Twelve More Days Of Christmas - Chapter 5

By mcscraic
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Twelve More Days Of Christmas
A Novel
By Paul McCann
Chapter 5
Christmas Time In The Orphanage
The people of the old village lived close together in their little terrace homes . They were always a very tight community, ready to help others when needed .
Christmas was always a special time for the people who knew how to celebrate the joy of Christmas in one way or another .
Back then in that Christmas past the magic of Christmas had a big impact on the everyday existence turning the village into a magical place for one and all .
Santa Clause came to town and he always made time for the people in the village to make himself available for photographs and he seemed to know everyone’s name and he always brought gifts for the children to keep .
The walk to the church on Christmas Eve for midnight mass was for many a walk-through fairyland with the snow lying thick on the ground and all the houses in the streets with their brightly lit Christmas trees on display in the front window of the house . Every tree was different . Some had flashing lights others had these large paper lanterns hanging from the tree branches . Some had Christmas decoration with lights that shimmered making a magical scene for everyone walking past .
After mass was over the people of the village all walked back home to get into bed with the excitement of the day still to come .
Sadly, there was another story to the village for in the orphanage there things were a little different at Christmas time because of the abandonment issue some of the children had and the lack feeling a loving family around them ,
One of the local lads, Bobby Beaumont otherwise known as Bo Bo thought he would try and brighten up things in the orphanage at Christmas so he went to seek the approval of those who looked after the orphans . Bo Bo himself had been an orphan there in his childhood and wanted to try to make a difference for the kids who were there now.
After the board of directors gave Bo Bo permission to decorate the place and take the orphans for a bus run Bo Bo went to get some help from some of the corner boys who were good lads that loved to help people in the village .
Most of the people in the village were very bust during the year working hard in their jobs . Some even had two jobs and also worked weekends . Times were hard then but the corner boys usually unmarred and out a work and they spent most of their time singing on corners to passersby and doing little odd jobs for the people in the village, During the Christmas season the corner boys were always around the streets of the village singing Christmas Carols and some of the locals would bring them some food to show their appreciation .
So, Bo Bo rounded up a few of the corner boys who were willing to get involved with bring some Christmas magic into the orphanage .
They all made their way in to halls of the old building where many sad stories could be heard . Usually, Christmas behind those walls was a lonely time for most of the children.
Bo Bo remembered how it was back when he would lie in bed and listen to the people passing by on the street singing and celebrating Christmas , He remembered looking from afar at the Christmas decorations and lights that shone outside the windows of the dormitories as they all lay in darkness in a silence that mastered everyone who lived there .
Because Bo-Bo understood what it was like to be locked up at Christmas time in an orphanage home he wanted to try and make a change .
The first job he wanted to do was to decorate the halls and rooms around the orphanage . So, with the help of some of the corner boys they went to work , they had already been able to raise some funds for the project to help brighten things up.
for the orphans at Christmas .
They had purchased some Christmas decorations and lights for the orphanage and organised some fun and games for Christmas day .
Bo-Bo and some of the lads began to put up the decorations in the orphanage as soon as the truck arrived with the supplies . Everyone started to help unload the truck and open up the boxes.
After they unpacked everything Bo-Bo gave the first job to Mo
A large silver bell with gold tinsel was to be suspended from the centre rafter in the conference room . Mo never bothered to tell anyone he had a fear of heights and as Skeeter stood with one hand holding the ladder Mo’s legs were.
Shaking like jelly . The higher Mo climbed up the ladder the more it shook .
Mo stopped half way up the ladder and froze .
skater shouted up .
“It needs to go up higher Mo. “
“No that’s high enough .“:
Said Mo . Who was white as a ghost .
skeeter laughed and replied .
“Come on just a little higher .“
Some of the other people started to laugh as Mo came back down the ladder still holding on to the bell . He handed the Christmas bell to skeeter and said .
“I need to go to the boy’s room . Could you do put the bell up for me .“
“Sure, that’s no problem Mo . Maybe you could see Bo-Bo about another job .“
As Mo left the conference room, he was still a bit shaky on his feet . Trying not to fall in a heap he looked back at skeeter and said .
“Right then I’ll just go and see what the others are doing .“
Mo left the conference room and sat at the top of the stairs for a short time until he had regained his composure . Then he walked down the stairs to the ground floor and saw Lefty and Spider hanging decorations on the tree .
Mo said .
“Need help boys?”
“Sure Mo . Tell Charlie we’re ready for the fairy lights now .“
Said Lefty .
“Right then .“
Mo rushed off so fast he forgot to ask where Charlie was . After a while Mo returned with a red face and asked where Charlie was .
Spider almost burst out laughing at first but kept a straight face and said ,
”Charlie’s is in the dining room at the end of the corridor .“
Mo skipped off down the end of the corridor and returned again and said .
“Which corridor and what floor is the dining room on ?”
“This one Mo .“
Lefty said .
“The dining room is next to the chapel at the other end of this corridor Mo”.
Spider said .
“What was it I had to ask him again .“
“We need the Christmas tree lights Mo .“
“Ok then lads I’ll be right back with the lights then “
Said Mo .
Mo found the dining room and was amused at what he saw .
In the middle of the floor was Charlie knee deep with a serious set of fairy lights that had been wrapped into a ball of Christmas confusion . He pulled this way and that way making the puzzle more complicated .
Mo coughed and said .
“Spider and Lefty need the lights now Charlie.”
Bo-Bo suddenly walked in and saw Charlie’s predicament .
He went over and said in a kind of firm but reassuring voice.
“Charlie all you had to do was unpack the lights out of the box . What’s happened ?”
“I did unpack them but I thought I better try them first and then I discovered one of them wasn’t working and so I tried to fix that one . Then as I went to get the spare bulbs from the box, I got myself in a tangle with all the wires .
My ankles and feet were tied together in a horrible twist of wires . I didn’t want to break any of the lights and began to very carefully pull the light bulbs from their sockets but that took ages so I started to panic because the next thing I knew I couldn’t move my legs and tried to roll around on the floor in an effort to unwind the lights from my legs and before I knew it Mo was standing at the door telling me Lefty and Spider needed the lights .“
Bo-Bo winked at Mo and said ,
“Come on Mo grab his legs and I grab his arms. “
“Bo-Bo what are you going to do ?”
Charlie said .
Bo-Bo replied .
“Well Charlie the only solution I can see is for Mo and me to carry you and the tangle together up to the Christmas tree and plug in the lights to the nearest socket . At least when we switch on the power there will be some pretty lights for the children to see .”
“You’re kidding aren’t you Bo-Bo .“
Said a very worried Charlie .
“He could end the angel at the top of the tree Bo-Bo.”
Said Mo .
Bo-Bo smiled and said ,
“ Come on Charlie let’s see if we can get all those lights untangled “
At that everyone burst out laughing .
Eventually the lights were up on the tree and all the other decorations hung .
The orphanage looked bright and happy.
Now Bo Bo asked the corners boys to get together a choir and he told them to try and involve some of the orphans as they would sing .
The choir of corner boys need a quick rehearsal before they sang and so while they were doing that Bo-Bo went outside to run a few checks on the mini bus .
Then Bo Bo was checking the bus he had an idea to take the choir and some of the orphans on a bus run . It was an opportunity for some of the orphans to see some of the Christmas lights in the centre of town .
He also had an idea to take the choir somewhere to perform for people in town .
After the choir finished their rehearsals, Bo Bo asked permission to take some of the orphans out on a bus run and everything was given the ok to go.
The little bus was full as they headed down through the streets we. There were Christmas decorations all dressed in coloured lights and even Santa Clause stood on a corner ringing his bell at the passersby .
Large banners were thrown across the streets with tinsel and trees in every window.
Bo Bo had made a phone call before they left then orphanage and for the first time the choir of corner boys and some of the orphans were going to be singing for some of the prisoners in ht e local jail .
Bo Bo parked the bus near the prison gate as the gate was opened when they arrived .
Charlie got off the bus first and waited for the others to get off the bus but some of them were concerned about being inside the prison ,
Bo Bo explained that they were just going to sing Silent Night and leave but Spider was very uncomfortable with singing to prisoners .
The warden approached and invited them all to come inside and assured them that they were safe .
skeeter looked at Bo-Bo and asked .
“How long are we going to stay in here Bo-Bo?”
“ Maybe if I ask the warden nicely, I’ll get you an extended visit ? “
Said Bo-Bo .
Charlie laughed and the warden said ,
‘I’ll just check if we have an empty cell Bo Bo “
skeeter panicked and said to the warden.
“Excuse me sir , I must let you know my Mammy has got my dinner on and so I can’t really be staying long .”
Smiling back the warden said ,
“We are all looking forward to the performance this evening for the entire prison . It is a real treat for us all her .“
Bo-Bo replied ,
“Not a problem . Just point us where we should go .”
The prison canteen was opened up for the performance .While the choir were singing the warden had arranged with Bo-Bo for a special gift for the choir .
After the performance the applause rung out from every corner of the prison and then Santa clause arrived right on cue .
Every child received a Christmas present with many more for the children who weren’t in the choir . Before the children left the prison they promised to make a return concert for the next Christmas .
Something precious had happened that evening in the prison .
The orphan children realised there were other people in the world who really understood loneliness and emptiness . They all had a similar feeling of hurt and rejection and somehow on that common ground they received a spiritual healing . Some of the hard criminals were even shedding tears .
Many other inmates had promised to turn over a new leaf when they were released . Indeed, it was a very special Christmas Eve .
The children left the prison and got back on the bus . Before bringing the children back to the orphanage .
When the returned they were all greeted with a shout from the staff
“ “Surprise . Happy Christmas .“
The staff and board members of the orphanage had planned a surprise Christmas party for everyone . Everyone was so excited and the magic of Christmas was alive inside the orphanage . It was the first very happy Christmas they had ever had and Bo Bo and the corner boys stayed overnight .
When the sun rose the next morning Bo-Bo saw a new look on all the faces of the children in the orphanage .
Word spread all over the village about the choir who sang in the prison and the warden had asked that it would continue in the years to come .
End Chapter 5
link to chapter 6
https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/twelve-more-days-christmas-chapter-6
Twelve More Days Of Christmas
A Novel
By Paul McCann
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