Never Too Grumpy for the Holiday Spirit

     “Ugh,” sneered Theodor, a grumpy Ruki who lived at the end of the road, as he climbed out of bed and snapped the curtains shut.

     He was a loner by most standards. He hung out with his beloved Petpet Max the White Doglefox and not too many others. Although he preferred it that way, certain days of the year were harder than others. His parents were not around and he had been an only child. Not really any friends either. Others always either pitied him or feared him; he couldn’t always tell which of the two were worse, but as long as it kept them away from him it didn’t matter either way.

     He looked down at Max sleeping peacefully in his bed, feet kicking on occasion as if he were trying to run. Maybe in his dream he was running.

     Theodor used to have dreams. He wanted to run a bakery. But that never happened, for not everything is meant to be no matter how hard you try. Someone will always bring you down. Now he only dreamed of a peaceful Neohome. Couldn’t get that with so many kids around especially on a day like today. Someone was always bringing him down it seemed. One way or another. Such is the nature of life.

     It didn’t take long for the kids to start pouring out into the street, bundled up like colourful short marshmallows, playing in the snow and showing each other their new toys. If only there was some way to cancel the Day of Giving. The joy and laughter and games and singing. Ick. It made Theodor sick. And it just seemed like it never ended. The so-called “Month of Celebrating” should only be 31 days but it seemed like every year it creeped into more and more days. This year the General Store was selling decorations and wrapping paper in the Month of Gathering! Pretty soon it would loop all the way back around and be a year round day. Yuck. Someone had to stop this oppressive joy, and fast.

     Theodor opened his front door. “Would you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep!” Max perked up hearing his voice but he too decided it was too early to be awake and plopped his little head back down. Theodor slammed the door which startled Max but he decided it wasn’t worth getting up about and drifted back off to sleep.

     Theodor watched as the kids moved over down the street a bit. They looked nervous which was good. Maybe they would mind themselves and not come down this way and he could get some peace.

     He was too agitated to get back to sleep so Theodor made his own coffee and his usual yogurt breakfast bowl. This almost got Max interested in waking up, but not quite.

     When he finished he went to sit in the living room and read for a bit. He managed to get through a few chapters in peace before there was a knock at the door.

     “Who could that be?”

     He got up from his chair and shuffled to the door. He opened it to see a young Varwolf looking at him with hopeful eyes.

     “What do you want?”

     “Um, hi mister. I, um, I just, um…”

     “Spit it out,” Theodor sneered. This was not worth getting up for.

     “Do you want to come sing with us? You always sit inside and seem so lonely. We thought it could be fun.” There was a nervousness to this young Varwolf. He shifted around a lot and wouldn’t make eye contact. Theodor wondered if this was a trick or something much worse.

     “No,” he said flatly, trying not to yell like he did a few hours ago. “Goodbye.” He shut the door but it was stopped before it could latch.

     The young Varwolf put his paw in the doorframe and pushed it back open. He looked up at Theodor. “I just don’t think anyone should be alone. On any day but especially today. You can come to my parents’ Neohome for dinner tonight. You don’t need to bring anything. We’re the yellow house across the street. Please?”

     Theodor was keen to say no. He always was. But as he looked into the eyes of this young Varwolf – really looked – he saw a kindness he had never seen before. No one else paid Theodor much mind especially during such festivities.

     “Maybe,” he shrugged as he slammed the door.

     Max looked up again. Even he knew Theodor would never say anything other than “no” to anyone.

     “Don’t look at me like that,” Theodor pleaded with Max. Max sighed. He hoped Theodor would go but he was not hopeful about it.

     Perhaps if Theodor went it would confirm how much he hated this holiday. Maybe it would give him enough information on how to stop the holiday from happening next year. Perhaps it would do nothing but annoy him and remind him how much he hates spending time with anyone other than Max. Maybe it would be a good thing to go. It wouldn’t be fun certainly, but there was a possibility of it being useful. Theodor was many things but he was especially practical.

     Or not. Maybe he just wouldn’t go. This was a silly notion to entertain. He wasn’t a fun Ruki nor was he a Ruki who liked to be around other Neopets. He just wanted silence and you really cannot get that during a holiday family meal no matter how well adjusted you think your family is. He learned that the hard way.

     Max sighed again. He knew Theodor would back out. He laid his head back down and sighed for a third time.

     “You’re so dramatic,” Theodor rolled his eyes.

     ———

     It got darker earlier during this time of year. Good. More time for Theodor to be alone and in peace. Almost as soon as the last light was extinguished from the sky there was another knock at the door.

     Theodor knew it had to be that pesky young Varwolf again. It was.

     “Mister, mister! I got you a present!” He shouted from behind the door. “I know you’re in there! Open up! It’s so fun to open gifts!”

     Theodor opened the door with a sour expression. The young Varwolf shoved the present at him. It was very poorly wrapped, tape everywhere and wrapping paper hanging off in shreds already.

     “I wrapped it myself! Open it!”

     Theodor obliged against his better judgment. It was a Bagatelle Mootix Ball. Why?

     Max perked up. He loved balls.

     “Isn’t this fun?! Come let’s go eat dinner!”

     Before Theodor could protest the young Varwolf had grabbed him by the arm, making him drop this so-called gift and dragged him across the street to his house. Max watched and wagged his tail, hopeful Theodor would enjoy himself. Max picked up the new ball and started playing with it.

     Theodor was dragged to an uncomfortable chair in the dining room. There was music, laughter, many kids, even more adults, candles, decorations, and more food than he had ever seen in one spot before in his life. He was overwhelmed. This was chaos; this was not anywhere close to the peace he had been waiting for all day, he knew he had to get out of here.

     “We’re so glad you made it,” an older Varwolf chirped to Theodor. Theodor said nothing and continued to just stare at her.

     A Pteri flew in from out of nowhere and sat in the chair next to him, startling him.

     This was not peace.

     The older Varwolf ushered everyone else into the dining room and then several more Neopets filed out with somehow even more food. It was very organized and kind of intimidating.

     “To friends, new and old!” A Cybunny raised a glass and everyone cheered and took a sip from their own glasses.

     “Dig in, everyone!” The older Varwolf exclaimed.

     Suddenly food was being passed around and chatter picked up. So did the laughter. How did he even end up here?

     Others tried to engage Theodor in conversation but he kept it brief with one or two word answers. This didn’t deter them; they kept engaging him. He decided he had no choice and started getting food, maybe they would leave him alone if he had food.

     But they didn’t. They kept talking to him. Asking questions. Providing information unprompted.

     After about an hour – which somehow felt like seven hours – Theodor found himself finally unclenching his jaw. He found himself softening. He found himself no longer on edge whenever someone spoke to him. He started enjoying the decorations and their smells. He started enjoying the children and their laughter. He started enjoying the singing and dancing. And as the night went on he found himself enjoying it all more and more.

     He didn’t know he had it in him to enjoy this holiday. Or the company of others. It had been so many years since he did either. He felt like a little kid again. It made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time. What was that emotion called? Joy?

     Maybe his dreams weren’t dead.

     Maybe he was worth loving.

          Maybe the community was worth investing in.

     Maybe this holiday wasn’t so bad.

     Theodor found his chest swelling, overflowing with emotion. He shed a tear.

     Some may say his heart grew a few sizes.

     But he knew he simply unlocked his inner child and rediscovered the true meaning of the Day of Giving: love.

     The End.