A Very Nice Christmas 08, :(
A Very Nice Christmas 08, 
It was a very cold night - the night that people had awaited desperately. This night was the most important night of the year, for it was the Christmas Eve. But for him, it was the loneliest of all.
This “him” was an old man, who went abroad a long time ago to support the needs of his family. An old man, who was slowly betrayed by his wife by asking for more and more money just to waste it at casinos. An old man, who went home surprised to see his children like beggars, to see the refrigerator full of nothing, to see his skeleton-like house in which his money supposed to go, to see his children out of school, and to see the guilty eyes of his wife. An old man, who started from scratch, forgetting the scars he had in his heart, and started business. An old man, who was nearly bankrupt, for his income was almost drained up. An old man, who was left by his wife and children because he had no money. An old man named Paul…
He was watching on a television a commercial about Christmas. “The happiest moment of your life is the time when your family is together eating away the night of noche buena…” Tears fell from his eyes. He searched his memory for happy moments, but he found none. Instead, he remembered one Christmas season when he was still at Saudi. He called his wife in a telephone.
“Merry Christmas, honey. How’s the children?” “
They’re fine, really. Uhmm, however we have nothing here for noche buena.”
“What happened to the 20 thousand I sent to you last week?”
“It,.. It,.. I spent it for the tuition of your eldest. The school asked an advanced payment.”
“Really? Okay, I’ll just send another 20 thousand for your noche buena. I love you!”
“Very nice, 20 thousand is just enough.”
“Yes. Okay, I’ll go now, I still have work here. Merry Christmas, honey.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Don’t forget to send the money.”
“I won’t. Bye.”
The countdown started.
Ten… He felt his heart squirming.
Nine… Eight… He had nothing to eat for noche buena.
Seven… Six… He just covered his body with the torn-up blanket.
Five… Four… “All the miseries will pass, remember the meaning of Christmas.”
Three… Two… “Who is it? Where are you? Why are you here?”
One… “Shhh… Remember this: I suffered also. ‘Coz I died for you…” MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
And so, he slept the night away. A very nice Christmas, indeed, 
