His clear baritone cut through the icy air. Jingle bells! Jingle bells! He pulled up to the curb, pulled two packages from his truck, made the delivery, and was back in his seat and on key within three minutes. Jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh! Hey!

He turned the corner, checked his delivery list, and glanced at the clock. Just maybe he’d be home at a decent hour tonight. He couldn’t bet on anything, but it looked like maybe. He mentally crossed his fingers. T’was the season.

He’d be blasted if it silenced his music! Jingle bells! Jingle bells! Jingle all the way! He pulled up. There it was. His second to last delivery. He was out and back in two. He looked down to ascertain the final address. Rats. It was that one: the one that was always the dickens to find! He’d think he’d located it, then the house was two blocks down. Or down an alley and behind a tall hedge. It was almost as if it moved, and the trick was on him.

To be honest, one time the delay caused by the troublesome address had kept him from an accident on the way home. He’d ‘ve been on 94 at the very spot for sure had he not spent the extra twenty minutes driving around like a lunatic looking for the house. That night he had sat in backed-up traffic for more than an hour; but when he’d witnessed the scene he thanked his lucky stars time spent looking for the stupid house and waiting in the line of traffic was the worst he’d experienced. Oh! And there was another time he’d happened on a stray dog due to hunting for the house. The dog looked pretty rough – like he’d been in the elements for awhile. He’d gained weight with good food and eventually had a jaunty trot. The delivery man named him Bowser. He was no doubt snoozing on the chair he wasn’t supposed to sit on this very minute.

He hummed as he turned on his GPS. He usually didn’t have much time for it. It took him indirectly to where he needed to go and the woman’s voice was as irritating as heck. But maybe he could find the mysterious address with less trouble this one night. Oh what fun it is to ride in a . . . 

SCREECH! The old woman appeared out of nowhere. He slammed on the breaks, just barely avoiding hitting her. It mattered little. She’d been startled and fell to the ground anyway. Probably slipped on the ice. He pulled his delivery truck to the side of the road and hurried to help her up. Her moaning wasn’t a good sign.

“My back. Ohhh my back.” She looked up at him as he squatted beside her.

“Is anything else hurt, Ma’am?” How he wished he’d been a minute later or a minute sooner!

She struggled to raise herself.

“I’m so sorry. Let me call for help.”

“It’s not your fault. Just give me a minute. I hate to think of an ambulance bill.”

He stayed with her then. And they talked of Christmases past and present, how her back had bothered her for years, and how she knew better than to venture out so late. He placed his rough hand gently on her back and nodded sympathetically. Her face grew curious and his hand grew exceedingly warm.

“Leave it there. It feels like, like, I don’t know.”

His hand tingled and he felt heat radiating from it. What a strange encounter! Then, suddenly, his hand returned to its normal temperature. Her face aglow, she jumped up with no trouble at all.

“My back! My back feels like I’m 20 again! Are you an angel?”

He shook his head quickly. “No, Ma’am. I’m a . . . I’m a . . .” He searched his brain for something. “I’m a Christian.”

He didn’t know what to make of it.

“A healer then?”

“No, Ma’am. I don’t do anything special. I just deliver packages.”

“Well you delivered a stunner tonight! Let me pay you!”

He backed away. “No, Ma’am. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

“Alright? I’ve lived with back pain for fifteen years! Fifteen! Let me do something for you. Anything.”

He looked at his watch, then his truck. All hope of getting home at a decent hour had fled. His route would take another thirty minutes for sure. “Could you tell me how to get to this address?” With little hope he held it out to her.

She glanced at it and laughed – a sweet, tinkling laugh. She turned, then reveling in the motion, twirled around, and pointed. “It’s straight ahead.”

He couldn’t believe his eyes.

She started down the street with a hop and, of all things, a skip. And the delivery man turned the key as his truck roared to life. One. Horse. O-pen. Sleigh!!!

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