My Christmas Tales

That evening we had a good time together; we played some games and then had some tea. “So when exactly are you going back to Cans?” I asked him. “What?” Samta said, seeming confused. “You know; in the morning, in the afternoon, at night, when?” I asked. “Oh. Well I don’t know yet, but knowing my father, he will pick me up late at night.” “Oh, he’s one of those parents is he?” I said. “Yeah, my father is one of those too.” “Where are your parents anyway?” Samta asked. “I mean I haven’t seen them around at all.” I looked down on the floor. “Well my mother is always working.” I said. “What about your father?” Samta asked. “My father died in a car accident last year around my birthday” I told him. “Oh, I’m so sorry” Samta said. “Lots of families here have lost a parent, and the other one has to work really hard all the time” I told him. “So that’s another reason why Rodney Creek doesn’t really celebrate Christmas. There’s not much money to spare for things like decorations and presents” I continued, “but I wish that we had a lot more to do for Christmas. We could make stuff and just have fun on the day, but I know that’s never going to happen” I said. Samta looked down, thinking, and then took a big breath. “Callum?” he said. “What is it?” I asked. “I…” he began to say, but just then a car pulled up in our driveway. “That would be Arnold, Jo and my mum, that’s all. What were you going to say?” I asked him. “Oh never mind. I will see you tomorrow” Samta said. “Okay well see…” I started to say as he backed out the back door. And then my family came in. “Callum, what are you still doing up?” my mum asked. “I’m going to bed now” I said to her. And so I went, wondering why Doug had left so suddenly.