I didn’t think things could get any worst. I mean how could they? I had already lost all faith in one of my heroes. Santa had completely let me down. As an 8 year old, I had a pretty good understanding of original sin. I knew my parents were not perfect. They could make mistakes\, but Santa? I honestly wasn’t sure if he was human or alien, but I knew he was good. I knew he didn’t want to destroy earth. Most importantly, I knew that he wanted me to have a skateboard.
After Christmas, I continued to voice this opinion and many others regarding my non-skateboard (aka a freaking globe). When I went back to school, everyone got bored with playing Army-Dodgeball on the playground. Somehow, we started playing street-hockey everyday at recess. We had small soccer goals on asphalt. No one had skates or roller blades, but we all had hockey-sticks and baseball gloves (for the goalie). After playing for a while, some kids did start getting rollerblades. We would split-up everyday, and things would get really competitive. I loved it.
“Bladers” and “boarders” do not get along. It is a rivalry that goes all the way down to their hearts. In my heart, I knew I was a Boarder. Within a few weeks of school starting back, I had a pair of rollerblades. I don’t know if I can properly explain what this did to my psyche. I felt like I had betrayed myself. If Boarders and Bladers do not get along, and I am a Boarder who was Blading; then I am already at war with myself. The Boarder in me hated the Blader I was becoming.
The only thing I could do was realize that Santa was trying to tell me something. I was supposed to be a Blader and not a Boarder. He obviously understood things about me that I could not fathom. I continued to play hockey everyday with some old hockey stick I would borrow.
I know the Easter Bunny catches a lot of flack for only bringing candy and no toys. I never thought bad about him for it. He didn’t have a sleigh or flying reindeer to carry him to everyone’s house. Luckily for him, blind consumerism has been in America for a lot longer than other countries, so he didn’t have to cross any oceans. All he had to do was hop across a few rivers and mountains. I guess, because of this and the fact that Santa felt bad for not always giving me what I wanted; I felt ok to ask for something other than just candy. I was tired of borrowing an old hockey stick, so I let the Easter Bunny know that I’d really appreciate a new hockey stick.
As Easter approached, I was so happy to think, that in a short few days, the Easter Bunny would arrive my new hockey stick. For me, at this time, a few short days meant a few long nights battling aliens and such. Often times, I would feel overwhelmed and would need to call in for reinforcements. This meant I had to get up a lot every night to make sure that my mom was still breathing and awake. What if she had been engulfed by flames? This would happen at least 4-5 times a night.
On Easter Eve, I went to bed at about 8:30. By 10:30, I had been up to check on my mom several times, but had been in my room battling for a while. I guess she thought I had finally fell asleep and was busy hopping around with candy and a brand-new hockey stick. I decided I needed to get up and check on her 1 more time. I turned the corner to walk into the living room, I was shocked.
Oh no! Why was my mother setting out this beautiful, new hockey stick? That was the Easter Bunny’s job. Tears immediately began to form in my eyes. I had told everyone they were real. My whole life, every day, I had argued people down in my manliest 7 and 8 year old voice. All I could do was shake my head. I wanted a total reset. This 1 second couldn’t define my future. I told my mom that this could not be true. My eyes were lying to me, and I did not believe them. I told her that I was going to bed and would forget all about this. I did not want her to bring it up to me. Ignorance truly is bliss.
Comments