A Christmas Story
The wind rushed past my speeding form, and I was grateful for a momentary cool on my flushed face. It was only the temperature change from the basement to the main floor, but it was an icy breeze before the heat upstairs hit me like a suffocating pillow fight strike. We wouldn't stay up here long if the holiday heat continued. It was December 25 th in Millard, Nebraska with snow on the ground, but the temp inside was nearing 80 as two more warm bodies came in the front door. The front door was always opening to more families, especially on Christmas. You would see them arrive before they entered, through the tiny quad window panes at peep hole height. It caught their faces just as they sneered at the door handle. At 9 years old I still couldn't manage the unusual handle straight out of the Beast's enchanted castle. It had a button latch for the thumb to push and handle like a coffee mug for your fingers to grip but it was always locked even though adults said it wasn...