My Christmas Story

 

               This Lovely elf reminds me so much of my cousin Claude that I named him Claude. My cousin does not have a beard or a pink tree, nor is he an elf.
There is something about his eyes though that make me think of him.
Something kind in them, and forgiving.
Why would I need forgiveness from my cousin, you may be thinking?
Well, I will make this story brief, but long ago when I was young,
my cousin Claude and my brother and I were playing Cowboys and Indians.
They were Cowboys and I was the Indian.
( not politically correct anymore I know, but nevertheless true)
I had a bow and arrow that I had made from scratch....being crafty even as an 8 year old.
The day was going pretty well until the "Cowboys" decided that they would run off to the "Secret Fort," some where I was not actually invited to, destination "BOYS ONLY."
Off they ran, leaving me yelling "Wait up!"
As I watched the boney shoulders of my cousin running up the hill away from me, I was seized by a terrible rage, and impulsively drew out my bow and arrow, and shot him.
As it was a homemade arrow, and somewhat rickety, it only stuck in a little bit, but felled him nicely.
I did have some mixed feelings about this...horror at my own accuracy, remorse and fear that I had killed my cousin, as my Brother was announcing loudly with a dirty finger pointed at me.
I do recall that I got quite a whipping over this, and also overheard my Dad say proudly to my Mom, "Our Robbie Les is quite a shot."
So that is my Christmas story.
Well, its a story and I told it at Christmas.
Claude is made of muslin and calico. He has a needle sculpted face and a wool beard. he has been coffee dyed , baked and painted.
There is a right side leaning pink brush tree next to him.
They have been handily glued to a piece of horse chestnut that I understand you can't get anymore, that measures about 6.5 inches long.
Merry Christmas.
P.S. I am not in jail, and my cousin was fine. I saw him some years back and he somehow didn't even remember this story. (PTSD I guess)