A John Saxon Christmas

I made it to the underground mall in Leaf Rapids at the last possible minute. It was gargantuan but nearly deserted, a seemingly bottomless pit of escalators, raised gardens, water features, hanging chandeliers, and storefronts in every dimension. I hadn't bought anything for Dad, and I was in a panic. Now I was riding one of those endless escalators up to a midlevel strip of stores, hoping to find something thoughtful and appropriate. 

"You've already gotten his gift, you know," said a voice behind me. I turned. 

"John Saxon?" I blurted, for there he was. 

"You don't need to get him a gift. He's with me, remember?"

The truth deflated me. I just nodded and leaned against the escalator rail as we rose. 

"He invited me over to watch you and Sylvia opening gifts together last night, enjoying the lights and music. And we were with your mom and Sean, too, in Leduc. And we'll be there tomorrow, when you guys get together."

"So you're getting along?" I asked, somewhat bewildered; for Dad had always irrationally hated John Saxon, though he'd never met the man. 

Saxon smiled. "Your dad never really hated anyone," he said. "We're pals now." 

Not really understanding why, I felt immense relief. 

"Just keep enjoying your life," Saxon said. "That's what he likes to see." 

"Is he still angry?" I asked, for my father was always angry when he came to me in dreams. 

"Only sometimes," Saxon said. "It's not forever." 

We escalated in companionable silence, and then I transitioned back to the real world, like a ghost slipping away from home. 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 24

An Ewok Xmas
Santa's hearty ho-ho-ho
Distant jingle Bells

Christmas in Leduc
Photograph by Sean E. Woods
Elizabeth's smile

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 23

Ewok glider crash
Shatters silent night, pilot
Missing, star twinkling
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 22

Wong's tesseract thrums
In the wake of a snow crash
Peace returns softly
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 21

Malfoy's alarm rings
Out as Mrs. Claus snowboards
Laughing merrily
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 20

Palpatine's puppy
Barks as the Emperor fries
Ant-Man's Christmas train
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 19

Radar dish detects
Candelabra flames licking
Sizzling turkey flesh
 

Lego Advent Calendar 2023 Day 18

Sizzling Strangely the
Turkey followed by crinkling
Of Xmas presents
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 17

"Hands off my drink, cloak!" 
Barks the disgruntled mage as
Walker chugs along

 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 16

On a bunker sits
An empty throne in silence
While grandfather ticks
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 15

A kitten purrs as
Ewoks sing for butterbeer
Arc reactor hums
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 14

Leia shoots! She scores!
Slapshot crack echoes while fan
Munches cookie, smiles
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 13

Shuttle kicks up snow
Aberforth toasts arrival
Okoye stands guard

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 12

A Gonk reindeer gonks
As the frozen fountain drips
Near tools and keyboard
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 11

Snapping and popping
The fire warms boy and his toy
While the dark owl hoots
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 10

A crackling fireplace
Roar of robot and jetpack
Xmas tree chaos

 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku Day 9

Angelic heralds 
Sing Hark! to Captain Rogers
STAP*'s blasters silent

*Single Trooper Aerial Platform--as seen in The Phantom Menace

 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 8

"This way to Hogwarts!"
Iron Rudolph's cry met by
Droid's "Roger, roger" 

 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 7

A chainsaw's buzz splits
The chill; prepare for battle 
Of the dessert cart
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku Day 6

Clone's wrapping paper
Crinkles; his ice sculpture crackles
As fireworks sizzle 
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 5

Droid train whistles through
As Ginny raises her trophy
Snowman sings "Gaudete" 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 4

Droid's whirr prefaces
The sharp crack of a slapshot
Silent witness Black

 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 3

Mando and Grogu
Soar past Spidey's treats while
A reindeer bellows
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 2

Silent sign points to
Chocolate frogs, jellybeans
Jets roar in to buy
 

Lego Advent Calendar Haiku 2023 Day 1

Harry Potter sighs
Tony Stark has melted all
Omega's snow path