While I ordinarily write about personal experiences, my favorite secular Christmas story was told to me in the mid-1980s by a guy I met at a chill summer Saturday night party of college-educated twenty-somethings in one of those tall apartment buildings in Hackensack, New Jersey that one sees stretching north in a line while looking north from Route 80. The building was the kind that young people move to when they start getting white collar jobs and making decent incomes after having paid some higher education and employment dues.
Dec 21, 2023·edited Dec 21, 2023Liked by Mark Oshinskie
As I was reading, I kept feeling like I already knew this story. You are reposting, yes? Is my matrix glitching? This is such as great story. I hope your family has a wonderful Christmas, Mark. Are you still in touch with the guy this happened to?
It sounded vaguely familiar to me too but thinking now it was not quite the same as the one I read some time ago. My guess is that you have lots of good stories Mark!
Great story! It easily could be a Detroit story, but, wherever it is from, I love it. It somehow touches on so many aspects of the human condition and the twisted web we weave as we fumble our way through this life.
You get super duper bonus points for your milk delivery efforts in Paterson.....I lived there for a little while, and drank there for a much longer period of time...always inter3sting, never boring.
God bless you and may you have the best of holidays/Christmas/whatever you celebrate with your loved ones!
I’d love to swap stories with you the next time I’m back East over a couple of pints...
Dec 21, 2023·edited Dec 22, 2023Liked by Mark Oshinskie
When I was a child, my mother and I delivered some food before Christmas to a poor single mom in our area. She thanked us and told us how excited she was that she would be buying her daughter a bike for Christmas. As we were driving away my mother first commented on how clean and tidy her small home was, saying “just because you are poor doesn’t mean you can’t be clean.” And then she flatly stated that she knew the woman was just dreaming and would never be able to buy that bike. I will never forget the lessons from that event. Thank you Mark for this story. Memories like this remind us of God’s love and providence. May Jesus be real to you and yours this Christmas.
I worked in Elmsford at the DA's office years ago and being in Westchester, Mt. Vernon and New Roc were in our catchment. Nobody thinks of "the beginning of upstate" as being dangerous but hell, yes.
My favorite Christmas ever was when Dad bought three Stingray Taiwancopies with 20" wheels, banana seat, monkey hanger handlebar bikes for the younger kids, my older brother, me and my younger sister. I'm pretty sure he didn't use a gun to buy them at Zayre's, but he must have worked most of the night putting them together. This would have been '68 or 69, but I later heard they also cost $100 each then. A significant setback for a union janitor. The real Santa.
An honest thief is the best kind to meet late at night. Loved how you retold his story with your milk delivery days. Great read. Also reminds us that life’s plans can change in a minute. Merry Christmas to you and your readers. 🎄
As I was reading, I kept feeling like I already knew this story. You are reposting, yes? Is my matrix glitching? This is such as great story. I hope your family has a wonderful Christmas, Mark. Are you still in touch with the guy this happened to?
I thought I posted this on Medium about four years ago, before I knew about Substack. So I thought Substack readers wouldn't have read it
I didn't see it on my Substack archive.
I really like that story. The guy who told it to me was a serious guy and very believable.
It’s a good story and worth re-telling.
I read it before, too, but actually I think it merits a repost every Christmas. Merry Christmas!
It’s fantastic. I think it may have been on substack
Ackshully you posted it here, last Christmas.
It's still a good story, though.
https://markoshinskie8de.substack.com/p/a-christmas-story
How did I miss that? Oeops.
It's the curse of being so damn prolific. It's one of those good problems.
Yep remembered it too. Christmas stories are ones that we expect to read year after year, so it is all good.
Great story. Post it every year.
Merry Christmas, GM. Miss seeing you.
Merry Christmas to you, Ralph. I hope to see you again soon.
If you're in Central NJ, please LMK.
Merry Christmas and god jul to you, too, doc. I really should be writing soon.
Keep fighting the good fight.
I was gonna say, I feel like it wasn’t as long ago as 4 years ago. I am happy to read it again.
No, that was a one-time meeting.
Nice guy, though.
It sounded vaguely familiar to me too but thinking now it was not quite the same as the one I read some time ago. My guess is that you have lots of good stories Mark!
Great story! And a great one for this time of year.
You and yours have a very Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all.
Great story! It easily could be a Detroit story, but, wherever it is from, I love it. It somehow touches on so many aspects of the human condition and the twisted web we weave as we fumble our way through this life.
You get super duper bonus points for your milk delivery efforts in Paterson.....I lived there for a little while, and drank there for a much longer period of time...always inter3sting, never boring.
God bless you and may you have the best of holidays/Christmas/whatever you celebrate with your loved ones!
I’d love to swap stories with you the next time I’m back East over a couple of pints...
Thanks, Joe. If you've lived in Detroit and Paterson, you've seen a lot. Next stop: Memphis.
I like true stories. I'm ready when you are. I was up in North Jersey last night.
Merry Christmas to you.
A happy ending to all on this winter solstice morn! Great story telling, Mark! Thank you!
Ah yes. Now the days start getting longer again!
When I was a child, my mother and I delivered some food before Christmas to a poor single mom in our area. She thanked us and told us how excited she was that she would be buying her daughter a bike for Christmas. As we were driving away my mother first commented on how clean and tidy her small home was, saying “just because you are poor doesn’t mean you can’t be clean.” And then she flatly stated that she knew the woman was just dreaming and would never be able to buy that bike. I will never forget the lessons from that event. Thank you Mark for this story. Memories like this remind us of God’s love and providence. May Jesus be real to you and yours this Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Your writing helped me discern more bull. Thanks
Nerry Christmas to you, KB.
Yes, a Scamdemic.
I read this before also...it is very familiar...maybe I read it four years ago - regardless it "stuck"! Merry Christmas!
Great story. I read Medium for a hot second but missed that one. Merry Christmas to you Mark and Merry Christmas to everyone reading this. 🎄
Merry Christmas to all! I’m glad Paul didn’t have a gun 😳.
I worked in Elmsford at the DA's office years ago and being in Westchester, Mt. Vernon and New Roc were in our catchment. Nobody thinks of "the beginning of upstate" as being dangerous but hell, yes.
Good one. Merry Christmas, Mark.
Thanks, SQ,
Merry Christmas to you.
What a great story with an even better ending!
Merry Christmas Mark to you and your family.
Thanks, Shirley.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
My favorite Christmas ever was when Dad bought three Stingray Taiwancopies with 20" wheels, banana seat, monkey hanger handlebar bikes for the younger kids, my older brother, me and my younger sister. I'm pretty sure he didn't use a gun to buy them at Zayre's, but he must have worked most of the night putting them together. This would have been '68 or 69, but I later heard they also cost $100 each then. A significant setback for a union janitor. The real Santa.
I loved this story last year and even more so this year. 🙌🥂to Mark
An honest thief is the best kind to meet late at night. Loved how you retold his story with your milk delivery days. Great read. Also reminds us that life’s plans can change in a minute. Merry Christmas to you and your readers. 🎄
Yes, I feel fortunate to be alive. Stuff happens. As to my next-door neighbor.
That's a good story
Thanks Mark