Christmas with the Calvins

Chapter Three

Charlie returned to school much earlier than his sister, only two days after Christmas. The first day after the holiday break, Neil, Laura and Scott were all invited to Charlie's elementary school for Career Day.

"Can I ask Dad to go first?" Charlie asked Neil.

"Well, if that's how you feel, Charlie." Neil nodded.

"That's how he feels, Neil!" Scott grinned. He was thrilled to be picked before Neil for the first time in a long time. "Nice sweater buddy!" The toy maker added before standing in front of the class.

"This is my dad, Scott Calvin." Charlie introduced his dad to the class. "He's got a really neat job!" he paused dramatically. "My dad is Santa Claus!"

"Oh boy." Scott mumbled as the other kids in the class began to laugh at Charlie. "I think, what he means is I'm like Santa Claus." He clarified. "We're both giving, we're both jolly and we both work very hard one day a year." Scott chuckled uncomfortably.

"That not what I mean, Dad!" Charlie argued. "Look, On Christmas Eve, my dad pushed Santa off the roof."

"No Charlie...Ch-Charlie..." Scott tried to stop his son, but it was futile. He could already feel Neil's psychoanalytical gaze from across the room. All three adults and Jessie had already explained to Charlie that what he thought had happened at the "North pole" was just a story that Scott had told him. He wasn't actually Santa Claus. Despite everyone's insisting, Charlie continued to believe the story and he was taking it too far by bringing it into his classroom.

"Santa disappeared and my dad took his place."

"Charlie!" Scott tried to interrupt him again.

Then I went with him to deliver all the presents. Then the reindeer flew us to the North Pole where the head elf, Bernard, gave me this!" From behind Charlie's back he produced the snow globe that Bernard had given him at the North Pole.

"Look, I work for a toy company." Scott seized his opportunity when Charlie finally stopped talking. "I Deliver toys all over the country. So in a way, I'm like Santa Claus." A girl at the front of the class raised her hand. "Yes, sweetheart?" Scott asked her.

"Do you make the toys?" the girl questioned.

"No, stupid the elves do!" A boy shouted from across the room.

"Bobby, we don't say 'stupid'." The teacher corrected him. "And we don't say 'elves'. They're little people."

"No! But they really are elves!" Charlie promised.

"Which one's your favorite reindeer?" The boy named Bobby prodded.

"Comet." Charlie answered for his dad.

"Oh, uh, I-I don't have a favorite." Scott mumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.

"You mean when I grow up, if I wanna be Santa Claus," Bobby questioned, "all I gotta do is push you off a roof?"

"Alright he said that. He said that it was the best Christmas he ever had?" Scott asked Neil and Laura as the three of them were escorted to the principal's office.

"Oh big surprise! What do you think?" Laura quipped.

"It's just nice to hear it from him!" Scott said. "Is that a problem with you?"

"All right." The principal said, getting everyone's attention. "So?"

"May I speak, please?" Neil piped up. "I am a doctor."