The Little Sister was no longer toddling. She was old enough to wander, but stull young enough to believe. "Why does The Santa go, HO HO HO?" she asked The Boy.
He didn't know whether or not to take Her question seriously. However She persisted, "Why is it HO HO HO, what does that mean?"
From His position at the table across from The Little Sister, The Boy looked up to The Old Man for assistance. Their eyes met and The Old Man had a slight glint in his eye and an almost evil grin on his face. The Boy then looked over to The Dad who pretended not to hear the conversation. The Mom was lying back in the lounge chair. She was wearing an almost full term pregnancy and had the look of, "Answer your Sister's question" written all over her face.
Then The Boy heard it. He heard The Old Man's voice in his head, and he got an almost evil thought and he repeated back to The Little Sister, "What does HO HO HO mean?"
She shook her head in affirmative.
And he said quite seriously, "It has something to do with a red Cadillac"
And The Old Man laughing broke in, "A red Cadillac in Detroit."
The Old Man, The Boy, and The Dad all started chuckling. The Dad was facing the window trying to avoid all eyes covering his body shaking in place from laughter.
Then The Mom looked at The Boy from across the table with a look that would paralyze the angriest of Grizzlies, "Don't you tell those stupid jokes to your Little Sister. She has no idea what you mean." The Mom was serious and The Dad was shaking harder looking out the picture window in the living room.
The Grandma walked up to The Old Man and slugged him hard in the abdomen. He exhaled a short kiai, and she hit him again before he could regain any breath. He was laughing hard and couldn't get any air. To The Boy it looked painful, but he could see the joy on The Old Man's face. Then The Grandma said, "You Old Koot, how dare you teach The Boy such terrible jokes. No wonder he's just like you." Then She looked over to The Dad, "And you Young Man, how can you let such bad humor pass past your pregnant wife to your Daughter?"
The Old Man, The Boy, and The Dad began laughing so hard that even The Mom was laughing. The Grandma put on her most serious face and said in a loud, but low tone. The kind of voice that would strike fear into the largest cat, "The Three of you, OUT! Get out of my kitchen or suffer the wrath." She raised over her head the mighty rolling pin of justice. The Three escaped out the rear entry to the outside porch. All still laughing.
The Old Man gave The Boy a punch, The Dad slapped his shoulder and The Boy said, "Red Cadillac." Then laughed some more, "How do we know Santa comes from Detroit? It's the Red Cadillac and the three HO's" The Dad and The Old Man were laughing harder than ever.
From within Winston could be heard The Grandma say, "No one comes back in here until you can be civilized." That caused even more laughter. The Three ended up sleeping in The Old Man's garage in the cab of the truck. Two in the sleeper and one the seats. Telling stupid jokes for the remainder of the night.
Christmas was in a week and a plan was being made to bring Santa to The Little Sister. The Old Man had a friend who had a suit. On Christmas Eve Santa appeared at The Bel Aire and knocked on the door. "HO HO HO" he sang with The Little Sister absolutely ecstatic in his presence. The Santa had a big bag of gifts for all which he handed out one by one. Finely he got to The Little Sister and handed her a large wrapped package, "Open it up and see."
The Little Sister flew into the package and opened it up to see a vintage Baby Doll. She was happy and crying at the same time. It was a good Christmas. The Santa waved to The Boy, The Dad, and The Old Man and they all followed him out to the drive way. Sitting parked in the Drive Way was a beautifully painted Red Cadillac convertible that The Santa crawled into started her up and loudly said, "HO HO HO, Merry Christmas." Then roared down the road to the highway. The Three where in the snow laughing. It was a good Christmas.
Peace and Balance,
John
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