The Super Lego Boy
Dear Santa,
Today, I’ve asked mom if people were made out of bricks. She told me that’s what homes are made of. And that’s how I feel when she hugs me, maybe that’s why her embrace is so strong. But if we aren’t made out of bricks, why is Greg’s punch so strong? I really like Miss Lucy, she’s my teacher and she knows a bunch of stuff like where do giraffes come from and she can sum all the numbers in the world in the mind, but my favorite part of school is the break from Miss Lucy. We can run around and we can jump in the sand and we can surf on the seesaw and I can see Molly. She’s a year older than me, but she’s the coolest. I think. We haven’t played together… yet.
I’m not ungrateful, Santa. You helped me and I can be a happy boy now. I know I told Greg I was a big boy but I’m not and I don’t want to share my toys with him and I don’t know a grown-up boy pillow like mom gave me. I lied to them and I thought you were going to punish me, because Miss Lucy told us to be truthful and in Spain lying boys get coal bricks in Christmas because Santa knows it all. I’m so happy you’re not Spanish, Santa.
I love all my toys, Santa. But my Legos are my favorite! I have tons of them, like my medieval soldier and my cowboys. They are rangers, they run, run, run and shout “blow their brains out, John!” My cowboys are badass! If Greg faced them, he wouldn’t stand a chance. I want to have the biggest collection of Legos in the world. I read the Lego factory keeps a collection of all toys they ever made under it. So I was going there so they could help me, I just needed a few of their toys, because Mom stepped on one the other day and she said that was the biggest pain in the world. I know they like children, but they wouldn’t like Greg.
I had it all planned, Santa. I packed my pajamas, my new shoes and two sandwiches. I was leaving home tomorrow, because nobody should leave home in Christmas Eve, even though I heard mom saying that’s what Greg’s dad did. So I waited and I slept with my goodbye letter under my grown-up boy pillow. I was going to go and be a man like Bob says I should be. He is mom’s boyfriend and he is a big man, he told me if I wanted to be like him I should stop whining and grow some balls. I have balls, but they’re not big, so I wanted to be tall to grow them, but I don’t need that now.
I woke up and when saw the Christmas tree, the lights were like a green sign to go ahead. I tore out my present’s package and I was really, really happy. Mom even told grandma that I looked like Brutus, our dog, because he always has tears in his eyes. You’re so cool, Santa, thanks! If I can’t be made out of bricks, I’ll be the Super Lego Boy, like a super hero! I’ll fight Greg in school, I’ll be a big boy and Molly will love me. Because I know she loves reading comics and if I’m a super hero, I’ll be in a comics cover and she’ll carry my picture in her pink donuts bag like I always dreamed of. You’re the best, Santa. If I wanted to leave home now, I would go to your factory just to hug you.
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Sheila had been in the phone for hours, like she always did. She yelled at her son to come and help her with dinner over and over, and Bob yelled at her for yelling at all. Her lousy and loud walk crowned the constant atmosphere of lazy irritation in the house, but when she entered her little boy’s room, she immediately shrunk in silence. Before she digested her shock, she ran as fast as she could.
- Baby, no! Put it out, baby! Baby, don’t do this to mommy! Come on, cough it! Come here, Bob! I think he tried to open something and swallowed it! Oh my god, oh my god, don’t let this happen.
She shook his shoulders and pressed his ribs and slapped his back. She opened his swollen lips and tried to breath with him, to keep up with his rapid pulse. She thought about all the beautiful colors in her son that morning, he was Christmas himself. His cheeks red as the fluffy socks over the fireplace, his sweater green as the tree leaves. His blue shoes, his sparkling brown eyes — he was bright and colorful like his toys. But that was before. His body was now was taken by a purple, and sad tone.
