Santiago: Evolution of an artist

I'm on my Christmas Holiday in San Miguel de Allende. I wanted to write out my own story of A Christmas Carol so here it goes...

Charles Dickans

A Christmas Carol

Chapter 1

It was Christmas in old London town. Jacob Marley was dead as a door nail. Scrooge worked with Bob Cratchit in a counting house with a sign that read (Scrooge and Marley). And whenever someone like his nephew Fred came over and said ‘’Merry Christmas uncle’’, he always said ‘’BAH! Humbug’’. Marley had died seven years ago. He used to be Scrooge’s partner. Cratchit had a poor family, his house was cold, and his fire was too small and burned out, he had a son named Tiny Tim. Poor Bob Cratchit, every morning Scrooge made him work, and he tried to warm his hands by the candlelight. Scrooge was a greedy and mean old man who hated Christmas! Because all he cared about was money! He never sold a single penny to the poor, not one! ‘’CRATCHIT!’’ Scrooge demanded, ‘’Get back to your work!’’ ‘’y…Yes sir’’ he said nervously. Just as they were about to start there work, someone came in. It was Scrooge’s nephew Fred! ‘’Merry Christmas uncle’’ he said ‘’humbug!’’ Scrooge growled back. ‘’Christmas humbug?’’ ‘’Don’t be cross uncle’’ his nephew replied, ‘’Good Afternoon’’ Scrooge said. ‘’You don’t mean that uncle,’’ Fred said hopefully ‘’how about join me over tonight for Christmas dinner?’’ ‘’NO!’’ Scrooge shouted, ‘’I’ll tell you what Christmas is, its just another work day paying bills without money, and every last word shall be boiled in his own pudding! AND BURIED WITH A STINK OF HOLLY!’’ ‘’But uncle,’’ Fred continued ‘’I just wished you a Merry Christmas, and so I say MERRY CHRISTMAS!’’ ‘’Good Afternoon’’ Scrooge repeated back. Bob was joyfully clapping his hands ‘’CRATCHIT!’’ Scrooge shouted at him. ‘’s…Sorry sir, I was just trying keep my h…Hands warm.’’ he replied nervously, and went back to his work. ‘’Good Afternoon’’ said Scrooge for the last time, and kicked his nephew outside! As he began to continue counting his gold, two gentlemen came in the door. They were looking for donations to the poor. ‘’Scrooge & Marley’s I do believe’’ said one ‘’Have I the pleasure of Mr. Scrooge or Mr. Marley?’’, Scrooge looked up on them both ‘’Mr. Marley has died seven years,’’ he said with a scowl. ‘’He died seven years ago this very night.’’ ‘’Then have the pleasure to Mr. Scrooge’’ said the other one. ‘’Are there no prisons?’’ Scrooge asked looking at them with his unforgiving eyes. The two men did not know what Scrooge meant by that. ‘’Plenty of prisons’’ said one, ‘’and the union work houses?’’ Scrooge asked again, ‘’are they still in operation?’’. ''They are'' the other one answered. ‘’So, what can we pay you for?’’ the first one asked him. ‘’Nothing!’’ Scrooge spat. ‘’I can’t afford to make the idle people merry! I support the establishments I have mentioned and those who badly off must go there.’’ ‘’Many can’t go there,’’ ‘’And decrease the surplus population!’’ ‘’Good Afternoon gentlemen.’’ He finished, and sent them both outside. Scrooge was worried, he raised all of Cratchit’s work on money, and every time people came for him to give it to the poor.

Chapter 2

Later that evening Scrooge took his hat and cane, Bob Cratchit handed him his scarf and coat, then said to him ‘’Merry Christmas’’, ‘’Humbug!’’ Scrooge replied back to him. He snatched his scarf and coat from his hands and gave him a mean look before trotting out in the deep snow covered streets. A short while later, as he walked through the dark spooky alleys, he began to feel a little scared as if he’d seen a ghost! When he arrived at the front door of his house, and took some keys from his pocket... ...the first thing he noticed was Jacob Marley's face on the door knocker. ''Scroooooooooooge, Evaneezer Scroooooge'' he could here his dead partner calling his name. Scrooge was so scared he almost dropped his keys, ''Jacob Marley!'' He said in surprise but then the face on the door knocker turned back to the face of a lion. ''Pooh pooh!'' He said to himself, thinking that his mind was only playing tricks on him. He stepped in the dark spooky hall of the warehouse, struck a match and lit his candle. He tiptoed up the stairs, the floor bords creaked under his feet. A horse carriage driven by ghost that carried Jacob Marley’s corpse chased him upstairs! Scrooge ran to his room, Slammed the door, and bolted it with all his locks. He hung his coat hat and scarf on a coat hanger, put on his nightgown and nightcap, he sat in a chair and started eating his bowl of soup. Suddenly he herd footsteps coming up the stairs and the rattling of chains dragging across the floor. Scrooge stopped eating his soup and froze in his chair, the moment the sound of footsteps and chains had stopped, some five bells began to ring slowly then faster and faster and faster and faster! When they stopped ringing, the locks started unlocking by themselves as if an invisible man was unlocking them. Just then! A ghost wearing chains with giant boxes attached to them came through the door! It was the ghost of Jacob Marley. Marley untied the bandage around his head, ''w...What do you want with me?'' Scrooge murmured at last. ''Much'' Marley responded. ''w...Who are you?'' ''Ask me whom I was'' Marley went on, ''w...Who were you then?'' Scrooge continued a little more shaky, ''in life I was your partner Jacob Marley''. ''Can you sit?'' Scrooge asked spooked out, ''I can'' the ghost continued, ''Do it then'' Marley lifted his heavy chains, they CLANGED together as sat down on a chair on the opposite side of Scrooge's. ''You don't believe in me,'' the ghost said, his hair and clothes floating as if they were being blown by some phantom wind. ''I don't scrooge insisted. ''Why do you doubt your senses?'' ''Because the lightest thing can affect them,'' Scrooge explained. He adjusted himself in his seat and stared right at the ghost. ''Theres more gravy that of grave about you. Whatever you are.'' Marley's ghost suddenly started rattle his chains and let out a frightful cry. ''Aaaaahhhhhhhh!'' Scrooge's bravado immediately vanished. He realized that he was in the presence of his former partner, and there was no place he could run or hide. Terrified, Scrooge fell down on his knees and pleaded. ''Dreadful apparition, why do you trouble me?'' The creature looked down on him. ''Tonight you will be haunted by three spirits'' he warned Scrooge, ''Expect the first when the bell tones one ''GONG!'' ''Expect the second when the bell tones two ''GONG!'' And the third when the last stroke of twelve has ceased. Beware them.'' Marley stood up and tied the the bandage back on. He went to the window, opened it, draged his chains and heavy boxes towards him, and floated outside. The curtains flew like ghost, there were ghost every were in the neighborhood floating around in the cold December air! There were even ghost in the alleys, and Scrooge watched in terrified screams! He shut the the window, pulled the curtains closed, jumped into bed, closed all the curtains surrounding it, and pulled the covers over his head.

Chapter 3

Scrooge lay in the darkness of his bed. He was too scared to open his eyes. GONG! A clock tower bell outside chimed one. One? Scrooge thought what did Marley mean to tell him? Scrooge looked around but nothing happened. "Nothing" he told himself "I'm just dreaming". He closed his eyes and went back to bed. Suddenly the curtains of his bed magically opened and a whitish light shone on his pillow. Scrooge opened his eyes to see what it was. It was an angel with a candle head and no wings or golden ring, in one hand it held a cap for putting out the light. "Who are you?" Scrooge asked. "I am the ghost of Christmas past", the spirit announced. "Long past?" Scrooge asked again. "No' the spirit said 'your past". The spirit took Scrooge's hand, ''come with me'' it told him. It flew to the window and opened it. "I can't go out there" said Scrooge "I might fall". The spirit turned back at him "just hold on tight" it told him. Then they flew out the window and over the city of London. The Christmas morning snowflakes blew onto Scrooge's face as they went. Scrooge nervously clung on, he was scared of heights. Soon they arrived in the countryside. "I remember this place" said Scrooge looking at a brick building. "I was bred in here", it was his schoolhouse. "This schoolhouse isn't quite deserted" the spirit told him. They went inside one of the classrooms. A little boy was sitting all by himself, reading a book and singing a Christmas carol. He was all alone in an empty classroom. It was Scrooge himself when he was just a young boy. ''Poor boy'' Scrooge said sadly, ''poor poor boy''. ''Thees are shadows of things that shall not remain'' the spirit told him. ''What is that on your face?'' it asked him, ''Nothing, just something in my eye'' Scrooge said as he wiped a teer with his finger. ''It is time to see another Christmas'' the spirit told him, it snapped it's fingers and it's light sparked up flame. They were in the same classroom just in a different time. The little boy had become a young man. His sister Merry burst into the room! ''Father! Father'' she cried, ''father I've come to take you home!'' ''Home?'' The fifteen year old boy asked excitedly, ''yes! Home!'' Merry said jumping up and down. ''I met father if we could come home for Christmas dinner, and he said yes! So I came hear to tell you the good news that we would go home and have the Merriest time together.'' The old boy sat down. ''Let's see another Christmas'', the spirit told him. They flew back to the city of London till they arrived at a building. It was evening, on the door of the building read Fezziwig. ''I know this,'' Scrooge remembered, ''it's old Fezziwig's place.'' Inside people were dancing, and Fezziwig himself was perched on a high chair playing a fiddle. ''It's him! It's old Fezziwig!'' Scrooge said surprised. All of Scrooge's friends were dancing with another and clapping there hands, when suddenly, in a blueish purple suit a woman, walked up to young Scrooge. Her name was Belle. Old Scrooge felt in love when he saw himself dance with her, he remembered how much the used to be in love. Soon they were in Scrooge's counting house, Young Scrooge was sitting at his desk counting his gold and doing his work. Belle walked up to him. ''Eveneezer,'' she said, ''I was wishing you could visit my honeymoon to merry me, we were in love, you used to be a great man.'' Young Scrooge banged his fist on the table, ''I was a BOY!'' He shouted in greed. Belles eyes turend from happy to sad. ''I thought you would merry me Eveneezer,'' she said sadly as she went to the door, ''we could be husband and wife together.'' She gave him a sad look and closed the door. The spirits light grew brighter and even more! ''Spirit! I can not bere thees memories, haunt me no longer.'' He took the cap, and clapped it down over the spirit of the past's head. Scrooge was now all by himself in his room. ''Nightmare, humbug!'' He told himself as went back to bed, and pulled the covers closed.

Chapter 4

Gong! the bell toned two. Two! He thought, Now for the second spirit. A light shone under the door of Scrooge's bedroom, he heard a deep low voice say ''HO ho ho! Enter Scrooge''. Scrooge got up and opened the door. There before his eyes was a big feast, sitting on top of it was a giant in a green suit with white brim. In one hand it held a burning torch, around his head he wore a Christmas wreath, it had a big brown beard and a jolly chuckle. ''I am The Ghost of Christmas Present'' The jolly spirit replied. ''Spirit!'' said Scrooge a little more brave, ''Do you have any presents?'' ''Ho ho ho! More than eighteen hundred,' the Ghost announced, ''eighteen hundred and forty two to be exact.'' ''Touch my robe'' it said handing out some of it. Scrooge was a little nervous but he was brave so he closed his eyes and touched it. Suddenly The Ghost of Christmas Present sprinkled a little dose of dust from his torch on the floor, then swirled his the torch round and round till the whole room lifted out of Scrooge's bedroom and over the town of London. Scrooge backed away afraid that they might crash! Till the arrived at the house of Bob Cratchit, ''This is the house of Bob Cratchit'' the Ghost told him. Inside Bob's family was setting up Christmas dinner. ''Now now children' his wife said, ''lets set up the table. Peter you go test the cooking.'' She told the oldest son, ''yes mother''. They were getting ready, till Bob came in with his son Tiny Tim, ''Good Evening Mrs. Cratchit'' he said as kissed his wife, ''Merry Christmas'' she said back. ''Well then children' said Mr. Cratchit, 'lets sart are feast now.'' His Daughter ran up to him, ''Papa! Papa!' she cried, 'We have got a beautiful goose cooked for us.'' She handed out the plate with the fatest delicious goose. ''Now my children,' Bob said sitting down, ' a toast to mister Scrooge.'' ''God bless us everyone'' said Tiny Tim the smallest of all. They began there feast. ''If thees shadows remain Tim will die.'' The Ghost of Christmas Present explained. ''No!'' Scrooge said, ''what happens now?'' The Ghost waved his torch, they were now in nephew Fred's house. They were playing a yes and no guessing game about there Uncle Scrooge. ''Wait' said one raising his hand, 'is it an animal that grunts and growls?'' ''yes!'' Fred corrected, ''and lives in London?'' ''Yes!'' ''Is it a horse?'' Asked another, ''no!'' ''A cow?'' ''No!'' ''A pig?'' no!'' ''A dog?'' ''Yes and no''. Everyone was quiet for a moment, till his wife raised her hand. ''I know who it is Fred! It's your Uncle Scrooge.'' ''Yes!'' Fred corrected again. He raised his glass and said "To Uncle Scrooge, let's hope he changes and doesn't miss a good dinner". Everyone else raised their glasses and replied "To Uncle Scrooge".

Chapter 5

At last they ended up in a dark spooky wood, crows were landing on the bony branches of trees. ''Are destination ends tonight.''Said the Jolly Ghost, ''tonight?'' Scrooge asked hoping that they were not ending, ''Tonight when the the bell tones the last stroke of twelve.'' ''Do I see something under your skirts?'' Asked Scrooge pointing at some bony fingers under the Ghost of Christmas Present's robe. ''Is it a foot or a claw?'' he asked, ''it might be a claw' said the the Ghost, 'if you look under my robe''. He pulled his green robe open, underneath were to horrid children, they were wickedly ugly. ''There names are Ignorance and Want,' The spirit spirit told him, 'beware them both.'' GONG! the bell rang the sound of twelve, the Ghost of Christmas Present's torch was burning out. ''Are there no prisons?'' ''Are there no work houses?'' ''Spirit!' Scrooge pleaded 'Please come back!'' But he was too late, the jolly Ghost of Christmas Present had gone. A huge dark shadow of a phantom was rising over Scrooge, it spoke not a word. ''Spirit! Speek to me'' Scrooge told the phantom, but it did not say anything, it was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. ''Spirit! Are you the Ghost of the Future?'' He asked, the shadow pointed a finger, they were in the dark streets of London. Three men were having a conversation. ''When did he die?'' asked one, ''Probably last night,''the second answered. The third man just shook his head. ''I thought he'd never die. What was the matter with him?'' ''God knows,'' the first said in a yawn, the second raised his hand. ''What did he do with the money?'' ''He has not left some to me,'' one said with a shrug. ''Thats all I know.'' Scrooge could not help but wonder why the spirit wanted him to listen to this talk. He was not sure what man they were talking about. ''A cheep funeral will do.'' said the first, ''We know he had no friends.'' Said the third, soon they were gone. Scrooge asked the phantom, ''Who were they talking about?'' It pointed across the street at the shadow of a stranger coming up. When the stranger turned his head, it turned out to be the phantom itself. Scrooge backed away, suddenly! The shadow sprang into action, and started chasing Scrooge down the street. All of a sudden it seemed to be growing bigger! but it was not. In fact Scrooge was shrinking. He fell down a pipe and out the other side collapsing into an icicle. He was shot up to the moon like a rocket. The icicle turned to snow and he had nothing else to hold onto! He toppled down on a cloths line, he let go and fell into an old woman's apron pocket. When he came too he was back to his normal size, he was in an old workhouse. An old man and woman were talking together about him. ''I sold his bed cloths and sheets,'' she cackled. ''He had no friend in the world.'' Said the man. ''When Mr. Scrooge gasped his last breath I stole his cloths, it won't be any use to him, will it?'' They both laughed, Scrooge shuttered. ''I stole the coins from his eyes'' said the woman. ''Spirit! Who is that man?'' The shadow pointed to the right, they were in the house of Bob Cratchit. ''Tiny Tim is dead.'' Cratchit suffered, ''Today when I was in church, I remembered how kind Tiny Tim was.'' ''When I carried him home, he was very light. No trouble at all.'' ''Don't cry father,'' his daughter comforted him. There stood a lone crutch by the fireplace. ''No spirit,' said Scrooge, 'Tiny Tim can't be dead.'' The spirit pointed to a bed were Tiny Tim lay. ''Spirit! Who was that man we saw lying dead?'' It led Scrooge to a spooky graveyard full of tomb stones. The phantom pointed to one of the them, Scrooge knelt down infront of it. He was to nervous to see what it read, he was afraid that the man might be him! Quickly he brushed away the snow covering it. It read Eveneezer Scrooge. ''No spirit! I must change!''

Chapter 6

Scrooge opened his eyes, he was dangling in his bed curtains. ''Ha ha ha! I'm still in my room.'' He laughed to himself, the bed curtains collapsed. ''I'm still here! Ha ha ha!'' The laugh remembered hearing the Ghost of Christmas Present's chuckle. He opened the window, it was Christmas Morning! He called down to a little boy passing by with a snow sled, throwing snow balls and building a snowman with his friends... ...''Hey there boy!' He called down to him him, the boy looked up, 'Remember the prize turkey hanging in the shop? Not the little prize turkey, the big one?.'' ''The one as big as me?'' The boy asked... ... ''Yes my dear boy, that one. Bring it here and take it to the Cratchit family, Ok.'' The boy ran to the butcher's shop with his sled. Scrooge got dressed and ran downstairs, he had never felt like a joyful man before. At the door the boy came back with a strong man carrying the big juicy turkey, ''here it is'' said the boy, ''please take it with you to the Cratchit family.'' The strong man carried the big turkey and loaded it onto a wagon, and the strong horse carried it to the Cratchit's house. Then Scrooge decided to do the same thin what the other boys did the day before, go for rides on the back of the carriage so he did. He had fun. After the ride he went for a walk down the street selling presents and money to the poor saying to them ''Merry Christmas'' or ''Good Morning'' or ''Good Afternoon'' or even ''Hi'' and ''Hello how are you?'' And he never said ''Bah!'' or ''Humbug!'' again. That evening he went over to the nephew Freds's house for Christmas dinner, he opened the door and said to them ''Merry Christmas!'' They could not believe it, Scrooge had changed! Then Scrooge said to them ''I have come over for Christmas dinner.'' Suddenly Fred and his family jumped up and greeted Scrooge in! They surved out the table with a turkey and the rest of the trimmings to go with the feast, Scrooge had never eaten the most delicious food or have the Merriest Christmas time spending with family together.

epilogue

5 days later. Scrooge went back to his counting house the next day waiting for Bob to come to work. Bob arrived a minute late. ''Cratchit!' said Scrooge 'Your late.'' ''I'm sorry Mr. Scrooge, but Christmas happens one day a year.'' ''You know what that means Cratchit!'' Cratchit started to shake, ''But sir...''' ''There for,'' Scrooge said ''I'm going to raise you salary. And I'm going to help Tiny Tim.'' ''Merry Christmas Bob!'' And so Scrooge was true to his word, and for Tiny Tim who did not die, he was a second father and wished everyone a ''Merry Christmas''. ''God bless us everyone''.

The End

Santiago: Evolution of an artist

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