圣誕老人：一個真實的故事
I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma.I was just a kid.I remember tearing1） across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb：“There is no Santa Claus，”she jeered.“ Even dummies2） know that.”
My grandma was not the gushy3） kind，never had been.I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me.I knew Grandma always told the truth，and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world－famous cinnamon4） buns.
Grandma was home，and the buns were still warm.Between bites，I told her everything.She was ready for me.“No Santa Claus.”She snorted.“Ridiculous5）。 Don't believe it.That rumor6） has been going around for years，and it makes me mad，plain mad.Now，put on your coat，and let's go.”
“Go？Go where，Grandma？”I asked.I hadn't even finished my second cinnamon bun.
“Where” turned out to be Kerby's General Store，the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.As we walked through its doors，Grandma handed me ten dollars.That was a bundle in those days.“Take this money and buy something for someone who needs it.I'll wait for you in the car” Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old.I'd often gone shopping with my mother，but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.The store seemed big and crowded，full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.For a few moments I just stood there，confused，clutching that ten－dollar bill，wondering what to buy，and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew：my family，my friends，my neighbors，the kids at school，and the people who went to my church.I was just about thought out，when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker.He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair，and he sat right behind me in Mrs.Pollack's second grade class.
Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat.I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter.His mother always wrote a note，telling the teacher that he had a cough，but all we kids knew that Bobbie Decker didn't have a cough，and he didn't have a coat.I fingered the ten－dollar bill with growing excitement.I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat.I settled on7） a red corduroy8） one that had a hood to it.It looked real warm，and he would like that.
“Is this a Christmas present for someone？” the lady behind the counter asked me kindly，as I laid my ten dollars down.
“Yes，”I replied shyly.“It's.……for Bobbie.”
The nice lady smiled at me.I didn't get any change，but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening，Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons，and write，“To Bobbie，From Santa Claus” on it.Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker's house，explaining as we went that I was now forever officially one of Santa's helps.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house，and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.Then Grandma gave me a nudge9）。“ All right，Santa Claus，”she whispered，“get going.”
I took a deep breath，dashed for his front door，threw the present down on his step，pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.Finally it did，and there stood Bobbie.
Forty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering，beside my grandma，in Bobbie Decker's bushes.That night，I realized that t hose awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were：ridiculous.Santa was alive and well，and we were on his team.
我記得小時候和奶奶一起過的第一次圣誕晚會。我當時還只是個孩子。我記得姐姐嘲弄的話好似晴空霹靂：“根本沒有圣誕老人，連傻子都知道。”我哪里受得了這個，馬上騎上自行車穿過鎮上的街道直奔奶奶家。
奶奶不是個浮夸鼓噪的人，從不夸夸其談。我找她因為我知道她肯定會告訴我真相。我知道奶奶講的總是真的；而且，吃著奶奶那舉世聞名的桂皮面包，她講的話就更加中聽了。
奶奶在家。她的桂皮面包才出爐不久。我一邊嚼著面包，一邊把姐姐的話告訴她。她對此早有準備，大聲大氣地說：“沒有圣誕老人。簡直胡說八道。你可別信那些。這個謠言散布了好些年了，真讓我上火。來，把外套穿上，咱們走。”
“走？上哪兒呀，奶奶？”我問道。我還沒吃完第二個桂皮面包呢。
那個“哪兒”原來是克比百貨店，鎮上惟一的百貨店。進了門，奶奶遞給我10塊錢。那個時候10塊錢可值錢吶。“買些東西給需要的人。我在車里等你。”她轉身就出了店門。
我那時只有8歲。雖然常跟著媽媽逛商店，可從來沒自個兒買過東西。那個又大又擠的商店塞滿了為圣誕節購物的人。我捏著那張鈔票，呆立了好一會兒，茫然不知該買什么，究竟買給誰。
我在腦里搜尋著每一個認得的人：家人、朋友、鄰居、同學、教友。所有的人都快想了個遍，忽地想起了博比?德克爾。他有口臭和一頭亂發。我們都在波拉克夫人教的二年級班上。他坐我后面。
我知道博比?德克爾沒有大衣，因為他在冬天課間休息時從來也沒出過教室。他母親總是寫條子給老師說他咳嗽。但我們都知道他不是咳嗽，而是沒大衣。摸弄著那10塊錢，我越想越興奮，我要為博比?德克爾買一件大衣。我看準一件紅色燈芯絨帶帽子的，看起來真暖和。博比會喜歡的。
“是送別人的圣誕禮物嗎？”當我把10塊錢放在柜臺上的時候，女店員很親切地問道。
“是的，”我難為情地答道。“是給博比的。”
她對著我笑了。我以為她會找錢給我，但她沒有，而是把大衣裝進袋子里并祝我圣誕快樂。
那天晚上，奶奶幫我用彩紙和緞帶把大衣包裝起來，并題上了字：“給博比，圣誕老人贈。”奶奶說圣誕老人總堅持送禮得秘密進行。然后在開車送我去博比家的路上，她告訴我今后我將永遠正式成為圣誕老人的助手之一了。
奶奶把車停在離博比家不遠處的街邊。我們悄悄地挨近他家，躲在房前過道的矮樹叢里。奶奶輕輕用肘推了我一下。“好了，圣誕老人，”她低聲地說，“開始行動。”
我深深吸了口氣，沖到前門口，把禮物扔在門階上，使勁按門鈴，再飛奔回樹叢里，和奶奶一塊兒躲著。我們在黑暗中屏息等待前門開啟。門終于開了，博比出現在門口。
40年光陰未曾減弱我在博比?德克爾家前的矮樹叢中挨著奶奶顫抖時所感受到的激動。就在那天晚上，我認識到，那些有關圣誕老人的惡劣謠傳，正如奶奶所說，全是“胡說八道”。圣誕老人活得好好的，而我們都是他的好幫手。
1. tear vi.狂奔，疾弛，匆忙行動
2. dummy n. 笨人，蠢貨
3. gushy adj. 裝腔作勢的
4. cinnamon adj. 用桂皮調味的
5. ridiculous adj. 荒謬的， 可笑的
6. rumor n. 流言， 謠言， 傳聞
7. settle on 選定
8. corduroy adj. 用燈芯絨做的
9. nudge n. 用肘輕推， 輕推為引起注意
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