Slowly, imperceptibly the room became warmer and the light of the dawning day tugged gently at Steve's consciousness. Steve opened his eyes to find that his head was lying on top of his folded arms on his desk. He sat up. He was in his office behind his desk. The desk light was still on, but now the office was filled with the soft glow of the early morning dawn. He must have spent all night here or was it longer? He looked at the papers on his desk. It was still the drug case he had been working on but some of the ink had smeared and the papers looked as though they had sat out in light rain as they contained numerous dried water spots.

He could smell coffee brewing in the outer office. He rose from his desk slowly and stiffly and made his way to the door. He hesitated before opening the door to the outer office unsure of what he might find there. Ignoring his trepidation, he slowly opened the door and peered out. Everything seemed normal. The desks were there and the cubicles. Someone had put up a pot of fresh coffee. It had just finished brewing and filled the office with a wonderful aroma. Just then, Chin Ho turned the corner coming out of his cubicle, heading in the direction of the coffee pot. "Chin!" Steve exclaimed with joy. Chin stopped in his tracks and stared at Steve. Chin looked no different than he had at work the day before. He was not grey and haggard as when Steve last saw him, though he did have a look of surprise on his face at the unexpected greeting. "Chin!" Steve proclaimed again and headed toward Chin and gave him a big bear hug.

"Boss, are you o.k.?" was all Chin could think to say. Never had he received such a greeting from his boss.

Steve released Chin and held him at arms length. "Well, that depends", Steve thought out loud. "What day is it?"

"Why, Christmas Day", Chin replied in puzzlement.

"Marvelous!! Wonderful !!" Steve exclaimed and gave Chin another hug. O.k., Steve thought he still had time, but he had to move fast. He was getting ready to turn and walk back into his office when a thought stopped him. He turned back "Chin" he asked "why are you here?" Before Chin could come up with an answer, Steve continued "Go home, be with your family, Merry Christmas!" Steve gave Chin one more hug, turned him around and sent him out the door.

Steve raced back into his office and pulled out his rolodex. He found the number he wanted and dialed. "Aloha, Mele Kalikimaka" Steve said gleefully into the phone. A groggy voiced mumbled something on the other end of the phone. Steve had not looked at the time, it was still early, 7 am, but he didn't care. "Rise and shine, Nick," Steve continued. "I need a favor from you and I'm calling in all my markers. I need a Christmas dinner complete with turkeys, stuffing, potatoes, and pie delivered to the Kanakua orphanages; enough to feed everyone and still have leftovers." (Afterall, what was Christmas dinner without leftovers, Steve chuckled to himself.) The voice on the other end of the phone had clearly woken up and was protesting. "Yes, I know what day it is," Steve replied. "It's Christmas day, isn't it wonderful! Isn't it glorious, I haven't missed it. I know your restaurants are busy today, Nick, but I have complete faith in you and I'll take care of all the costs." There were sounds of grudging agreement on the other side of the phone and Steve gave addresses and directions.

With that done, he moved onto the next task he had in mind. He was so giddy he almost leapt for joy. He couldn't wait to see the look on the children's faces when the food arrived so he had to hurry with his other tasks so he would be there in time.

Steve peeked through the window of the orphanage. It looked much as it did last night. The decoration of the Christmas palm had been completed and people were setting bowls and silverware on long tables in preparation for the turkey soup feast. Everyone was cheerfully helping with the preparations. Steve was careful not to be seen. He wanted to come in with his load right after the food arrived. "Where were they?" he thought impatiently. "Time is a wasting." Just then two white vans pulled up to the doorway of the orphanage. Out popped handsomely appointed waiters. They filled trolley after trolley with dome covered platters. The waiters formed an impressive line and started toward the door. Steve crept back to the window to watch. It was wonderful to see the waiters enter the room and the shocked responses of the occupants. Dan and Janet approached the first waiter in the parade and blocked his path temporarily and talked with him, jointly. The conversation lasted but a few seconds and then they parted to let all the waiters pass. Waiter after waiter came in with whole roasted turkeys, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans and pies of all sorts. The children were momentarily motionless with awe and then everyone started to set the table for the real feast. His cue thought, Steve.

Steve gathered up his packages and headed for the door. There was almost more than he could carry. Steve's knock on the door was barely heard by the occupants of the orphanage due to all the commotion with the arrival of the food, but finally someone opened it. As it happened, Dan finally went to the door and upon opening it was greeted with a cheerful "Ho, Ho, Ho". Dan's jaw dropped. He could barely see Steve behind all of the stuff he was carrying but he knew the eyes looking at him through the needles of the pine tree instantly.

"Steeeve!" Dan spluttered in amazement.

"Are you going to invite me in or just stand there?" Steve asked with an exaggerated scowl.

Dan stepped back and Steve burst into the room with his load. He had a real, live pine tree completely decorated and arrayed with lights, a new phonograph with a complete set of Christmas records and a bag full of toys and games. The children stopped preparing for the dinner momentarily stunned by the second miracle of the day. Dan helped Steve with the tree while Janet relieved him of the phonograph equipment and the bag of toys. Dan and Steve worked fast and in no time had set up and plugged in the tree. Everyone "oohhed" and "aawwed" at the beautiful blinking lights. Most of the children there had never seen a tree like this before or one as beautiful as this one. And they all came up to it and inhaled the pine scent. The music started playing and Steve turned and said, "Merry Christmas Everyone! Let's eat!"

Dan turned to Steve with a grateful, pleased though primarily puzzled look on his face. Instead of asking a question though, Dan simply said, "Thanks Steve, and Merry Christmas."

Steve turned to look at Danno. His eyes were still bright and his hair was not grey. His face looked young, optimistic and less careworn than in Steve's nightmare and he had a crooked smile on his face. It was the best Christmas present Steve could have received. He put his hand on Danno's shoulder. "Thank you for reminding me of the importance of Christmas," Steve said and he gave Dan's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

The orphanage had a feast to end all Christmas feasts that day. Everyone ate their fill of turkey and stuffing and dessert until they could eat no more. Then everyone gathered around the tree to play games until all were tired and ready for sleep. One by one, each child would bid good night to those still gathered and head for bed. Steve had just finished an energetic game of "Chutes and Ladders" with several children who were finally forced to admit that they were too tired for more. Steve picked up the pieces of the game, putting them back in the box and stood up looking around the room as he stretched. The tree was still lit and sparkled beautifully in the darkened room. A few of the older children, who remained awake, were cleaning up along with some of the adults. Most of the younger kids had gone to bed. Steve's eyes came to rest on a corner of the couch. There was Dan, who had been working overtime all week, fast asleep. Next to Dan on the couch was Tommy also fast asleep with his red head nestled on Dan's chest. The surfboard wax was in the box on the couch next to Tommy and the surfing lesson certificate was clenched tightly in his fist.

The record player was playing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". Very appropriate, Steve thought as he listened to the words. "God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay." He noticed a blanket on a chair and picked it up on his way toward the couch. "Remember Christ our savior was born on Christmas day" Steve shuddered to think that he could have lost all this as he gently placed the blanket over the sleeping duo. So busy had he been, fighting for some greater good, that he had neglected and almost lost the important things around him. Somehow it was easier to fight to defend a noble abstract concept or give to a charitable organization than to deal with nearby people in need on an individual level. "To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray." Steve knew that there was no guarantee that his efforts that day or in the coming days would avert the future he believed he had seen in his dreams or visions or whatever it was he had experienced that night. But unlike the game pieces which Steve had just put away, he vowed not to put Christmas back into a box until another year but to keep its spirit close to his heart year round. "Oh, tidings of comfort and joy."