Christmas 1956

By Robert C. Waggoner

At an orphanage the slant on Christmas is anything but joy and happiness. The jingle bells are from the steam heaters singing their wishful thinking that heat is forthcoming. Where the fresh smell of an evergreen standing proudly decorated with flashing lights and multicolored balls, the ever-present smell of mothballs hovers around the resident's noses. Does Santa come to the orphanage in this story?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robert C. Waggoner
• Release date: Nov 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370006823

Robert C. Waggoner

I now reside in the USA in Eastern Oregon. Due to health reasons, I don't write much anymore. I'll continue with a few short stories and all will be free to my readers. I'm privileged to have had thousands of readers download my stories. I thank you all. Happy reading and sure hope you have and will enjoy my writing. Robert [Bob] Waggoner

Book preview

Christmas 1956

Robert C. Waggoner

Copyright 2017 by Robert C. Waggoner

Smashwords Edition

Christmas 1956

The pink neon sign hanging over a dark door was difficult to read due to its fuzzy erratic light and the intermittent flow of electricity to the letters. A passerby would have to stop and study what the sign said, if curious enough.

To add to the detracting legibility, the letters were in cursive writing:

O …ph…n…ge.

It was two days before Christmas. Inside one would think that the kids would be truly happy decorating a tree and wrapping presents like most kids do at that atime. It might be that the mailbox contained many letters addressed to Santa Claus at the North Pole.

In fact, it was not the case inside the dreary orphanage. The Christmas tree was a cast off from the local Lions Club as being too old to sell. The needles were falling off at an alarming rate. In addition, the lights on the tree were spaced far apart as most did not have any life left in them. The lights resembled the tree. Finally, it could be said that the whole building resembled something that was used