The Happy Break-ins

You live in a neighborhood where lots of people go out of town for the holidays. But lately, this has been resulting in an increased number of break-ins.

The Happy Break-ins

We live on Sky view lane reason it is called Sky view is because it's very high up on a mountain and we can see the view below and the sky fells touchable above. It's beautiful scenery with Majestic trees glistening in the ice and the snow with the Bells ringing below in The Valley at Christmas time.

 Let me fill you in on the neighborhood we have on one side of us the Parker's on the other side of us Are the Nobles and across from us are the McDonald's. Mr. And Mrs. Reed lived 3 houses down on our left while on the right side four houses down and across the The road are the Mavers. We, the Bryant's live smack in the middle of all of them. They all seem to go away around Christmas time celebrating all the holidays with their families.

We always stayed home as we have a huge family and could not ever afford to do the traveling especially with nine children. This year was an unusual year the Macdonald said they were staying home quite, unusual I say because they always have gone away since they moved to the neighborhood. The newest ones are Mr. And Mrs. Reed who flew to Colorado four years in a row to see their three grandchildren plus they love to ski. They are very active people. Parker's, they always left on vacation for about four weeks they left right after Thanksgiving and came home just after Christmas we don't know where they went or what they did they always kept it a mystery for us and we never asked any questions we felt we shouldn't pry.

               Something felt strange this week as it is December 23rd and all is quiet in the neighborhood yet I see the vehicles outside of our neighbor’s houses and the lights are on in the evening and even some decorations are up. I didn't give it big thought until December 24^th. I was down at the Miller Market picking up some cinnamon sticks for mom, she like them in her eggnog on Christmas Eve.

I heard Mr. Miller talking to somebody in the back. There was a female's voice and she was saying how Albert wasn't feeling well his time is coming close and he just wants to stay home by himself and her and joy their last Christmas together. See Albert got the flu shot 2 years ago and the side effects that you can get when getting the flu shot it's like one in a million but Albert was a million poor Albert.

 The Parker's they always went away they were very wealthy people you can tell by the cars they drove how well they decorated their house inside and  now they had the lawn man come even as somebody come inside and clean their house like every 2 weeks. That's money. On my way to school I notice lately Mr. Parker was mowing his own lawn and raking his own leaves all by himself to I've never seen him do that as long as he’s lived here. We've always done that stuff ourselves never thought of hiring anybody else to do what was ours besides dad said if it's ours we take care of it ourselves.

Mr. And Mrs. Reed I saw them this morning there are pulling out of their driveway kind of like trying to hide from everybody I pretended I didn't see them as I continued on my journey to school. Mom always said minding my own business was the proper way to be. I hope they didn’t notice me much.

My English teacher asked the class what they were going to get for Christmas or what they wanted for Christmas this year. Olson named the television set some named new cell phone other's toys, close, some kid even asked for a car and he’s only 14. When it came my turn Mrs. Gregg asked me and I said I had to give it some time I had some few things in mind but I wasn't quite sure yet. We get out early as is December 24th and tomorrow's Christmas so we only have a 1/2 a day of school. I was walking home from school and the neighborhood didn't seem quite the same there is a stillness in the air a mystery you could say something wasn't quite right but I couldn't put my finger on it. Mom was busy in the kitchen she does a lot of baking every year dad at the last minute he needed the extra money for Christmas you know. Mom sold cookies, handmade decorations and knitted mittens.

This thing, this thing in our neighborhood was bugging me too much. It was a very complex situation but me, with a mystery mind I did add up and had to do some investigating to find out what was going on in our neighborhood it was just it was just not right.  I was puzzled -puzzle loved it too much to let it go.

 After dinner I walked over to the parkers and they were just sitting there they had one light on in the kitchen and they were just having a bowl of soup for dinner and they look so sad. I wish they were always the happy Parker's like they always were. Then I snuck over to the McDonald's poor Mr. McDonald he was sitting in a wheelchair he had lots of blankets on. Mrs. McDonald she had all a sweater and blankets and she was looks like she was very cold. I don't think they had the heat on the house too much they were almost like there are shivering.

I spied on Mr. And Mrs. Reed and I got myself an earful they don't have a dime I didn't know Mr. Reed lost his job 6 months ago I hadn't a clue I don't think anybody else ever knew either they always seem to put on a show like there is still rich. To be honest this broke my heart I had to tell someone and of course the only someone I can go to was my mom. I said “mom I need to talk to you and this has to be private I have a lot of explaining to do and I need you understand we have to do something about this”.

 I explained to her our neighbors were down-and-out even though we had nine kids in the family and mom and dad always had food on the table and we all got along a Christmas time we sang songs there is no arguing we had plenty of food and we always have a good time after all we were family. Mama just we had a mission to do and we have to do it soon after all this was Christmas Eve.

 So we got the entire Bryant family  together and we worked as a team you can say we were a bunch of little elves. Mom started to bake she baked like nothing else, she didn't stop all night long. As kids we there may gifs made cards made something or we found something I we turned it into a really nice gift. Dad was out his workshop he did little carving made some magical stuff I don't exactly know what it is but after it's done painted I bet it's something need.

 Well we headed out my big brother and I,  we broke into all the houses and we left them all a surprise we left them food and gifts and it was all from Santa’s little elves and their names were hotspot and twinkle toes the magical  of our road Sky view. In the morning I looked at the window and I can see them looking out their windows to like who the heck was in our house who broke into a house and left as goodies. They broke in and didn’t steal anything they left treats and gifts to enjoy what a wonderful neighborhood we live in and it  had to be somebody here but nobody else knew anybody else to secret and we, The Bryant’s all had a good cheer merry Christmas everyone knew  it's not about what we receive its about what you give and you never have to tell everybody who was to give or taker.

Written by Josey