http://spillwords.com/author/phyllispcolucci/
https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-P.-Colucci/e/B00VMU8B44
(Pinterest Photo)
THE CHRISTMAS
DOLLHOUSE
Margaret
lived most of her life alone in that big old house on top of the hill. She
could look out from any one of her many windows and see the town below. She
watched as life went on without her. Margaret tried desperately to focus her
eyes on the tiny people miles away, scurrying up and down the streets of the
town; but her already failing vision was obscured by the dried dust and soot
that stuck to the aged windowpanes. With frail fingers she pushed back the grey
strands of her hair that tickled her eyelids, in hopes that she might see
better. Unfortunately, the old house
with its ancient windows had other ideas for Margaret. Those windows were her
eyes to the world. Sometimes the world – her world – just didn’t see it that
way. So she walked back to her stove, as she did every day after this morning
ritual, and made herself a pot of tea. She reached for the lone teacup that sat
on the kitchen windowsill, and wept.
Christmas
was approaching, as it did every year. The snow covered the bare trees and piled
up outside her front door. She felt like a prisoner in her own home, confined
by the chains of isolation and abandonment. Some days, she just did not know
what to do with herself. Especially around the holiday season.
A middle-aged
handyman, named Louis, would stop by and clear the snow for her every winter,
and bring her groceries from town every other week. This was her existence for
years, ever since her parents and siblings passed on. She never married, and her nieces and nephews moved away; but
called for the holidays out of obligation. Despite that, she looked forward to
those phone calls. They meant everything to her. Those sporadic phone calls,
visits from the handyman, and her small television set were the only voices that
kept her company within her small and limited world.
Margaret
recalled in conversation one day with Louis, how he had asked her what her
favorite Christmas gift was when she was a child. She sensed he tried to get
her mind off her current feelings of loneliness in order to allow her to live
in fond memory for a short while. He got her to reminisce about the Christmases
in her past that brought her great joy when she was a child, happily surrounded
by her parents and siblings. She noticed how he smiled while her pale blue eyes
sparkled like gems, as she told him about a large wooden dollhouse that her
father had built just for her. She went on to explain that it had four bedrooms,
a kitchen, a parlor and a bathroom. Margaret pretended the three smaller
bedrooms were for her and her two siblings, and the largest bedroom was for her
parents. She bragged about how talented her father was in wood carving. He made
all the furniture in great detail, and even carved out a family of five, just
like her own family. She adored that dollhouse. It now lived in her heart…and she
felt so alive telling this story to Louis over tea. When he left, he said, “Christmas is coming
Margaret. You keep thinking about that wooden dollhouse your father made -
especially for you. Keep the memories alive. I’ll see you soon with your
groceries.” Margaret, as usual, handed Louis an envelope which contained money
for his services. He gave her a hug and
a wink, then let himself out. Louis was her lifeline, and she prayed every day for
him and his family. She needed him. He was like the son she never had.
Louis
gave Margaret a special gift today. Not in the way of anything material, but in
the way that kept her heart beating, her soul happy, and her mind aglow. He
touched her with the Christmas spirit that she had lost along the way. She was
filled with holiday love and inner peace. As she basked in the moment, she
slowly tip-toed over to her storage closet, hummed Christmas carols, and took
out the old Christmas tree her parents put up every year. It was only four feet
high, and it was already decorated with vintage Christmas ornaments, faded red
velvet bows, and withered tinsel, hidden under a clear plastic covering. This
was the first time in years she was able to bring that tree out for display.
She placed it on the end table near her couch, and stared at it with tears of
happiness instead of tears of sorrow. She owed it all to Louis.
As
she continued to hum Christmas carols, she made her way back to the closet and
pulled out two artificial poinsettia plants, blew the dust off them with
puckered lips, and placed them on her dining room table; one on each end. Last,
but not least, she pulled out an old Christmas quilt her mother had made for
the couch a very long time ago, and gently spread it over the seat cushions.
Margaret
seemed to have tired herself out a bit, so she went over to the stove and made
herself a cup of hot cocoa, with miniature marshmallows bouncing on top,
cooling down in an old ceramic Christmas cup she took from the cupboard. The
snowman image on the cup seemed to smile up at her with twinkling eyes. In her
wild imagination, he tipped his hat to her. She smiled back. She shuffled over to the
couch, blanketed herself in the warmth of her Mom’s Christmas quilt, and
admired her Christmas tree; mesmerized by the shining tinsel that captured the
light of the evening glow from the dim porch lanterns outside her bay window. Margaret
fell into slumber, blessed by the magic of the holiday season. She now faced
every day, up until Christmas Day, with such delight and glee.
One bitterly
cold, snowy and windy day, Louis dropped off Margaret’s groceries as usual, then shoveled the snow for her, and
spent a little time chatting over tea. At
this last visit before Christmas, however, he brought her a large ham and all
the ingredients necessary to make scrumptious holiday trimmings. He told her this
was his gift to her, and made her promise that she would make an entire
Christmas meal for herself on Christmas Day, with plenty of leftovers to share
with him on his next visit right after Christmas. Margaret was ecstatic. She
hadn’t cooked a Christmas meal for herself, or anyone else for that matter in a
very long time. So she promised Louis she would do just that. Louis left with
his usual envelope, which contained some extra money in it as a Christmas gift
from Margaret. Louis kissed her forehead and promised he would be back right
after Christmas for some holiday leftovers. Margaret smiled and nodded with a
heart full of love and gratitude.
…Well,
Christmas came knocking and brought along a wondrous snowfall. Margaret danced
around her kitchen like she did in her youth. She paid no attention to her old
aching bones, as she prepared a wonderful holiday ham and all the trimmings for
herself, with plenty of leftovers to share with Louis upon his next visit. She
blasted Christmas music from the old radio, and let the sounds bounce off the
walls and ceiling like never before. Her cup runneth over, as she basted her ham
and set a place setting for herself from her Mom’s special Christmas dinnerware
set.
Before
she could even get the chance to sit and have Christmas dinner, her doorbell
rang. Margaret never had visitors on Christmas. Not since her family passed on.
She wondered who would be ringing her bell on a holiday…So she ran over to the
window to take a peek. To her surprise, there was Louis with his wife and two adult
children dressed in holiday style, patiently waiting on the porch for Margaret
to open the door. The snow was coming down hard, so she hurried to let them in.
They walked into her home, as Louis followed behind carrying a large box,
almost too large to fit through the door. However, Louis wiggled his way
through the door and brought the box in without issue. Everyone stood around
Margaret, as they covered her with hugs and kisses. Louis said, “Margaret, we
are here to spend Christmas with you. I hope you cooked up that wonderful ham
and trimmings.” Margaret was happily dumbfounded. She said, “I sure did. I am
overjoyed that you and your wonderful family surprised me today.” She expected just Louis after Christmas, but
was so elated he showed up with his family on this Christmas Day. She smiled
from ear to ear. Louis smiled back, and said, “Open the box Margaret. There is
a very special gift inside for you.”
As
Margaret opened the large box with great anticipation, she could not believe
her eyes. She saw one huge wooden dollhouse in there. Tears filled her pale
blue eyes, and she found it hard to swallow. She felt the lump in her throat. She
was so moved by this gesture of kindness from Louis and his family that she
choked on her words as she tried to speak. Louis set the wooden dollhouse up in
front of Margaret’s bay window. Margaret said it looked beautiful there,
especially with the snow falling outside as a backdrop. It was like an old “Currier
and Ives” Christmas card. She was beside herself. She asked Louis where he
found that exquisite dollhouse. Louis responded that he did not find it. He
made it with his own hands and hoped it would be as beautiful to her as the one
her father made her many years ago. Margaret cried out, “Oh Louis. It is
magnificent! How can I ever thank you?” Louis wrapped his arms around Margaret
and said, “Having my family here with me, and sharing Christmas dinner with you,
is thank you enough for me, sweet Margaret.”
So
they all sat around the table for Christmas dinner, and ate on the special
Christmas dinnerware set that belonged to Margaret’s mother. Margaret, Louis
and his family, spent a warm and cozy holiday together. After coffee and apple pie, they all took
part in setting up the rooms and figurines in the wooden dollhouse, just the
way Margaret remembered it as a child. Margaret thanked Louis and his family
for making this Christmas one that she will carry in her heart for the rest of
her life. With a tear on her cheek, and her pale blue eyes sparkling like gems,
she said, “Merry Christmas to All and to All a Delight.”
