry, and I don’t want to say something that I might regret.

He’s just an old man, Jamal.

I tell myself in order to calm down.

Even though he wears a Santa hat, I can see that his hair is winter-white, just like his beard, and his wrinkles look as if they were made from laughter, which hints that he’s a cheerful, good person.

“I’m sorry, I was not looking--” He tries to apologize, but I interrupt him as I see that he holds his left arm with his right one.

“Are you ok?” I point at his arms, and he nods.

“Yes, I think I’ll have a bruise, but I’m ok. But your tire, on the other hand...” He trails off as he gestures to my tire, which seems to be deflating.

“It’s just a tire. It will keep me going a few more miles until I find a service.” I say reassuringly, and he nods, smiling, and I want to yell, scream, tell him that because of him, the chances that I’ll encounter the two people that I despise most in the world increased tenfold and that he shouldn’t smile... but I don’t.

He’s just an old man.

“How much will it cost?” He asks, probably wanting to pay for it.

“It’s ok, I’ll manage. You just look where you’re going because maybe next time you won’t be so lucky,” My voice is scolding but also worried, and he waves me off and smiles even bigger, an action that accentuates his wrinkles.

“There is no such thing as luck. There is just destiny because everything happens for a reason.” He states the cheesy and untrue sentences as a fact, and without even realizing it, I roll my eyes.

“You don’t believe in destiny?” He asks, still with that small smile on his face, looking at me as if he knows something that I don’t.

“No, I don’t. Now, if you’re sure you’re ok, I would like to go before my tire gets totally flat,” I point at the deflating tire and turn to go, but I’m stopped by his aged voice.

“I know a shop not very far from here, and they have the best mechanics in town. If you want, I could come with you and give you directions. I’m heading that way anyway. And as a gift for your kindness, I’ll make your biggest wish come true.” His voice is cheery, and I sigh heavily and turn back to look at him, just to see him beaming at me.

I think he’s a little off.

“Can you teleport me from here? In any other city? Another country? Even a deserted island, anywhere but here?” I ask sarcastically, and he chuckles softly and shakes his head.

“No.” He answers in an amused tone of voice, and before I got to reply with some sarcastic comment, he continues.

“But that’s just because that’s not your biggest wish.” He states again, as a fact, as if he'd never been more sure of anything in his life.

“Oh, trust me, it is!” I exclaim, and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow as if I can’t fool him.

Ok, he’s definitely off.

“Now, I really, really, need to get going--”

“Ok, let’s go then.” He says and walks to the passenger side of the car, opens the door and gets up, then gestures for me to hurry up.

God... what did I do wrong?

I think for a few seconds what to do because the old guy is certainly crazy, but he’s the harmless kind of crazy, and I need to fix my tire so I can go, and he could help, so, what the Hell?

What’s the worst that could happen, right?

“Ok, Santa, please guide me to the shop,” I say trying to enter his mind and loosen the mood, and he laughs a peal of wholehearted laughter that fills the car and even manages to make me smile, but it faded when I noticed that a warning light popped up on my dashboard. But seeing that I can still drive the car without any problems, I don’t think that it’s something serious.

At least I hope so.

“I’m not Santa. Santa Claus doesn’t exist.” He says as if I didn’t already know that, making me forget about my worry, and I can’t help but chuckle.

“I know that, but outside you said that you'd make my biggest wish come true, and you’re dressed as a Santa, so...” I explain, even though I’m sure that it’s useless.

“Yes, I said that and I’ll keep my promise, but that doesn’t mean that I’m Santa. Now, take a left turn.” I decide not to comment and just drive, hoping and praying that we get there soon, and after fifteen minutes of slow driving due to the snow that covers the roads, I take the last turn to reach the auto service.

The place looks decent, not really professional like a Rolls-Royce service, but good enough.

I park the car in their parking lot, then get out, and Santa... or whoever he thinks he is, follows, with an even bigger smile on his face.

“My job here is done. Now I have to go and help someone else,” He says in a very satisfied tone of voice, with a very satisfied look on his face.

“Yes, my biggest wish is to go to a workshop. I always dreamed of doing that in a city that I hate two days before Christmas.” The comment escaped my lips before I could stop it, and I immediately regretted it.

“Sorry, it’s just--” I want to explain myself, but he laughs softly as if he’s amused by my disbelief.

“It’s ok, I’m used to it.” I want to say that I believe him, seeing how crazy he is... but this time I manage to hold back.

“Are you sure you’re ok? And are you sure that you don’t need me to help you find your way home?” I ask, a little worried that he’ll get lost because of his... mental state.

“You should embrace yourself for when you’ll find your way home, not worry about me, kid.” He says and winks at me, again, as if he knows something that I don’t.

“Ok. I wish you a Merry Christmas, and please take care.” I say, and he nods.

“I will not wish you a Merry Christmas because I already know that you’ll have a very Merry Christmas.” I almost roll my eyes at him but contain myself, and return the smile that he’s giving me.

He turns and goes, and I do the same, then open the door where is written Reception.