Christmas Confusion

Christmas Confusion

         “It’s supposed to be there! Where is it?” Dan exclaimed to himself.

         Although Christmas in Texas was not unusually cold, the change in weather was a bit uncomfortable to Dan. He stood on the curb with the shopping bags clutched in his hand as he looked up and down the street for his car. Setting the packages down on the curb, he unsnapped his cell phone and flipped it open. His finger-tips were chilled as he fumbled with the phone.

         “Linda, be there!” he urged under his breath as he hit the speed dial for Linda’s cell.

         “”Hello,” it was Linda’s voice on the other end.

         “”Linda, tell me you finished your shopping early and got to the car first. Please tell me you are just down the street getting us some donuts and coffee. Tell me you thought I’d be longer and you’d be back before I got back to the car.” Dan waited, “Now, go on and tell me.”

         “What in the world are you talking about?” Linda’s confused voice blurted over the phone. “I’m still in the Mall.”

         “Geez, that’s not what you’re supposed to tell me!” Dan shut his eyes tightly and continued. “Your car’s gone.”

         “What do you mean, my car’s gone?”

         “Geez, I don’t know, Linda. It’s gone. It moved.”

         “Dan, what are you telling me? Are you saying my car’s been stolen?”

         “No, not exactly, it’s just not here.”

         “Don’t move. I’m coming right out there. I’ll see you in just a second. We can figure out then what we’re gonna' do.”

         Dan flipped the phone shut and took a deep breath. How could this be happening to him? Christmas was supposed to be a time of good will to your fellow man. He looked at the shopping bags full of gifts and mused that he was glad the gifts had not been in the stolen car.

         The vibrator on his cell phone began ringing. He quickly flipped it open, “Hello.”

         “Dan, where are you?”

         “I’m right where I left you. I’m standing at the curb where your car used to be.”

         “That’s strange, I’m standing next to my car, and you’re not here.”

         Dan fell silent. He looked up and down the street, and then back over his shoulder to the entrance to the mall. “Oops!...Linda, don’t say anything about this to anyone. I can’t believe that I lost the car. Stay there, I’ll be right over.”

         “No, Dan, you stay where you are. I’ll drive my stolen car over and pick you up. Be there in a second.”

         With his ego bruised, Dan clipped his phone back to its holder and walked to the curb to watch for Linda. There was no way he could prevent this story from being told. He would just have to frame it in the best light that he could. Anyone could get a little confused after spending all afternoon walking up and down the mall aisles. He noticed Linda’s car turn the corner and pull to the curb next to him. Linda smiled at him as she rolled down the window.

         “Jump in Columbus, I think I can find the way home.” Linda chuckled at her little joke and added, “Grab your gifts and we’ll be on our way.”

         Dan looked around at the curb. “Gifts?” he said. “They where right here, or right over there, or somewhere around here. You’re not going to believe this, Linda. But it appears that your gifts moved!”