How The Doctor Stole Christmas
(Pandemic FairyTale)
Jimmy Jones was sitting in the living room with his younger twin brothers, Evan and Deven. The Tv was on and Dr. Licorice came on and a news reporter was interviewing him. Dr. Licorice was a fascinating man, not only is he a Doctor but he is also a Toy Maker and the owner of Candy Land Inc..There were not many toy companies left since the Pandemic hit several years ago.
Dr. Licorice was on the T.V at least once a week. He was the headmaster of letting the public know about the new CDB rules. Mom was very dedicated to Dr. Licorice and had several of his books for show on their corner table. One was, How to Thrive in a Pandemic. Another one was, How to host virtual dinner parties. The last one was How to Social Distance and still love your life. Mom followed every rule that Doctor Licorice recommended. Most of the Doctor's recommendations became rules anyways. Jimmy's dad was not as much a follower of the Doctor but complied as much as possible to make mom happy. Jimmy also noticed that sometimes dad even secretly listened to Mr. Mint. Mr. Mint was Dr. Licrorice's nemesis. Families that did not like Dr. Licrocice's recommendations followed Mr.Mint and Governor Kandy.
The divide over families in Jimmy's town on whether you will follow Mr. Mint or Dr. Licorice was so severe that Jimmy did not get to see or play with several of his cousins because their parents followed Mr.Mint and Governor Kandy. Plus Dr. Licorice said it's not good to have extended family visits anyways. Mom was wearing 7 masks. All different colors. Each color represented a different cause. She got the idea from one of the books from Dr. Licorice on how to make mask-wearing fun and enjoyable and be relevant to social justice at the same time. Mom also had an oxygen tank installed in her office that the Doctor also recommended. She had tubes in her nose and she would have to walk around with the long tubes they would drag behind her wherever she went. These tubes are connected to the Oxygen tank. Now she could breathe no matter how many masks she wears. Good thing mom works from home and so does Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones does not use an oxygen tank. He thinks it is silly. Dad, Mr. Jones does any errands outside of the house because he doesn't have to be dragged down by the air tank.
Jimmy wanted to listen to Dr. Licorice today because he had a special announcement about Christmas today and whether it will be canceled this year. It has been canceled for the last five years. Evan and Devan were on the couch half-listening to the T.V and half watching their tablets and playing the Squidwee games on it. They were obsessed with Squidwee videogames and everything that had to do with Squidwee.
Jimmy yelled to alert his mom that Dr. Licorice was on. The whole Jones family was tuned in. Mom in her office, dad in his office, and Jimmy and the twins in the living room. Several years ago the Jones family would not all be home on a Tuesday Morning. Mom and dad use to go to their office to work and Jimmy used to go to school. The twins are only 3 years old, so they never got to see how life was before the Pandemic. It has been a whole new life since the Pandemic.
Dr. Licorice was about to talk. He was a tall man with glasses and dark hair. He had a curly mustache and wore a white Doctors shirt. The News reporter, asked him so will Christmas be canceled this year?" Well, this year I have a lot of hope and things have been getting a little better each year"." I have some good news and some bad news this year, Christmas will have to be canceled this year, due to Santa Clause contracting the Zeta Variant." "This means even immediate families need to continue to the social distance at 6 feet and wearing masks in the home." "Now the good news, I will now recommend that instead of 7 masks that it will be ok to go down to only 4 masks and it will be ok to give a Christmas hug as long as you wear your purple-approved hazmat suits". Just a reminder said the Doctor that no extended families and friends should be coming to your house. Jimmy shouted, Oh great Christmas canceled again, What a Surprise!" The tears from the twins' eyes poured out. The twins had never experienced Christmas but they knew what it was about because on their tablet they would watch people celebrating Christmas and opening up presents and they would watch these videos year long.
Then the Doctor said, "I have some very good news for the children this year!" Please do not despair Children for the first time in several years. Candy Land Incorporated which I founded has finally created some new toys and there are finally enough elves working in the factory to make the toys and there are enough truck drivers to deliver them to the stores in time for Christmas. All hope is not lost said Dr. Licorice! The twins now wiped their tears from their eyes, their eyes were wide open.
There have not been any new toys created since the pandemic started except for all the Squidwee videogames always continued without a stop. Dr. Licorice now took off his white coat and put on a black one and but on a black hat with a feather on it. Now here comes the fun part said the Doctor.
This is groundbreaking for our society said the Doctor. We are finally starting to invent and create new things again, and not only make them but deliver them as well. The supply chain is starting to regain momentum after it has come to almost a complete stop because of all the different variants making people sick, the riots, and the mass firings of people. The doctor said he is not sure how long the supply chain will be working effectively but it is a miracle that even though Christmas is canceled the supply chain will be working to make sure the children still get their presents.
Dr. Licrorice has 5 boxes on the counter in front of him. All revealing newest inventions of toys. I will now reveal the 5 new toys, one by one. There was a box on each toy to help keep the suspense and mystery of the toys. Ok now for the first toy, this is so exciting said the Doctor. He took off the box of the first toy and it was a doll of himself! The doll was wearing a white coat and had a doctor's bag. This toy is to make social distancing more fun when you can't play with friends. The doctor explained how this doll was programmed to talk back with you and had over 4,000 words programmed into it. The doctor talked to the doll and asked it questions and was having a conversation with the doll. Jimmy was pretty impressed. You will never get bored now or ever feel lonely the Doctor explained. It also included a doctor's book with a little book of recommendations and mandates. It also had a fancy lollypop in it. Jimmy was quite impressed even though he had no desire to have the doll for himself. He wished he could just play with old friends from school or go to the playground or play baseball in the park-like he used to. Ok now for toy number 2! He lifted off the box off the toy and it was a package of 5 different slimes that were in the shape of vaccine needles. One said Moderna, One say Phizer, etc... Each one was a different color and each one had a different texture. You could squirt the slime out with a needle and play with it for a fun sensory experience that will have you entertained for hours said the Doctor. Jimmy thought he might like that one. The Twin's eyes are now happy with glee as they eyed the slime. The third box was now overturned and it was a book for children by Dr. Licrorice. How to use your imagination to play by yourself. Jimmy knew mom would be excited about this and buy the book for the Twins. A book Jimmy thought? That is not fair, that is not a toy. The next two toys better are pretty good. Box four was unboxed and underneath it was a videogame. Wow cool, thought Jimmy. Now, this is exciting! I am proud to announce Squidwee Number 38 Winds of the World. Jimmy was so sick of Squidwee, it was the only game that continued to be around and Jimmy wanted to play something new. The Twins jumped on the couch now squealing with laughter and happiness in their eyes! Now for the last toy to be revealed said the doctor. The Lovely Lolly was to assist Dr. Licroice in revealing the last toy. She lifted up the box and held up a toy and it was a doll that looked like the main character of Squidwee. This doll said Lolly can talk just like the licorice doctor can and can also dance and play video games with you! The Twins looked at how the doll operated in amazement and started dancing. Jimmy was happy that the twins were no longer said but was disappointed that nothing that was presented excited him much. Then Dr. Licorice said. I have some very exciting news! Haloween will not be canceled! As long as everyone wears their CDB approved air helmets.
The night of Haloween came and mom asked Jimmy to help the twins put on their Haloween costumes. The twins didn't like the way the costumes felt and cried and ripped off the costumes. The costumes were from when Jimmy was little and the twins didn't even know what the costume characters meant. Jimmy had an idea to make some Squidwee masks, and it worked. the twins enjoyed using markers and crafts to make their costumes. In the end, it did not really matter because once you put on the air helmets and the purple approved suit you couldn't even see what they were wearing.
Dad asked Jimmy to take the twins around the neighborhood to go trick or treating. Jimmy was kind of excited to finally get out of the house. As Jimmy and the twins went trick or treating was hoping maybe he would run into one of his friends from school. He was bummed out when he noticed he couldn't recognize any of the other trick-or-treaters because of their air helmets. He saw a few children not wearing their air helmets and thought they must be followers of Mr. Mint. Jimmy and the twins only got one piece of candy and the houses they went because with the food shortages and supply chain problems many people did not have a lot of extra food and especially not candy. By the end of the night, they got to count 7 pieces of candy each. One was a piece of chocolate and Jimmy was excited about that since he had not had chocolate in years.
Time had passed and Christmas day was drawing near. Mr. Jones got a call from one of his friends and told him about how he managed to scoop up one of the most sought-after toys, the Squidwirds doll. He said that there were going to be restocking with some more by the time the stores opened up again this morning at Shopsmart, He told Mr. Jones that if he had any chance of getting one he would have to get there a couple hours before the store opened to get in line. Mr.Jones immediately got off the phone with his friend and decided to drive over to Shopsmart. He snuck out of the house and drove away. Meanwhile, Jimmy got an email notification from his school that virtual classes would be discontinued till further notice. That they did not have enough teachers on staff to continue with classes.
Mr.Jones speeds off to Shopsmart and miraculously finds a parking spot. He gets in line and waits, after waiting only one hour the doors of the store open and the shoppers start rushing in like a herd of animals, He follows the people not even knowing where is going. He heard yells and screams and two women on the floor fighting over the doll. He rushes to see if there are any dolls left. Completely empty shelves. All of a sudden the doll drops to the floor and he picks it up. He hears one of the women yell, "You knocked it out of my hands" That was my toy. Then he heard her child crying for the toy, Mom where did the toy go, it disappeared? Mr. Jones felt bad for the child but put the toy in his cart and sped up and put a blanket for sale on top of the sought-after toy so that no one would try to take it. He decided to calm down a bit and distance himself from the other shoppers by going far away from the toy section. He decided to go by the grocery section. As he walked by the grocery aisle he noticed all the empty shelves. Adrenaline still running through his veins he kept walking until he catch his breath. He was surprised to find one package of coffee there and put it in his cart. He was finally able to go to self-scan and discreetly buy the doll without anybody noticing. As he drove home with the doll he felt a bit guilty but also like a winner for managing to get such a prized possession in the middle of a pandemic. Christmas will not be canceled after all he thought.
When he got home he hid the doll in his office closet. He looked at his phone and saw the picture his friend sent him of the doll and it somehow looked different than the doll had. He then figured out that the doll he bought was a dupe of the real one but he didn't care and still felt it was something and the twins will be happy even though they will have to share the doll.
Mom was in bed sick. There had been a recall on the Oxygen machine she was using and it had actually been the cause of why she was sick. She had been in bed sick for two weeks. Mr. Jones was very upset and threw the Oxygen machine in the garbage. At one point he was not sure if Mrs. Jones would ever recover but she did. When she finally started getting better she started spending more time with the twins and she could play with them and felt better than she had in years. She even deiced not to wear masks while in the house. Dad and she decided that Christmas will not be canceled after all and she even invited her sister's family and children to come to visit on Christmas Eve even if they did follow Mr.Mint she would try to put politics aside to save Christmas.
Jimmy was so excited about being able to see and play with cousins again. When they rushed through the door they played outside and played baseball and ran around outside. They played for hours. Jimmy had not felt this happy and alive for several years now. He hadn't been allowed to play outside that is why he had to take special vitamin D supplements every day. He felt like a kid again running through the grass and breathing the fresh air and chasing other kids with laughter. The last time he had been outside was when it was Halloween and he had to wear the air helmet. Now he was free. Free to be a kid.
As it was getting dark outside, the kids came inside and it was time to exchange gifts. Uncle Jerry gave Jimmy his gift. Jimmy opened it up and it was a pair of old Addias sneakers about 3 sizes to bug for Jimmy. Uncle Jerry said that they don't make Brand name shoes anymore and that these sneakers were a vintage treasure. Jimmy thanked him and even gave uncle Jerry a hug. Cousin Connor gave Jimmy a gift too and inside was the Slime Vaccines. Dad was beaming, and he had a gift for the twins. He warned them that they had to share the gift. They scabbled a bit over who would open the gift, finally, dad just opened it and said Surprise! The Twins gasped and then started both pulling the doll until the plastic arm fell off and then they both started screaming and crying. Then aunt Lilly came over(She was wearing her Mr.Mint shirt) and fixed the doll's arm and gave it to Evan and then she had a gift she wanted to give to Devan. He opened it up and it was a vintage E.T doll. This doll was quality made not like the cheap Squiwirds doll. Its eyes glowed and it looked so magical. Both of the twin's eyes widened with excitement. It said, E.T phone home. Both twins were now satisfied with their dolls. Dad decided to put up the manger they hadn't brought out in years of baby Jesus and the Wiseman. The twins were eager to help set it up. Mom handed out some candles for everyone to hold and all together everyone sang Silent Night. At that moment Mr. Jones realized that he did not save Christmas. That Christmas was not about Mr. Licroices Toys and if the supply chain was shut down or not. It was about having hope through our Savior Jesus and the miracles he does like uniting their family and seeing all the smiles and joy that come with it. All of a sudden the little E.T doll's heart started lighting up and glowing. Mr. Jones also realized that his family's faith in Jesus was stronger than the politics that tried to divide them. He knew that never again would Christmas be canceled because of pandemics, varients, Santa being sick, staff shortages, supply chains or even Politics could never cancel Christmas. Just like the E.T doll, his heart was glowing that night, that even a Doctor would never be able to cancel Christmas again.
