Page 26 - Ferry Tales

Nestor

habitats, staffed by very similar industrious midgets, elves and imps,
who carry out their masters’ instructions tirelessly year-round.”
I know some of that went beyond her comprehension, Cerberus,
but I have the whole thing memorized and timed so it will finish
before the trip is over.
“Now consider this, Nestor: the symbol linking them is coal, dark
but potentially burning brightly, cherry red. It is from the Devil’s
domain, dead fuel forced into life again by his element, fire, during
the long and dangerous winter months. Santa, too, has a use for coal:
a lump in the stocking of every child not worthy of a Christmas
present—a presentiment of greater punishment to come, the
furnaces of Hell. And out in the snow of an absolutely still winter
morning, we see the ghostly figure of a snowman. His dead white
face like bleached bone is decorated with two lumps of coal, as stark
as the black shadows of empty eye sockets in a skull.”
I supposed she was utterly fascinated by my powers of poetic
expression. But not for long.
“So what?” she says. “What’s that to do with me being here?”
“I’m getting there! Think back to your early years: wasn’t Santa
Claus very much like God, always there, seeing everything, and
judging you according to the rules you were taught came right from
Heaven? Every child knows that song about Santa Claus coming to
town. All very upbeat. But its real meaning is somber and serious.
And it shows the dark side of Father Christmas. Maybe I’ll sing a
little of it for you.”
“You don’t have to,” she replies, rather quickly. “I know how it
goes.”
“Good, good.” I was determined to get my chance, but it could
wait. “Now, why would the Devil want to appear as Santa Claus to
immature minds? Pay attention: the infractions children commit are
usually discovered and summarily dealt with by parents who want
their offspring to be good, and are willing to be forgiving. At the
same time they are exposing them to images and ideas about Santa
Claus, and creating holiday scenarios at home echoing song and story,
a magical season for the young. And the climax, the pay-off, is a pile
of presents under the tree on Christmas morning. Where did they
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