Author: Merula
Pairings: None
Rating: PG
Warnings: POV, Christmas
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.
Pretty Paper
The streets were packed with shoppers rushing home. No surprise- it was Christmas Eve and I was apparently not the only person who was out doing last minute shopping.
I hadn't meant to be one of the procrastinators, but one of the cases I had been working on had eaten up every minute of time after Thanksgiving and I hadn't had a moment to go shopping.
I know I should've done it online, but there was just something about going and finding those perfect gifts, you know? It sounds crazy, but I like it.
Even now, my arms aching from dragging bags around, my feet hurting from being stepped on, I was still having a good time. I had managed to find something for everyone. All I needed to do was rush home, wrap the presents up, and get myself showered and dressed for the party.
As I walked by a large department store, I got caught in a small swirl of schoolgirls, giggling madly, cell phones jingling. I stopped and waited for them to move, as there was no way to get around them on the sidewalk.
If I hadn't stopped, I don't think I would've noticed the man camped out on the sidewalk next to the building in a small sheltered space beside a pillar. He had a table heaped with wrapping paper and ribbons. I had to admire his ingenuity.
"Wrapping paper! Ribbons! Get them here! Don't give the wife her gift in the shopping bag! Wrapping paper!" His patter made me grin- and reminded me that I had nothing to wrap the presents in. Another year of non-wrapping and I'd get teased for sure.
So once the schoolgirls moved, I made my way over to him. He was wrapped in a thick army coat, with sunglasses over his eyes, and a smile on his lips.
"How much for a roll?" I asked.
"Five dollars," he said and smiled. "And don't complain about the prices- it's called supply and demand."
I had to laugh. "I won't complain. I'll take three rolls." I dug my wallet out.
"Ribbons too? And I have tags."
This guy was really prepared. "Yes please."
"Which ones do you want, kid?"
"Um... the red, the silver...." I scanned the stack. Another one caught my attention. It was just the color of his eyes. "And the blue."
"Ribbons? What colors?"
"The same colors as the papers?"
"You don't wrap them with the same color ribbon," the guy clucked at me and chose green, gold and copper colored rolls for me. "Not a lot of practice with this?"
"No," I sighed. "I usually use the shopping bags, but I got teased about that last year when I had to use two of them to wrap one of my friend's presents."
"Do you know how to wrap a present?"
"How hard can it be?" I answered. The guy shook his head at me.
"Oh kid. Let me help you." He waved me over to his side of the table. "Give me one."
I pulled out one of my purchases and watched as he expertly rolled out the paper and cut it with a pair of scissors he pulled from his sleeve. He then did some complicated things with the paper and some tape.
"Fill out those gift tags." He told me with a grin as he grabbed the next gift.
I was glad he'd offered to help. He had three of my five gifts wrapped in under five minutes. I kept my eyes on him, hoping he wasn't going to try and pull a switch. My faith in him was justified as he kept handing me each package to put in the bags, each with a gift label attached.
"Thanks. You look like a pro."
"Yeah, I used to do this with my kids every year- you know- wrapping presents for the wife."
"It sounds like fun," I said enviously. "Do you do it still? Or are they too old?"
"It was." He shrugged. "No- the war started- and I had to go fight."
A sick feeling rose up in my stomach.
"What happened?"
He shrugged and slapped his leg- it made a hollow sound. "Lost the leg. Lost the wife- was gone too much, she got lonely, you know how it is." He looked up at me. "Ah kiddo, don't look like that. Things happen, you know. I'm not badly off. I'm still alive; I still see my kids; the ex-wife and I are friends- even going over to her house for dinner with her and the kids later tonight. I didn't lose everything. Not like some guys."
I nodded, unable to find my voice for a moment. "That's true." I gave him a shaky smile and decided not to ask how he lost the leg- or which side he'd fought for. All I could come up with was: "You have to appreciate what you have..." I know I did. I could've lost more than I had. I could've lost him....
Isn't that what the season's for, kiddo?" The guy grinned and handed me the last present. "All done! Twenty bucks."
I handed him a fifty and shook my head when he reached for change.
"Thanks for the help."
"I'm not looking for a hand out," he frowned at me.
"It's called a tip," I grinned back. "Trust me. You saved me a lot of time and frustration. I appreciate it! Merry Christmas."
He shrugged and gave in with a smile. "Same to you kiddo." I picked up my bags and turned to go, eager to start my evening with my friends. I heard him start up his pitch as I headed down the sidewalk...
"Papers! Ribbons! Don't forget people like presents wrapped!! Gift tags!"
OWARI
Back to Merula's Fanfictions Page