For a third year, I am honored to share a Christmas Story from my friend David . Prepare yourself for a real Christmas treat with this Holiday Classic! ~ Juliette
Chuck the Elf
By Davidus Hunter
I was born in the Bronx way back in 1902.
St. Anneโs orphanage was the only home I ever knew till I went north years later. The place was crazy; a lotta little midgets running around makinโ a lotta noise. I guess I was one of โem, except I was no midget โ I was an elf. I stayed in that place for 30 years until they figured out I wasnโt no kid! So I packed my shit up and hit the road. I joined the army for a while, got into some action at Omaha Beach even. After dat, I never trucked with the military much.
I joined the circus for a while โ but the bearded lady and I didnโt get along. The fact was, I couldnโt stand life on the road livinโ wit all them freaks โ I was longing for a fambly, if you get my meaninโ.
One night, Christmas Eve if you gotta know โ I was on the roof of my tenement building because my landlady didnโt like my cigar smoke. She always whiffed it through the vents and complained so I went up on the roof. I was feeling lonesome as hell too, wit the snow fallinโ and all streets quiet and empty. To be honest, I crawled out on the ledge. I was thinkinโ of just ending it. I was just a lowly Elf, livinโ off racetrack bets and scrounginโ for handouts.
I was a Bronx kid, though. I couldnโt do it. Plus, that street looked like it could hurt a guy real bad falling from dat height.
I went back on the roof and finished my stogie, lookinโ up at the twinklinโ snowy sky. It was damned cold. I never felt so bad in my whole life.
I saw sumpinโ then, over the East River. Looked like plane or some kinda flying object. I tracked it for a while and realized it was cominโ right towards me! I ran back and ducked behind a ventilator shaft.
I heard bells, and some guy yelling. I heard da soft thump of somethinโ landing.
Now donโt get me wrong โ I ainโt no pansy or nuthinโ โ but this was strange. I can deal with storminโ a beachhead and all, but the unknown always unnerves me, yโknow?
I peeked around the corner an I saw animals or somthinโ, shakinโ snow off themselves. Everytime they did that, bells would jingle. There was some fat shmoe sittinโ in a red sled too. All of a sudden I hear my name!
โCharles! Charles! Come out from behind there!โ
There was a silence as I was trying to figure out what to do.
โWho wants ta know?โ I said after a while.
I peeked over my hiding spot and saw the lard-ass cominโ towards me. He was big โ triple my size โ but I figured if I bit his knee caps the odds would be evened out.
He stuck his head around the vent, and stared right at me.
โCharles! I found you!โ he said. He had dis soppy smile on his face, what you could see of it anyway with that frigginโ large white beard.
โListen Mack โฆโ I started to say.
โCharles! You must come with me! You donโt belong here. You belong up at the North Pole with the others!โ
I looked at dis guy and thought he was nuts. โYou shittinโ me?โ
He straightened up and crinkled his nose.
โIโm afraid Iโm not! You are an Elf, of the elfus smallicus genus. All my staff up at the North Pole is comprised of Elves. You see, you were given up for adoption by mistake.โ
I looked up at the guy, and I could see he was tellinโ da truth. Others like me? Elves? For true?
Dat was the one and only time I cried โ at least since that time I pooped my pants back at the Orphanage and the sister swatted me a good one.
โCome! You can help me give out presents tonight, then we can take you home,โ he said. He wedged his large ass back into the sled, and I followed. There wasnโt much space between his girth and all them sacksโa toys for me to sit, but I managed.
He tole me about his toy making racket and all the right-offs he got for it. Pretty slick, I had to agree. We shot up inna sky and I was dubious about them moose things haulinโ us up into the stratosphere and all, but they maintained a good speed, except for the turbulence which I didnโt care for.
All night long we delivered them friggin toys, all over the damned world, Australia, England, and places I never hoid of, like โCanadaโ. I was so tired by the end, I thought Iโd collapse. But this guy, Santa, he had a mini bar in his sled and I had a few shots of whiskey. We delivered our last toy to some kid in Montana โ a train set. We went down the chimney (I still couldnโt get over goinโ down them tings!). I was placinโ it under the tree when I heard a noise. I look over and see the kid peeking around the corner at me.
โAinโt polite to stare, kid,โ I said. โMurry Christmas.โ
Da kid scampered off.
Not even ten minutes into our journey north I was out like a light.
So, I went to the North Pole. I met my mom! Saw all the udder elves like me. It was a happy homecoming, I gotta say. Still, I miss New York sometimes, even though I visit occasionally. I miss the smell of the Hudson, the rude people, the street vendors selling junk, Coney Island hot dogs, the racetrack, all of it. But it ainโt so bad up here; got lotsa snow, plenty of fresh air, and the pay is good. Made foreman a few years ago; Iโm in charge of making them iPad thingies. Big responsibility. The uniforms could use some revamping, but yโcanโt have everything, am I right?
I guess I didnโt do so bad after all, yโknow?
The End
________________
For more works from David check out the links below:
http://bloggodavid.blogspot.ca/โฆ/chuck-elf-by-davidusโฆ
http://davidhuntershaw.blogspot.ca/
. . . . . . . ~ยฉ The Writerโs Den ยฉ~ . . . . . . .
davidhuntershaw.blogspot.com
David’s work is also featured in WPaD Anthologies including:
For only .99 this month – Creepies 2
You can also find David’s work inย the wonderful Holiday Anthology: Tinsel Tales





I just love a happy ending…and Christmas Elves who swear.
Ha ha ha. I love this story. David writes such great stuff.
Not bad….., for an elf ! ๐
Not bad at all. HA!
What an extraordinary elf! ๐ Love the story!!
Thanks. David is such a fun writer.
What a fun story! Thanks for sharing. ๐
Aww You’re welcome. David does such a good job. I hope he shares more with us.