OK, Maybe a strange time of the year to be posting a Christmas-themed story, but I've had this one laying around for a while... could be full of possibilites... Enjoy.
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“And what do you want for Christmas, little boy?”
Little boy? The only reason I was there was so that my little sister wouldn’t be so scared. I was freakin’ 15 years old. But I guess this guy was just doing his job.
“Uh. You know, I don’t really need anything for Christmas,” I offered.
“Oh, come on now. Don’t be afraid to tell Santa what you want!”
He was starting to get on my nerves now.
“No, really. I’m good, thanks.”
He looked at me disapprovingly. I swear there was a hint of smugness behind his obviously fake white beard.
“Okay. Okay. I’d really like the new Eminem CD.”
It was a lie, I already had the CD, but I just wanted the guy to get off my case. I knew exactly what I wanted for Christmas, but at the same time I knew that it was never gonna happen. Maybe it’s weird, but I’ve always had this… fantasy, I guess -- I open my closet and instead of clothes on the hangers, there’s bodies. I mean, like full body masks just hanging there like wetsuits or something. And there’s all different types -- a big bodybuilder, a college frat guy, a high school jock, a little boy, a 40-something hairy guy… All different sizes and shapes and races… I was getting hard just thinking about it, which was not exactly what I needed at that particular moment. Popping a boner on Santa’s lap. Shit.
“Well all right, little boy. Santa will let his elves know! Ho ho ho!”
I was more than happy that we were finally done. I stood up and started to walk away, barely muttering a “Thanks” as I left. I was just about gone when I heard him call after me.
“Oh, and Jeremy --”
Weird. I didn’t remember telling him my name.
“About that other wish… I’ll see what I can do.”
I stopped and turned around sharply. He was looking right at me with this weird gleam in his eye. It was creeping me out. Before I even had time to think about it, though, he had turned around, joyfully smiling and reaching out for the little girl who was shyly approaching him.
Needless to say, I had a hard time concentrating on the drive home. It was just something about the way the guy looked at me. Definitely creepy. And what the hell was he talking about… my other wish? And how did he know my name…