I SEE YOU AS YOU COME AND GO

Today is the first day of Fall and the new shipment of home goods will arrive later this afternoon. A young stocker, George, had the responsibility of unloading the boxes when they arrived. My box was one of them.

My earliest memory was George pulling me out of the darkness and into the glow of florescent lightning. I was being put on display with all the others like me. We were all waiting and hoping for someone to choose us.

I WAS CHOOSEN! I was brought home to be part of the Oldenberger's family. They had bought their first home in a sleepy little town called Thompson Ville. The Oldenbergers were a new young family. Jordan and Olga had married four years ago. They had a beautiful three year old named Sandy. She's amazing. She is a princess and her knight in shining armor is a stuffed tiger named Job. Olga is five months pregnant and Princess Sandy is her little helper.

WELCOME is my name. I now live on the Oldenberger's porch, the top stair by the door to be exact. I've lived here for two or three weeks and things have just gotten more and more exciting as the days have gone by.

When I first arrived, the days lasted longer and there wasn't much wind. With everyday passing, the daylight has lessened and lessened. It's getting dark about two hours earlier now. Temperatures have dropped drastically, at least 20° cooler on average. From the simplicity of Fall colors, leaves and a light breeze to the harsh wind that has blown through leaving only naked tree branches behind. How quickly things had changed in a mere two weeks.

Now I see cobwebs, ghosts, goblins, gravestones and skeletons. What happened to the little Suzie homemaker's cookie cutter house and neighborhood I had came home to?

At my home, on the porch, now there's a murdered pumpkin who has an unnerving permanent look of fear carved into his face. There are so many cobwebs that it looks like no one has lived here in years. Apparently there's a show called "Nightmare Before Christmas", because that is all I've heard Princess Sandy and Pregnant Olga talk about all week.

Today is the day, Halloween, first experience...I'm excited. Nothing is happening, then it starts to get dark and wait. Look at all those monsters, just gangs and gangs of monsters. I hear screaming. I'm sure it's Princess Sandy, but I can't see her. I want to save her, but these monsters, goblins, superheroes, witches and ghosts are standing on me. Screams of trick or treat fill the air and then they all run away. I'm worried about Princess Sandy.

More monsters standing on me, more chants of trick or treat, then the door swings open and King Jordan fills their bags with candy. That gang of ghouls run off into the night only to send another. This routine continues throughout the night. The weight upon me is constantly changing...so many monsters, so much screaming. Where is Princess Sandy? Where is Queen Pregnant Olga?

The evening has gone from dusk to, only, a moonlit darkness. Finally the screams had died down. There were no more monsters standing on me, but there also was no Princess Sandy or Queen Pregnant Olga in sight. The last time I had seen King Jordan was right before the last batch of monsters got off me and ran away.

The night is long before daybreak and all I can do is think about the Oldenbergers. I have to stop worrying so I decide to count all the candy wrappers that were littering our lawn. A huge feeling of relief washes over me when I see the Royal family. We all survived Halloween.

The next morning, the murdered pumpkin with the carved face was taken away. The house got all cleaned up, like when I moved here, no more cobwebs. Even Princess Sandy stopped talking about "The Nightmare Before Christmas." The tales of Jack and Sally were now replaced with pilgrims, Indians and food. So much excitement, I'm not sure what is going on.

A few more weeks go by and so many people are standing on me ringing the doorbell. I smell the most delicious things...turkey, baked macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, candied yams, green bean casserole and pies. Everything smells so good and all the guests seem so happy. I almost wished I could go in too, but I know my place is here, on the porch, top step by the door to be exact.

Hours later they came out of the Oldenberger's house, to stand on me again each feeling heavier than they had upon arrival. "Happy Thanksgiving", "Thank you", "I love you", and "see you next month for Christmas" were the comments that filled the air. I'm not sure I fully understand. By the excitement and love I could hear in each person's tone, I knew there was something worth celebrating coming up. "Christmas", "Christmas", "Christmas" soon I will know what that means.

I could have never imagined how immensely my life would change when George lifted me out of the darkness. I love being part of the Oldenberger's family.

I had been hearing music all morning. Princess Sandy and Queen Pregnant Olga are happy and smiling, singing "Jingle Bells", "Feliz Navidad", "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas", and many more. Listening to all the songs and stories had created a curiosity I had never experienced before.

As the holidays passed from one to another, the weather changed right along with the calendar. It was now 22° and a light dusting of snow covered the lawn.

As King Jordan was making our house aglow with all these tiny sparkly lights, he started singing "It's beginning to look alot like Christmas". How exciting, I thought, this is what Christmas looks like. Over the next few weeks, songs and stories were all to be heard at the Oldenberger's house.

Anytime Queen Pregnant Olga or King Jordan would tell Princess Sandy a story, I would listen attentively. The stories were wonderful, but it was the way Princess Sandy's eyes would light up everytime she heard the word Santa, that made me want to meet him and all his reindeer, too.

All I knew was some round, jolly man named Santa was supposed to fly around the world in one night in a sleigh lead by reindeer. Oh and all the reindeer have names too. I remember hearing Princess Sandy call them out when Queen Pregnant Olga read her "Twas the night before Christmas".

I want, so badly, to share in the festivities. It sounds like so much fun. I want there to be a stocking that says WELCOME on it. I want a gift from Santa, too. However, the porch where I live, is so far away from the rooftop where Santa and his reindeer land. How will I ever get Santa's attention? I can't send a letter. I wonder how he will know if I've been naughty or nice. Sadly, I thought, the closest I would be getting to any of that, would be if some glitter from one of those delivered gifts falls on me.

Lost in that thought, King Jordan was suddenly standing on me. He was leaving for work, announcing tomorrow's the big day...CHRISTMAS! Queen Pregnant Olga and Princess Sandy had been singing all morning, when the happy caroling had turned into labored breathing and moaning. The energy in the air is frantic. Soon Jordan came rushing in the house, talking very quickly on the phone. Next thing you know, one of Princess Sandy's aunties, from Thanksgiving, arrives to take her away. As soon as she was picked up, King Jordan and Queen Pregnant Olga were racing out the door on their way to the hospital.

I waited all night. I watched the sky and all the rooftops, and sadly Santa and his reindeer never showed up. Christmas came and went, and the Oldenbergers never came home. I wondered if this meant we were all naughty.

To everyone's surprise, Queen Pregnant Olga went into labor early just as she had with Princess Sandy. No one had imagined, it would be Santa who delivered baby Noel that night.

The day after Christmas, our home was vibrating with life. The family was home! Queen Pregnant Olga looked very different than before and now there is a new tiny little family member, Noel.

Somehow I missed Santa and so had Princess Sandy, but with baby Noel, no one seemed to care. All of the focus was on the gift of life Noel was, and how enriching his arrival had made their holiday.

...Well maybe next year I'll get to meet Santa and his reindeer.