Guess what I heard my daddy say?
He said that this year we would have Christmas under the freeway overpass.
You see, I tiptoed into the kitchen because I thought they
might be having ice cream,
But they were all just sitting around the table, talking quietly.
I heard my daddy say, "This year, we might just have Christmas under the
freeway overpass."
He didn't seem to be very excited. He just held his head in his hands.
Mama started to cry and Grandpa said, "I told you so."
Christmas under the freeway overpass--that sounds like fun!
I ran back to my bed and woke up Bonnie and Jeremy.
"Guess what Daddy said!" I told them.
They shared my excitement-
Christmas under the freeway overpass!
That would be fun. Just think of the party we could have.
I've seen a lot of people under the freeway overpass and they
could come too.
We could invite the lady with the baby
And her little girl with the dirty face;
And the man who jumps up high whenever someone buys his newspapers;
And the man who walks funny because his feet go the wrong way.
We could wave at all of the cars and trucks that pass by and
invite them to stop and have Christmas with us.
We could decorate our little tree with the
red and white and green paper chain we made at school.
Then we could all sit and sing Christmas songs.
-our whole family and---
the man who jumps high,
the lady with the baby and her little girl with the dirty face,
and the man with the crooked feet.
Bonnie could say the angel words that she said in the
Christmas play.
I could sing about Santa Claus.
Grandpa could tell us about Christmas in the olden days, and Jeremy could ring
the Christmas bells.
Maybe Mama could cook a turkey.
Daddy could cook hamburgers on the grill;
Grandpa could bring ice cream and cake.
Bonnie and me could help Mom smash potatoes.
Jeremy could pour milk for the baby and the little girl with the dirty face.
We could have a picnic under the freeway overpass.
I could give the little girl my last year's doll and Jeremy
could give the baby his old bottle.
Bonnie could give the lady her red mittens-they are still too big!
Daddy could give some socks to the man with the crooked feet.
Mama could give the man who jumps high, one of Daddy's fuzzy red shirts.
I think it would be fun to have Christmas under the freeway overpass.
I wonder if Santa could find us.
He could just look down and tell his reindeers,
"Swoop down under that freeway overpass. You will find some children
waiting for you."
I wonder if Baby Jesus would like to be under the freeway overpass.
I wonder if it is better than a barn.
I think that you could still look up and see the Christmas star, under the
freeway overpass.
Last night I got up and tiptoed into the kitchen again.
I thought maybe they were still talking about Christmas and
I wanted to tell them about my plan.
But, Daddy wasn't tired.
Mama wasn't sad.
Grandpa was saying, "Now we can all have Christmas at my house-just like in
the olden days."
I ran back to bed to tell Jeremy and Bonnie.
Christmas at Grandpa's will be fun too, but when we go under
the freeway overpass, I'll say a quiet "Merry Christmas" and wave
to the man who jumps high,
the lady and her baby and her little girl,
and the man with the crooked feet,
and anyone I might see under the freeway overpass.
