Final Argument

Malcolm is spoiled, he wants the puzzle. Then, he learns to true meaning of Christmas

"Final Argument"

         Oliver was a little upset, and rightly so. His seven-year-old son Malcolm had started one of his ‘tantrums’. Oliver had bought a 500-piece Jigsaw puzzle, a puzzle of a warm beach scene with waves gently rolling in. It looked like it was a Hawaiian beach, but Oliver had no idea where it was. All he knew was that it looked like a scene from a movie, and that he liked it.

         Malcolm felt the jigsaw puzzle that Oliver had bought should be his, not some child who might not appreciate it. The truth is, Malcolm wouldn’t appreciate it either, he would most likely never build it.

         “Look Malcolm, this is a gift for a child who doesn’t have the nice things that you have.”

         “But D- D- Dad, I love the puzzle!” Malcolm said, all the while sniffling to get on his father’s soft side.

         “Don’t you have allowance money that we give you every week?”

         “N- N- N- No, I spent it.”

         “On what this time?”

         Malcolm’s reply was a single word. “Things.”

         “What kind of things?”

         “A little candy, and…”

         “Candy? You bought candy when you could have gotten something like this?”

         “Yeah, but Da-a-a-d, it was chocolate!” Malcolm’s head dropped to his chin. He was hoping his father would feel bad, take pity on him for his situation.

         “Malcolm, you know our rule about candy. You know you’re to ask before you have some!”

         Malcolm’s shoulders slumped even more as he heard those words. He knew that buying the candy had been wrong, it was as if he couldn’t help himself.

         “I won’t do it again Dad, I promise.”

         “You’re right, you won’t. If this happens again….”

         Malcolm’s face brightened, thinking he had won this argument and would get the puzzle. Malcolm blurted, “Then I can have the puzzle!?”

         Oliver looked at his son and said, “Yes. You can have it. You can have it long enough to wrap it in Christmas wrapping. It remains sealed of course.”

         Malcolm’s body visibly sagged as Oliver said this. He was sure he would get that puzzle. Now, he could have it only long enough to wrap it.

         “That’s not fair!”

         “Sure, it is. Plus, you’re going to be the one who places it under the Christmas tree at the mall.”

         “Me? What if Bobby or Joe see me giving that away?”

         At 8 and 10 years old, Bobby and Joe were Malcolm’s best friends. It was they who were usually behind the shenanigans that Malcolm pulled.

         “Well, that’s all the better. In fact, I think we should invite them along. I think you’d all learn something by doing that.”

         “No, it’s okay Dad, I’ll do it alone.”

         “Okay, and this is the final time we’ll have this argument.”

         Malcolm responded sheepishly, “Yes Dad.”

         Oliver wasn’t sure about the decision; Malcolm had given in too easily. But like always, he hoped this was their final argument about this subject.

         Malcolm took the puzzle to the den where he did his best to wrap it nicely. When Oliver saw it, he had to stifle a laugh and told Malcolm, “You did a fine job wrapping this. Let’s go to the mall and put it under the tree.”

         “Okay Dad.”

         Malcolm didn’t want to give the puzzle away, but he knew he had to.

         At the mall, Malcolm placed the puzzle under the tree. A boy about Malcolm’s age was standing there admiring the gifts and watched as Malcolm placed it under the tree.

         “I hope I get that present!” said the young boy.

         Malcolm looked at him and said, “Why?”

         “Because it looks like you wrapped it. To wrap it so beautifully, you must have loved it a lot.”

         Hearing those words, Malcolm began to slowly realize the meaning of Christmas.

635 words

Jim Dorrell
11/30/25