Gifts of the Magi 
by; Chris A. 
(omicrontheta) 


 The wind rustled around his flimsy coat.  Granted Sean was well cared for but his thick coat was busy being dried from yesterday’s blizzard.  The temperature had warmed up some in the morning but yet again the snow started to fall.  Flurries.  That was all, just flurries. 
 On Main Street he stood looking bluntly through the double pained glass.  There before him was a watch.  It was beautiful.  Platinum with the right amount of gold.  The dial was black and had silver arms.  Godly it looked.  Sean’s eyes drifted to the price tag in which his bright eyes turned down fast.  $245.00.  Such an amount was unthinkable at the age of 15.  Such an amount was $205.00 beyond his reach. 
 He had saved for months for this.  Dollar here, fifty cents there.  A teen has to live right.  Candy and video games cost a lot.  Christmas being 4 days away, he had $40.00 to his name to spend on his one true love, Jake. 
 Much to his surprise, actually, at the age of 13 Sean discovered that he fell for boys, not girls.  He chalked it up to a phase.  A year later, he settled into that life.  He knew it was for real.  Again, much to his surprise he met Jake.  Jake, it seemed felt the same way.  As a quirk of fate they met and fell into a deep love.  Bonded. 
 That was seven months ago.  This would be their first Christmas together.  Sean wanted it to be special.  Very special.  He marched into the store and requested to look at the watch in the storefront window.  The shopkeeper looked suspicious.  Who wouldn’t?  Teen looks at really expensive watch.  Like he really intends to buy it. 
 Sean carefully handles the watch.  He pays no attention to the dial, more so to the band itself.  Many years ago, Jake owned a watch like this one.  It was passed down and was an unofficial family heirloom.  Jake was a kid and through the trials of being one, the band snapped.  He hid the watch from then on.  Shame, he didn’t want to face. 
 “Sir, how much would the band itself cost to fit around my wrist?”  Sean and Jake had almost identical builds.  When the hugged neither of them had to crouch yet they both had to crick their necks to look at most people.  Likewise, they were thin. 
 “Why, just the band?  That would be made of platinum with inlaid gold.  It would cost $80.00 to fit your wrist.”  This response caused Sean to cringe.  “More than you have boy?” 
“Just a little.” 
The shopkeeper leaned in, looked both ways, and spoke softly.  “I’ll tell you what I can do.  I can knock off $5.00, but that is it.  I can go no lower.” 
Sean carefully considered this offer.  How he could get $35.00 was beyond him.  “Thanks mister.  I don’t have that, but I’ll see what I can turn up.”  This watch has been stared at and gawked after every time the couple passed this building.  It wasn’t the watch, it was the band.  It was so close to the original that is was an exact replica. 
Sean sulked out of the door.  He had no idea where he would come up with it.  The snow gathered on his coat as he walked.  Fate drew him to look up, there in front of him was a hanging sign.  “Pawn Shop.”  He knew what he had to do. 
He walked into the shop and pulled out his necklace.  Well, it wasn’t really a necklace.  More like a charm on dental string.  The charm, however, was the important part.  It was passed down from his grandmother when she died.  Sean hated to part with it, but for the love of his young life, he would do anything. 
He walked into the shop with a new sense of ambition.  He approached the old man behind the counter. 
“What can I help you with young man?” the man croaked.  Without a voice Sean pulled out the charm and set it on the counter.  Sean looked pleadingly at the wrinkly-faced man. 
“What can I get,” he squeaked. 
“hmm, for a Christmas gift?” 
“Yea.” 
“How much you need?” 
“$35.00.  Sean looked down at his feet.” 
“Son, look up,” he did so, “I’ll give you that for this charm.” 
“Thanks.”  Sean accepted the bills and took one last look at his, no, their charm, and walked out the store.  On his way back to the jeweler, he contemplated his reasoning for doing what he just did.  ‘Jake is my one.  He will love this.  It is a gift of love.’  That was the only reasoning he needed.  Sean held his head high. 
He walked out with a box.  That box held the band for the watch.  Sean was very happy with his purchase. 
Christmas came and Sean stood in front of Jake with his box.  Jake stood with his. 
“You first,” they said in unison.  The both laughed at that.  With a flip of a coin Sean was decided to go first.  He handed Jake his gift. 
Jake pulled out the band and looked at it with a  smile on his face.  That full smile turned to a thin drawn out smile. 
“You don’t like it?” Sean asked. 
“I love it,” Jake said with a smile, “I pawned the watch to buy your present.  Now open it.” 
Sean, a bit taken aback by this revelation, opened the box.  There was a chain, an expensive chain.  Obviously for his charm.  Sean smiled and looked at Jake.  “I pawned that to afford that band.” 
“Lets set the gifts aside for another day.  Let us celebrate the true gift.”  Jake pulled Sean into his arms and hugged him.  “I love you Sean.” 
Sean’s eyes were misty.  “I love you too.”  They pulled back and gently pressed lips together. 
The true Magi were not the wise men but those who love and accept the true gift of love.  Simplicity is the life without blinders.  With simplicity, one can see the truth easily.  Sean and Jake saw the truth of their love.  Each gave up something precious to them for the benefit of the other. 


http://www.omicrontheta.org 
Copyright © 2001 omicrontheta, all rights reserved
