(*NOTE:The words that Vin reads in the letter, in this story, are from the song "Santa I'm Right Here" sung by Toby Keith on his album Christmas To Christmas)

Vin Tanner was walking down the busy streets of Denver, trying to do some Christmas shopping. 'God, I hate having to do this,' he mentally grumbled. He loved Christmas but hated having to try and brave the crowds to buy presents. Vin stopped and leaned against a brick building and looked at the bags that he held in his hands, and started naming off the people he still had to buy for. 'I've got Nathen, Rain, JD, Buck and Josiah. So, that leaves Chris, Nettie, Casey and Ezra.' Vin shook his head, not looking forward to the task of shopping for Chris or Ezra, they were both just too hard to buy for. He had decided to brave the crowds again when a little flutter caught his eyes, causing him to look down at he sidewalk. He knew that he should just keep walking, it was just a peice of paper after all, but something wouldn't let him leave it untouched. He bent over and picked it up, hearing the grumblings as he stopped and read what it said, making people have to walk around him to get by. He looked at the writing, realizing that it was a kid's, and couldn't believe what he was reading. His heart broke as he read the first paragraph:

Oh Santa, if you can't find me
We're livin' out here on the street
But I'll be watchin' for you,
you're not gonna forget me, are you
Daddy says he knows you'll try
But we might be too hard to find this year
Oh Santa, I'm right here

As he read that, memories of his time on the streets entered his mind. He had spent Christmas on he street for a couple of years and knew that it was not a thing any child should have to do. He looked back down at the letter and continued reading:

We don't have our house no more, I wish we could go home
Mama says we will some day and she prays it won't be long
But they closed daddy's factory and took most of our things
Now Santa, I don't need to much, so this year could you bring
Bring my mom a coat that's warm, 'cause the one she's got is awful torn
Maybe dad could help you work, makin' toys for boys and girls

He nearly cried when he read what the child wanted for Christmas, and sighed. He carefully tucked the letter in to the inner pocket of his jacket and continued walking down the sidewalk. An hour laer, after having finished buying all the presents, he was in his jeep headed for home. He couldn't get the letter out of his mind. He kept wondering if the child and parents were okay and what they were going to do for Christmas and a place to live. He went in to his apartment and and sat down in his chair, after grabbing a beer. He leaned his head back to rest on the headrest and let the memories flood his mind.

He was twelve-years-old when he spent his first Christmas on the streets. It was right after he ran away from his latest foster home, tired of the beatings. He stayed in an abandoned warehouse that he had found and stole what he had to for survival. He me a couple other runaways and hey hung together. Even though they helped each other out, Vin was still watchful. Anyone could turn on you if the price was right. He was able to keep up with the days with a calender he had found in the warehouse, so he knew that it was Christmas Eve. He didn't have presents, didn't have anyone to buy for, no tree and no Christmas dinner. He sat in tha warehouse all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, rying to remember what Christmas was like when his mother was still alive. On Christmas night, two boys walked in to the warehouse, planning to stay there. They told Vin to take a hike but he refused. one thing you learned fast on the street was that you had to keep what was yours, at any cost. They beat Vin before he was able to grab the knife he kept hidden in his left boot. When they saw him grab it and saw in his eyes that he was prepared to use it, they sneered and left. For the next week, Vin had to nurse a pringed wrist, a busted lip and a few bruises.

Vin shook his head to clear away the memories and hoped that the kid wasn't going through anything like that. But there was one difference, the kid had a family wih him. Vin hadn't. He wished there was something he could do for them but knew that trying to find them would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. He sighed and walked over to the window, looking up at the night sky. He did something that he hadn't done in years. He prayed. He prayed for that child and the family. He prayed for all the children and families that were oing to be spending Christmas on the streets. And, he sent a prayer of thanks. Thanks for him finding the six brothers and co-workers and the extended family that he had now o share Christmas with.

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