The Tale of Andrew's Christmas

     There once was a 10-year-old child named Andrew. He was a boy of average weight. His hair was dark blonde in a wavy style. He had decent grades, played football, and loved to go fishing. He was sitting on the couch one day watching the Chiefs play the Titans when his parents came in a hurry looking worried. "What's wrong?" Andrew asked. "The governor canceled Christmas this year." Said his mom, a beautiful woman in her 30's. "How come?" Andrew questioned. "Too expensive to produce extra stock of toys and games as well as the decorations for Christmas." His father, a man sharp as a tack said. "Don't the stores make their own stuff?" Andrew asked, confused. "Remember? He signed a bill earlier this year to increase store coverage by paying for the stores' product manufacturing cost." His father responded. "Could you dumb that down for me?" Andrew, only in the fifth grade, requested. "He made a law to have more stores here in Missouri by agreeing to pay for the stuff that the store makes." His dad explained. "Oh, I get it now." Said Andrew. "Christmas canceled?" Andrew's little four-year old brother said on the verge of tears. "Nooooooo! I behaved this year! Why!" His brother cried. "Hey, it's okay, Levi." Andrew said. "I'll make sure that Christmas will come this year." His parents looked at him, knowing that Andrew probably could not keep his promise. "Y-you will?" Levi asked, still teary. "I will." Andrew responded.

 

     Later that night, Andrew was still wide awake, wondering how he could keep his promise. "Could I mail a letter to the governor?" Andrew thought to himself. "He wouldn't listen to me though." Andrew realized. "I'll have to take it straight to him." Andrew thought. Determined to un-cancel Christmas, Andrew got up quietly and slid out the window. "For Levi." Andrew said to himself. Luckily for Andrew, his family lived in Jefferson City and if he hurried, he could be in and out by morning. After pedaling all the way, Andrew reached the manor. "Now for the hard part." Andrew said in the darkness. Andrew knocked on the door and waited for a response. 

 

     The door opened as a man in his 40's with a recently ironed suit came out. "To what do I own the pleasure?" The butler asked. "I came to see the governor." Andrew responded. "I beg your pardon?!" The butler said in shock . "You don't look a day over 9 years old!" the butler added. "But, it is not like I can decline a child shelter in the middle of the coldest night in years. Follow me." The butler said. As Andrew walked into the mansion, he realized that it was more elegant than anything he had seen in his life. The lights were very defined and bright. The paintings were masterpieces of the Ozarks. Even the furniture seemed to be worth more than him. "Wow, the governor has it good!" Andrew remarked. "He does."    

 

     The butler chuckled. "Right this way." The butler said. "Which door?" Andrew said as he looked down the vast hallway of doors. "The fifth door to the right" The butler pointed out to him. As Andrew said goodbye to the butler, he entered the room and saw a man in his late 50's. Andrew could tell he lived a life of stress as not even one hair was a different color then pure white. The man looked paler than a ghost. Carefully, Andrew approached him and opened his mouth. "Sir." Andrew said. "Yes, Alfre- Wait! You're not Alfred!" The governor said, having only now seen Andrew. Andrew tried to speak but he forgot his dilemma. "Well? Get on with it!" The governor demanded. Remembering, Andrew said "Could you please un-cancel Christmas, sir?" "I can't." The governor sighed. "How come?" Andrew asked. "It just costs too much." The governor said disappointingly. "The state just can't pay for it anymore" The governor said. "But what if you asked the stores if they could make the stuff by themselves? They made heavy profits by themselves before you signed that bill." Andrew suggested. "That could work!" The governor realized. "You go back to your home, and I'll make that idea legal tender!" The governor said. Andrew raced back to his house and almost instantly fell asleep. As he woke up, he felt happy knowing that he saved Christmas and kept his promise with Levi.

 

Judges’ notes: What an adventure! What imagination! It was impossible not to smile imaging a precocious young Bear sneaking into the governor’s mansion to save Christmas and keep a promise to his brother.