Christmas Bonus Episode: "The Night My Father Came Home"
Dec 20, 2023
Jason Hovde
Imagine a simple letter to Santa, penned by hopeful hands, possessing the power to bridge distances and heal hearts. That's the essence of our latest episode, where we journey with young Joe, a boy whose yearning for his father's return for Christmas leads to an unexpected friendship with Al, a world-weary postal worker. Amidst the chaos of the holiday mail rush, their story unfolds—a narrative steeped in the spirit of the season, touching on the themes of hope, belief, and the emotional ties that bind us.
As the episode progresses, we're transported to a scene rich with festive nostalgia, where coffee brews, a Christmas tree stands tall, and past celebrations echo in the present. The centerpiece of this Yuletide tale is the revelation that transforms a family's Christmas from ordinary to extraordinary, reminding us all of the surprises life can hold. The warmth of shared moments and the joy of an unexpected homecoming wrap around you like the softest blanket, providing comfort and a reminder of the magic that endures in the stories we share.
Imagine a simple letter to Santa, penned by hopeful hands, possessing the power to bridge distances and heal hearts. That's the essence of our latest episode, where we journey with young Joe, a boy whose yearning for his father's return for Christmas leads to an unexpected friendship with Al, a world-weary postal worker. Amidst the chaos of the holiday mail rush, their story unfolds—a narrative steeped in the spirit of the season, touching on the themes of hope, belief, and the emotional ties that bind us.
As the episode progresses, we're transported to a scene rich with festive nostalgia, where coffee brews, a Christmas tree stands tall, and past celebrations echo in the present. The centerpiece of this Yuletide tale is the revelation that transforms a family's Christmas from ordinary to extraordinary, reminding us all of the surprises life can hold. The warmth of shared moments and the joy of an unexpected homecoming wrap around you like the softest blanket, providing comfort and a reminder of the magic that endures in the stories we share.
Welcome to another special holiday bonus episode. The story you're about to hear was my oldest daughter's very favorite story so far of all the ones I've recorded, and I hope it'll be special to each one of you as well. So gather the family and enjoy this holiday story. The night my father came home author unknown my mother said he was gone for good, but I thought if I wrote to Santa Claus, as soon as I wrote the letter I went down to the post office to mail it so it would get there in time. Boy, there were about a million people standing in line and everything, and in there was all that Christmas music coming out of the big horn on the wall.
Speaker 1:
Pretty soon I found the place in the wall where you put the letters in, but it was too high up. So I went out again and I went around to the back of the post office where there were these big doors open and a man was carrying boxes out to a truck. There must have been a million boxes. I never saw so many. There was nobody there but him. He was kind of tall and thin and his face was dirty from where he kept rubbing his hand across it. He had freckles and his ears stuck out. I don't know how old he was Pretty old 25, I guess. Like my father, he kept picking up these boxes and throwing them on the truck and he didn't see me. So I yanked on his coat. Here's a letter.
Speaker 1:
I said the place out there where you're supposed to put it in is too high up. He was lifting this big box and he stopped to look at me. It was kind of a mad look. Then he looked down at the letter and he made a noise like my father the time. He never saw the skate that I left in the hall until he kind of slid downstairs on it. That's what I've been waiting for, he said A letter to Santa Claus. He kind of groaned. It might interest you to know that we have sent out 143,000 pieces of mail in the past week and that there will be at least twice that much in the next three days before Christmas. This makes my day complete. I was glad. He was glad, even though he didn't look so happy.
Speaker 1:
He didn't take the letter, so I held it out again. Will it get there right away? I said it's important. How old are you? He said. He still sounded mad. Six, I said Well, five. What's your name? He said Joe. I said Look Joe, said he. He sure looked like he was going to yell at me. But all of a sudden he didn't Like my father the time I took his shaving soap to make some frosting for my mud pies. Joe, I can't take your letter. He said. Believe me, it won't go any place. I mean, santa Claus has already left the North Pole, see, he can't get any more letters. So just take it back to your folks, they'll take care of it for you.
Speaker 1:
He didn't understand anything. Look, I haven't got folks. I said I mean, I've got a mother, but she works in a store all day and I have to stay with Mrs Henderson next door all the time after I get back from school. That's what I wrote in the letter. I want my father to come home. Where'd he go? He looked at me kind of funny like he was waiting for something. He was sure dumb. He just went away. I said he just got hurt in an accident and then he went away. My mother said he won't ever come back anymore. But I want to surprise her. He's got to come back for Christmas On account of. He promised I would get some marbles and a baseball glove and a football and an electric train. Last year I wasn't old enough, but I am now.
Speaker 1:
The way he acted, you'd think he didn't hardly even listen to what I said. He didn't even say anything, he just kept on looking at me and after a while he kind of shrugged. Look, joe, he said. He sounded real tired all of a sudden. I'm busy. I'm sorry, go home, will you? I can't take your letter. Sure you can. I said it's got a stamp on it. What was the matter with him? Anyway, he was starting to pick up all those boxes again, so I just put it on this table where there were about a million letters, and I walked out. I'll be back pretty soon, I said tomorrow. I guess there'll be an answer by tomorrow for sure. I could hardly wait, thinking how surprised my mother was going to be in everything.
Speaker 1:
So the next day, as soon as the school bus let me out at the corner at noon, I ran down to the post office. There were some other people moving boxes around in this big room, so I just kind of walked around the edge till I saw him in another little empty room. He was sitting on a box eating his lunch. Did I get a letter. Yet I said I was kind of out of breath. He let out a big groan when he saw me standing there and he kept right on eating this big sandwich. His face was still dirty. He looked madder than ever.
Speaker 1:
Pretty soon he gave this sigh, like my father once when I cut up his pajamas for a Halloween costume. As a matter of fact, he said a letter did turn up this morning, addressed to somebody what named Joe. And nobody, nobody could have been more surprised than I was. I knew it. I said I told you. So it was for me. Alright, I could see my name, joe, on the envelope, but there was a lot of writing like typewriting on the paper inside. So I gave it back to him.
Speaker 1:
I was in a hurry. I can't read writing very well. I said you read it, hurry up. I told you he was coming home Now. Wait a minute, joe" he said let's wait and see what the letter says. You could hardly wait. I kept kind of jumping up and down. I was in such a hurry. Sit down, will you? He said. I sat down on this box beside him. He began to read kind of fast and running the words together Dear Joe, thank you for your letter.
Speaker 1:
I wish I could make sure your father could be home for Christmas, but I'm afraid I can't, so please don't count on it. However, I hope you have a merry Christmas. Very truly yours, santa Claus. Is that all I said? There must be more. Maybe you dropped the other part somewhere. Look around, will you? He let out another big groan. As a matter of fact, he said, now that you mention it, I guess I did forget one thing.
Speaker 1:
Some marbles turned up here this morning and dressed as someone he named Joe I guess they're for you too he reached in his pocket and pulled out this sack of marbles Boy. They were real good marbles and everything, and I was sure glad to get them. But I was still worried about the letter. I guess I had better hurry up and write another letter. I said you can mail it for me like you did before. I guess I didn't say how important it was. Anyway, I want to thank him for the marbles. That won't be necessary, he said. I give you my personal guarantee that there is no point in writing another letter this time you write it. I said you can make it sound better Thank him for the marbles and tell him how important it is that my father come home and not to forget the rest of the things I'm supposed to get, like the baseball glove and the football and the electric train. Mail it right away, will you, joe? He said you're a determined man, so am I.
Speaker 1:
Right now I am eating my lunch. He took out this big ham sandwich. Is that a ham sandwich? I said yes. He said Is it good? I said yes. He said he looked at me kind of mad and he kept on chewing real hard and then he took another ham sandwich out of the bag. Could I possibly persuade you to join me? He said Sure. I said it was good too. I was hungry. What's your name? I said Al. He said Pretty soon.
Speaker 1:
We finished the sandwiches. Then he took out this big red apple and started to eat it. My father used to cut up apples with his pen knife. I said I'll bet he did. Al said I'll bet he had to in self-defense. I watched Al cut up the apple and we ate it for a while.
Speaker 1:
How come you didn't want to write this letter for me? I said Don't you know how to write a letter? All of a sudden Al threw the apple cord clear out the door to the alley. I know how to write a letter. I'll write, he said. I just don't know how to get the right answers. Maybe there was a worm in the apple or something. He sure looked funny. How come, I said? I mean, you don't think you're going to get what you want for Christmas either. You might put it that way.
Speaker 1:
Al said only in the army we call it a Dear John letter Boy. Did he look crabby all of a sudden, like this big lion? The time my father took me to the zoo that had a toothache and tried to bite everybody? What's a Dear John letter, I said? Is it good or bad? I guess it was this letter that made him look so mad all the time. All right, now he picked up an orange and threw it out the door without even eating it or anything. What's the matter with him? Anyway, just skip it, joe, he said pretty soon. All it means is that a girl married somebody else. Girls are sure dumb, I said, playing with dolls and kissing people and everything I hate girls. Hold that thought, joe. Al said it may come in handy later on If you're in the army.
Speaker 1:
How come you work in the post office? I said I got rotated home last month, al said I needed a job. The post office needed an extra clerk for the Christmas rush. We were made for each other. He pulled up his lunch bag and threw it out the door. Boy, he sure had good aim. I bet he could have been a big league pitcher or something if he wanted to. Look, joe, he said recess is over. If you have plans for this afternoon, don't let me detain you. Well, I guess I'd better get home on account of Mrs Henderson will have a fit. I said Don't forget to write the letter right away. Make it a good one, I'll be back tomorrow.
Speaker 1:
Al kind of groaned again, like my father the time my white rat made a nest in his bedroom slipper. Look, joe, he said we've just been through all this. Take my word for it. It's a lost cause. I can't possibly write the letter. Sure you can. I said I'll pay you back for the stamp and everything out of this money I saved up for Christmas. Send it air mail.
Speaker 1:
I came right back after school the next day and Al was eating his lunch again in this kind of empty room. He didn't even look up when I came in. He was eating a fried egg sandwich. Where's the letter? I said Does it say my father is coming, for sure? Al just kept on eating. He had kind of a fried egg mustache, didn't it come yet? I said there's only one more day until Christmas.
Speaker 1:
Look, joe. Al said let's not kid ourselves. I told you there wouldn't be any letter. Maybe it just didn't get here yet.
Speaker 1:
I said Wasn't there even a bag or box or anything like last time when he sent the marbles? I'll let out this big, long sigh. As a matter of fact, he said, now that you mention it, I do remember finding this paper bag with your name on it. There seems to be some kind of big glove in it. He gave me this old wrinkled paper bag. That's a baseball glove. I said Don't you even know that? Boy was he dumb. It was about a million times too big, but it was sure a good glove. That's one of the things I'm supposed to get for Christmas. I said Don't you remember I already told you there were the marbles and the baseball glove and a football and an electric train, I know? Al said Just don't keep reminding me. Is that a fried egg sandwich? I said Al gave it to me and took out another one, joe, I'm eating my lunch.
Speaker 1:
He said I mean, we're eating my lunch. Don't you ever get anything to eat at school? You're not supposed to eat anything at school. I said he sure didn't know anything. You're supposed to learn things, didn't you ever go to school Off and on? Al said what things are you supposed to learn? Trying and things? I said I'm in kindergarten. What were you supposed to learn? Drawing and things?
Speaker 1:
Al said I was going to be an architect. I bet that would be fun. I said what is it? It's somebody who builds things. Al said like houses and so forth. He took out this big banana and peeled it and I helped him to eat it. I sure wish we had a house. I said can you build one? First you have to learn how, al said. Then why don't you learn how? I said.
Speaker 1:
All of a sudden Al threw the banana peel clear out the door to the alley. He was beginning to look mad again. Look, joe. He said it's a long grind. That was a long time ago. I had a lot of plans then. That would never worked out.
Speaker 1:
All of a sudden he took this big candy bar and ate the whole thing before I could even say anything. I've got a whole new set of problems now. He said like finding another job after Christmas Kind of job? I said Any kind of job. Al said who cares? What difference does it make? You're sure you don't want to build a house. I said so you could have a dog in the backyard and everything. I sure like dogs.
Speaker 1:
All of a sudden Al threw the whole lunch bag out the door without even eating the rest of it or anything. Look, joe. He said I don't want to build a house, I don't want to be an architect, I don't want to have a dog in the backyard. Boy, he sure did look crabby now, like that big lion at the zoo when that man tried to fix his toothache that kept roaring and jumping up and biting people. Listen, Joe. He said I've got to get back to work, you've got to get back home. Let's just skip the whole thing. Go play with your marbles.
Speaker 1:
So then he went back to this big room with all the boxes and he went inside of one of those cages where people sell stamps and everything. He shut the door but I could tell which cage it was An account of. It said stamps on the glass bar. There wasn't hardly anybody in this big room. So I went around the edge till I got to his door and I opened it. Real quiet. There were about a million people lined up on the other side of the cage wanting to buy stamps and everything.
Speaker 1:
Hey, al, I said you forgot to look for the letter. I'll come back tomorrow and help you find it. Al turned around and looked at me. He looked madder than ever. I mean real mad. My father. The time I dropped his watch in the bathtub, let's face it, joe he said there isn't going to be any letter. I'm sorry, but sometimes you just don't get what you want for Christmas. You do if you want it hard enough, I said. My father said so. He said we would have a real big Christmas tree this year and underneath there would be marbles and the baseball glove and the football and the Listen, joe. Al said I've done all I can. I'm sorry. Believe me, run along, will you? I got lost. I just haven't got any more time to play games. Who asked him to play games anyway?
Speaker 1:
All of a sudden the door to the cage shut with a bang right in front of me. I guess it blew shut or something. So I went home the next day. It was Christmas Eve Only. Not until that night. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:
I didn't get to go to the post office after school on account of Mrs Henderson picking me up. But pretty soon I sneaked out while she was baking some cookies and she thought I was taking a nap. I guess it was pretty late. All right, it was almost dark by the time I got there. It was sure cold. The back door to the post office was locked. I couldn't even open it.
Speaker 1:
So I came around the side and there was somebody sitting on the steps. It was Al. He still looked mad Like my father the time I got lost at the circus. He was sort of shivering and his face looked kind of blue. What are you doing here? He said you're late. I was looking for you.
Speaker 1:
I said my mother said last night that my father really isn't going to come home for Christmas. No matter what she said, I shouldn't have bothered you. I'm sorry I bothered you. Think nothing of it. Al said Everything bothers me. He gave me this kind of lumpy looking big bag. I just thought I'd better make sure you got this package that came for you today. It looks like it's got some kind of a ball in it. That's a football. I said Boy, it was a real football, like they use in a football game and everything. Thanks for waiting, I said. I sat down beside him on the steps.
Speaker 1:
It was pretty cold. All right, joe. Al said why don't you go home? He sounded like my father the time I put this real swell lizard I found once on his plate at dinner. Doesn't anybody pay attention to where you are? Sure, they pay attention. I said they think I'm asleep.
Speaker 1:
My mother has to work late tonight until nine o'clock in the store. And she said afterwards she's going to go out again and get the Christmas tree. Only thing is I'm going to surprise her. I'm going to get this big tree and put it up, like my father always does, so we can put the electric train. Under. What electric train? Al said the one I wrote about in the letter. Only it hasn't got here yet. I wouldn't count on it.
Speaker 1:
Al said you can't be too sure about getting things. For example, you need an electric train, but I need a new suit. One of us is apt to be disappointed. It'll come all right. I said Everything else did. It'll probably be there when I get back home. Do you like to pick out Christmas trees and put the ornaments on and everything. No, al said I never bought a Christmas tree before. I said I went with my father, but I guess it's easy. All right, if you got money. Sure, I've got money, I said. I guess he thought I was dumb or something. I had almost a dollar saved up and I spent 50 cents for a present from mother, so I've got 35 cents left.
Speaker 1:
All of a sudden Al looked like he was getting mad again or tired or something. Look, joe, just go home, will you? He said, forget about the Christmas tree and the electric train. Get a good night's sleep. I will. I said. First I want to get the trees so we can put an electric train under it.
Speaker 1:
I started down this street where I saw this big place where they sell Christmas trees, but I couldn't hardly even see the post office. It was too dark so I kept on going. Pretty soon I heard somebody in back of me. It was Al. Hey, joe, he said. He had this kind of funny look on his face, like my father, the time I made this big Father's Day card for him at school and brought it home to him.
Speaker 1:
I just happened to think of a fellow I know who sells Christmas trees. Al said I saw some big ones there for about 35 cents. Well, it was down this way, al said. But if you don't mind waiting, I've got an errand to do first in the hardware store. Al told me to wait outside the hardware store and he was in there for a pretty long time. But I didn't mind waiting.
Speaker 1:
On account of there was this electric train set up in the window with tracks and bridges and tunnels and everything was sure a swell train. It was a good thing Al came along when I bought this Christmas tree at this place. He knew for 35 cents. On account of I couldn't even carry the tree. It was so big. Al had to carry it. I helped him some. It sure smelled good. It was a pretty long walk home.
Speaker 1:
By the time we got there this truck was stopped out in front and a man was just putting a big box in front of our door in the hall. That's my electric train, I said. I told you it would get here, that's right, al said. Now that I think of it, you did tell me. Mrs Henderson was sure mad when she saw it Sneaked out and everything. But Al said he would get me some supper. So after a while she unlocked the door to our apartment and we went inside. Boy, the tree I bought was too big even, but it fitted fine.
Speaker 1:
After Al cut the top of the tree off, like my father used to, it turned out this electric train was so big it ran all around the living room. First we put down the tracks and the bridges and the tunnels and the trestle and the fright cars and the engine and the passenger chain and the caboose. Then Al put all these ornaments we had on the tree, while I put the marbles and the baseball glove and the football underneath, like they were supposed to be. He had just put this big star on top of the tree. When my mother came in, boy, was she surprised? She looked kind of tired and messed up and she was carrying all these packages. This is Al, I said.
Speaker 1:
My mother looked at Al and he looked at her and all of a sudden they kind of smiled. Her face got all red and she just sort of stood there. Well, this is certainly kind of you, my mother said. Her voice sure sounded funny. Joe has told me so much about you, I don't know how to thank you. Al started to climb down off the kitchen stool and he sort of fell down the last step. It was a real pleasure, he said, real polite and everything. He sounded kind of funny too.
Speaker 1:
I really enjoyed trimming a Christmas tree. What was the matter with him? Anyway, he didn't like to trim Christmas trees. Well, I'll be on my way now. He said I'm very glad to have met you. Oh, do you have to hurry off?
Speaker 1:
My mother said I'm sure Joe would like you to stay. Boy, her face was sure pink All of a sudden. She didn't look so tired. I brought home some fruit cake and I'll just put on some coffee. It won't take a minute, won't you sit down? My mother sat down in a chair. Al sat down in another chair. I understand you work in the post office. My mother said that must be interesting work. Well, it's only temporary, of course.
Speaker 1:
Al said I'm thinking of going back to study architecture. That's the career I'm really interested in, building and all. What did he say that for? He didn't like building at all. Hey, al, I said how come?
Speaker 1:
My mother got up and went into the kitchen and started to make some coffee. Pretty soon you could smell the coffee and the Christmas tree all together. It sure smelled good. Al turned on the Christmas tree lights and then he built a fire in the fireplace and then he made the train go. It ran all over the room under the bridges and over the mountains and through the tunnels. I never saw such a good train.
Speaker 1:
Pretty soon my mother started to bring in a lot of things to eat, like when we had a party with my father in front of the fire. Her face was all pink and she kept on smiling and everything. She sure looked nice. Do you live around here? She asked Al, yes, I have a room a few blocks away. Al said but before too long I went to build a house with a big yard and plenty of room for a dog and all that. What did he go and say? That for Boy? He sure must have changed his mind or something. Hey, al, I said how come Joe? Al said there's something I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time. What I said. Merry Christmas, he said. And that was the night my father came home, the end. Thank you for listening and may you have a very blessed Christmas.