“The original cause of the trouble was about twenty years in growing.”
A Chaparral Christmas Gift is the eighth story in the Everyman’s Pocket Classics Christmas compilation of 20 short stories.
The story begins on Christmas Eve with a tale of unrequited love. Rosita McMullen, daughter of the owner of the Sundown Sheep Ranch, was courted by numerous men, however only two held her admiration: Madison Lane and Johnny McRoy who is later called the Frio Kid. Rosita chooses Madison and on their wedding day, McRoy appears, tries to shoot both of them but is prevented, then shoots an innocent man and flees, screaming of his vengeance and hatred. He thus becomes the Frio Kid.
Flock of Sheep in A Field After the Harvest (1889) Camille Pissaro
~ source Wikiart
Consequently, the Frio Kid spends the next three years having shootouts and murdering people in a vicious tantrum just because he didn’t get what he wanted. Then on Christmas Eve, when he is back in town, he realizes that he hasn’t murdered Madison Lane, like he had planned and goes to finish the job. Madison and Rosita have been on the lookout for the Frio Kid for these years and are on the watch now during their Christmas party. But Rosita tells a sheepman that she feels that when she knew the Frio Kid as Johnny, he wasn’t all bad and that there was a good quality inside the depths of him. When she enters to visit Santa, Santa tells her that he’s left a gift for her in the other room. Puzzled, she goes inside, only to find her husband. The ending has a nice twist.
Reclining Girl in Sheep (1942) Salvador Dali
~ source Wikiart
I understand the story of rage and enduring anger and forgiveness and redemption but I thought it was communicated in a way that left little depth or development. It was a great idea, with a nice ending but the progression of the story was sort of flat, and so I can’t say that I really enjoyed it. It was nice to read a western-type Christmas story though.
⇐ A Burglar’s Christmas Gift Reginald’s Christmas Revel ⇒
