A Holiday Story: My Uncle’s Gift
By LMReviews on Dec 24, 2008 in Multicultural Contributors, Multicultural Writing
Today, we have another special short story from GW Pickle. I like his writing in that he captures emotion and writes about characters we come to care about in such a few amount of words. At first, I didn’t want to use this picture because it seems so bland, but once you read his story, you’ll see it is perfect. Enjoy GW Pickle’s My Uncle’s Gift and know that a review of his book SENTI is coming up shortly. It’s next on my review list–finally!
My Uncle’s Gift
By GW Pickle
I was born in the early fifties and My Mom, widowed when I was three, had her hands full raising me. She had help from my Grandmother and sometimes her brother. I always thought my Uncle Chuck was cool. He was a WWII veteran, owned a picture framing business, made lots of money, and was very generous. He lived about an hour away and frequently drove down to either fix something for my Grandmother or do something for my Mom. Uncle Chuck was a big spender and loved to do things with me. “You know kid, with your Dad and your Grandpa gone, someone got to teach you things they don’t in school.” He taught me how to hunt and fish, how to play ball, and how to be a man. He took me places when my Mom couldn’t. Owning a neighborhood Gas and Grocery store kept her busy. I helped out as much as I could, but most of the work and worry fell on her shoulders. My Uncle Chuck also had a big problem. He was an alcoholic. I can’t remember him not having a beer.
Mom also had another sister and a second brother. He lived on the west coast and only came to visit every three to four years. Every year Uncle, Bill would send a Christmas card to my Mom and Grandma. My Grandma’s card would have a check so she could get what she wanted. My Aunt had four children and we got together twice a year, Christmas and during the summer, when we drove my Grandma to visit. We would go back two weeks later and pick her up. Every other year my aunt and her kids would come to our house to celebrate Christmas. Christmas dinner was always held at Grandma’s. We would eat our Christmas meal around eleven and open presents after dessert. We would gather around the tree and either my Mom or Aunt would pass out the gifts.
One year, I must have been nine or ten years old, my Uncle Chuck was late. He’d missed the Christmas meal and we had just finished passing out gifts when he arrived, drunk, very drunk. I could tell something was wrong but I was still happy to see him. He explained he had to work very late the last two weeks because one worker was sick and the other had quit. My Mom asked if she could help get the gifts out of his car. He pulled out a big roll of money and told her that he hadn’t had time to get gifts this year, but if we would line up he would give us money to buy our own. My Grandma was first in line and my Aunt and cousins were next. My Mom was next and I was last. When I approached my Uncle for my gift, He looked down at me. He had a weird look on his face. He turned and he left the room upset.
I thought I heard him crying. I turned to my mother and ask “What’s a matter with Uncle Chuck?”
A cousin replied. “May be he don’t like you anymore.”
“No, that’s not it.” My Mom said. “He may have had a little too much to drink. You remember I told you what sometimes happens when someone drinks too much?”
I left and found my Uncle sitting in the dining room crying. When I ask him what’s wrong, he told me. “I’m so sorry. I got nothing to give you for Christmas.” He started to cry again.
I gave him a hug and said, “Uncle Chuck, you being here is the best gift I could have. I don’t need a toy or money. I know you love me and that’s enough, that’s what Christmas is all about, right.”
“Yes.” He agreed. “You got it right and I hope you don’t ever forget that. It’s love and family that are important, not the gifts or the money.” He gave me a big hug.
My Grandma came in a few minutes later with a plate of food and asked. “You want to eat here or in the kitchen? Because I know you’re not leaving here until you eat.”
“Here,” He replied here. “And could you get a piece of pie for your grandson too. I’d like him to eat with me.”
My grandma returned a few minutes later with a piece of pie and a glass of milk and left. After we finished, I told Uncle Chuck I’d be right back with my gift for him.
He said I’d already given him the best Christmas gift he had ever had.
All rights reserved by GW Pickle
Here’s the blurb on SENTI -
Major Jack Waco was the best pilot in the SENTI Command. A self-proclaimed loner, he thought he didn’t need anything or anyone until he met Major Maggie Wilson, who challenged those preconceptions. Maggie’s resemblance to an important person from Jack’s past revived memories and feelings within him, sending his head and his heart into turmoil. With a government conspiracy on-hand and large-scale interstellar piracy threatening the very stability of the galaxy, will Jack be able to cope with these newly-awakened feelings in time to succeed in bringing the guilty to justice or would he be betrayed by them – far out in a newly-discovered planetary system on the other side of the galaxy?
If you want to read it before I review it, please visit Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com
