A Perfect Christmas

He had a rough week. Collecting garbage from the rich neighborhood wasn't easy especially for an old man like him...bent and limping from old age. But sad to say - collecting garbage was all he could do for a living. No man or company ever wants to hire an old man like him...and he had lost his family somewhere in the past; the reason only he knows.
It's such a pity for him to be alone, struggling to make a living for himself when christmas is fast approaching. And also, given that christmas lights and lanterns hang at every house he passed, Christmas trees and carols and merry wishers all remind him of the coming holiday...to which he will be celebrating alone - again.
At times, he would choke down the whimpers of loneliness and fight back tears as he would go on his humble task collecting the garbage of others. Poor Mr Sam, will Christmas ever be different for him now or still the same? The same single slice of bread and coffee on his table for Christmas eve? With nothing but the company of stray cat, under-fed and waiting for his share of crumbs from old Mr Sam's old, wrinkled hands.

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One day, while he was sorting the garbage bags, he heard a faint sound...he listened for awhile, not quite sure what he was hearing. Having the disadvantage of poor hearing because of his old age, the sound seems incomprehensible for him. Slowly, he followed where the sound is coming from...and he finds himself a feet away from the dumped trash.
And wonder upon wonder cross his lonely heart...for there he saw an infant, clad in a white immaculate blanket, crying loudly in the middle of the garbage. His heart went out to the baby. He went to the baby...and slowly...he picked the baby and craddles him/her gently to his weak arms.
"You must be cold and hungry now, little child," he said in a most gentle voice. Mr Sam wondered who and where the parents of this baby might be. How did the baby end up here on the trash? Then he decided to take the baby home first and fed him/her before turning him over to the respective institution.

Back at his home, Mr Sam worried on how to feed the baby. He had no available feeding bottle to be used...and he had no supply of infant formula at his disposal. Struck with this problem, he went to his worn-out pocket which he always put under his narrow bed. He took it and collected the money inside...only 100 pesos. The money was supposed to afford him a bread and at least a few sachets of coffee for his Christmas eve and for the rest of the month til Mr Nelson, the town's mayor , give him his next payment for collecting garbage. But, he said to himself...the baby needs his milk now more than he needs his food. He still had one piece of bread left from his breakfast...and the baby had nothing.
So he went to the store and buy an infant formula. Craddling the baby, he went in the neighborhood to ask if theh had a spare feeding bottle which they could give or lend him.
They look like a pitiable pair...an old limping man, craddling a crying baby in his arm. The neighbors took pity on them. One of them took the pair in and give him something to eat, and a bottle for the baby. The kind neighbor is also kind and generous enough to buy the baby another infant formula and prepare the milk in the bottle.


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News of Mr Sam with the baby reached the Mass Media.
The next day, while Mr Sam is preparing to take the baby to the child welfare institution, there came a knock at his door.
When he opened it, a look of total surprise to see who was outside.
"Father! It is really you." The woman went straight to him and hugged him tightly.
"Anna, how did you find me?" he asked his daughter.
It had been almost 5 years now since he left the comfort of their home. He was a drunkard and gambler, he had carelessly spent all their money on beer and gambling. He feel so ashamed of himself that he couldn't bear to face them anymore.
he left them with outstanding debt, debt he incurred yet they were obliged to pay when he left them without notice.
Then his daughter was here...right in front of him again. guilt rendered him speechless and sad.
"I am sorry Anna for causing you and your mother trouble and leaving you to deal with it alone. I am a bad father."
But Anna just smiled and hugged him even tighter. "We have already forgiven you Father. Mother missed and needs you, we need you and love you. Le us start a new life...with baby Noah." She looked lovingly at the baby.
"Noah?" he asked perplexed.
"Yes Father, he is my son. I thought I lost him for good too when he's stolen from me. I never stopped looking for him like how I never stopped looking for you too. God and fate brought me to both of you. Oh, Father, I'm so happy!"
"God is really great my daughter," Mr Sam said tearfully.


Mr Sam never get to spend a Christmas alone again, thanks for his grandson, he had find his way home back to his loving family.

THE END

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I hope you like this humble story of mine...a way of saying Merry Xmas to all of You Fellow writers and readers! Enjoy the holiday!