While tossing some seeds to a particularly pudgy pigeon, Evan felt a tiny tug on his sleeve followed by an equally tiny sniffling sound. He turned around to see a small, blonde boy who couldn't be older than five with tears streaming down his face. He wiped his nose on his own shirt sleeve and asked with a choked sob "Excuse me, are you Santa...?"
Evan chuckled softly. He did happen to possess a large white beard and overly rotund body for the time being, it was an easy mistake. But this child clearly needed some help and reassurance from a familiar figure,so he cryptically replied "I can't confirm or deny that, my boy. Why? What's got you so down in the dumps?".
The boy sniffled again and said "I-I can't find my mommy! We were taking a walk through th-the park, an' I saw those duckies over there", he pointed to the nearby pond where there certainly was a large gathering of ducks, "and I went over to say hi to them and then I losted her! My mommy told me if I ever got lost that I should stay where I was and to ask a responstible grown up for help like the police or another mommy, and then I saw you on the bench!"
Evan nodded and stroked his beard. "Hmm, yes. You have a very wise mommy, who I am sure is worried sick about you right now. Tell you what, why don't you come sit here on the bench with me and we can work together to find her, huh?". He patted the other side of the bench with a warm smile. "Now what's your name?".
"I'm Ethan" he replied before pulling himself up onto the other side of the bench. Evan dug into his pocket and pulled out a clean handkerchief, which he handed to Ethan to wipe away his tears and clear out his nose. Ethan swung his legs over the bench a little, anxious to find his lost mom.
To distract his mind a little, Evan passed him some bird seed, then gave him a reassuring tousle of the hair. "Don't worry Ethan, I promise you that things are going to look up from now on". The boy finally smiled and began feeding the pigeons, unaware that Evan had left his own magic touch upon him, one that would turn the small, frightened child into an older, wiser, and more confident man in almost no time. But how old?