Short Story- A Christmas Story

Faramir · April 13, 2004

This story takes place within the confines of my current "When We Were Lions" tale and is dedicated to my father- who passed away yesterday morning

***

The two angels were having an intent discussion.

"Look, I know you can do this. You managed many teams over the course of your life. All you have to do is take over for one match."

The gruff voice replied, "I don't know anything about soccer though- well not much at least. I managed baseball and hockey clubs- and those were school age players."

"It's just like hockey, well sort of. The same principles apply. Here, I found a persona for you- I know you can do this and after all, wouldn't it be fun to do..."

***

Gloomily he leaned back in his chair and considered the options. The Board had caused a public row with his Manager and the Manager and his entire staff had quit over the matter. His club, St.Mirren, was mired hopelessly in last place in the SPL and given the fact that it was Christmas- he couldn't find anyone to take over for the club for the December 26 match where they would travel to Dens Park to face 2nd place Dundee. The soonest any potential manager would commit to arriving was on January 1st- since no one felt any great compunction to join the pitiful club so soon after the Holiday. The Board had absolutely forbid him to take over the club- to do would result in his immediate dismissal. None of the senior players on the club wanted anything to do with managing the club for a day either- which left him bereft of options.

"What a way to spend Christmas!" he thought.

Finally, with nothing more to be done, he flipped out the lights in his office and made his way outside into the chill air.

As he walked along, he noticed a large man approaching in the gloom of the streetlights.

He was deep in thought before he realized that the man had stopped in front of him and was watching him with a curious small smile on his face.

"You look troubled friend," the man offered. "Troubled is no way to be on Christmas."

"Yeah, well I don't want to seem rude- but you really don't have any idea what my life is like."

The man chuckled and he noticed for the first time the white beard and the glowing cheeks. He had to shake his head while listening to the big man- he looked remarkably like the most common presentation of Santa Claus. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" he said- coming out of his momentary reverie.

"Well, I have been told I can sometimes be a good listener- why don't you tell me what is bothering you- it always helps to get things out."

He couldn't help himself and the entire tale of woe just rolled off his tongue.

The man smiled again, "I believe I can help you out- at least for one match- I don't have any pressing engagements and I have managerial experience."

"You do?" he offered skeptically.

"Indeed. I was managing clubs back when you were but a wee lad. One more match wouldn't hurt me."

"Hmm, well- I don't really have a lot of options. What is your name?"

"Klos, William S. Klos." he held up his hand immediately, "I know, I know. I get the jokes all the time- when are you going to give me presents Mr. Klos? Do you own reindeer Mr. Klos? Where are your elves, Mr. Klos? I have heard every one that you can ever think of- believe me."

He couldn't help himself and chuckled along with the man at the incongruity of the name combined with the likeness the man presented. "Ok, I graciously accept the offer of aid. The bus leaves tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I will explain what is going on to the club before you arrive."

***

As he expected, the squad was in an uproar over his choice, "Come on- can't you provide us with any kind of professional management??? This is an outrage- I don't want to be the laughingstock of the SPL!" (this generated a grim smile, since the club was already considered such)

He waited til all the protest had died down, "It is for one match only. I have somebody ready to come and take over as of January 1st, but this *is* the way it will be today."

The man sauntered on to the bus, "I believe you were expecting me," he offered in his deep, rich voice. The squad quieted down in wonder at the man's appearance- so unexpectedly did he fit the image of Santa.

He looked at the man, "Welcome aboard! Sit with me up here and we will go over the travelling squad for the match and you can give me your ideas."

The man sat down quietly in the front and motioned to the bus driver, who sat with mouth agape, "I do believe we need to begin- if we are going to reach Dundee."

***

Mr. Klos sat and read, glancing up occasionally, "Well, that is a fine summary of the travelling squad. You have included your reccommendations on suggested starters and bench for the match- knowing so little about the club, I will accept your suggestions. I am curious if those same players would have been the usual starters for your previous manager."

He winced slightly, "Actually, most of my suggestions have been languishing on the reserve squad. My appreciation of their talents is drastically different than the just-departed Manager's."

"No problem at all son. I just wanted to understand how hungry these players might be- it looks to me like most will be very eager to play- and that is half the battle. Now, I want to read out the lineup to them in the dressing room."

He looked quizzically at the smiling, red-faced man.

"Oh, it is simple enough- I don't mind accepting the blame if things go wrong- after all, I am only caretaker for one match."

***

The players quietly dressed as Mr. Klos read out the lineup card.

"Keeper- Tony Williams, Backline- Ryan Robinson, leftback- Clint Hill- middle, Armando Rego- middle, Brian Watt-right back, Midfield- Jamie Buchan- defensive midfield, Gary Teale- leftside, Nourdin Boukhari- middle, Barry Blackwell- right, Forwards- David Clarke and Paul Shields. Bench- Jimmy Davis, Thomas Fransson, Terry Kidd, Vitaly Lazarev, Andrew Chalmers."

The two travelling journalists were quietly chuckling and muttering as the names were read.

"Williams! He hasn't started a senior game since two seasons ago. Robinson at leftback? He hasn't played anywhere but the midfield ever."

"Look at this- Rego in the middle? He hasn't played a game for us since he came on board and I am certain he has never played anyplace other than rightback. Watt at rightback! He hasn't been off the reserves in two seasons!"

"Buchan? He expects him to cover ground at 35?"

"Well, Teale is also 35- and just as decrepit. Boukhari will probably be injured in the first minutes- he is just back from 3 months off to take care of his knee problem. At least Blackwell is a regular- still surprised that Watford loaned him to us."

"But did you see? He has made Blackwell the skipper? With all those elder statesman out there- he makes the 23 year old loanee the captain!"

"Has Clarke ever played on the senior side? I didn't think so- he benches stalwart Jimmy Davis to play a 20 year old nobody."

"True enough- and Shields hasn't ever played on the Senior side for us."

***

He watched from the private box- fretting as the club warmed up. "What could have possessed me?" as he listened to all the snickering going on in the Dens Park stands. "At least there are precious few of our fans here."

The whistle announced the start of the match and Dundee surged to the attack. Suddenly, Boukhari intercepted a clearing pass and sent the ball to Clarke. The youngster's rocket shot was parried by Dundee keeper Jon Ashwood. Dundee's skipper Mark Fotheringham took the ball past both Boukhari and Teale and crossed to Mark Prunty- only to see Williams leap and snare the cross.

Brian Watt dribbled free on the rightside and sent a long pass down the right for Shields, but was disappointed when Robbie Neilson barely beat Shields to the ball and headed it back upfield. Dundee was awarded a free kick after Buchan was whistled for bumping Fotheringham and Prunty's indirect free kick was blocked away by Buchan. Shields took his long pass and slipped it into Clarke in the area, but Clarke was too eager and whistled for an offside.

The play took a momentary break as Ryan Robinson limped off, clearly laboring with a bad ankle. St.Mirren's caretaker called on young Andrew Chalmers to make his first senior appearance in place of Robinson.

Blackwell did a good job intercepting a crossing pass and pushed the ball out to Teale on the left side. Teale made a short run and laid it back for Boukhari in the middle. Boukhari immediately sent the ball to a rapidly moving Shields. Shields chipped the ball into the area and Clarke dove and deflected it past Ashwood to score in his debut.

He pushed the radio to his ear and listened to the St.Mirren radio crew. "A stunning surprise it is! St. Mirren has taken the lead in a match for the first time in a month! The Dens Park crowd looks a bit shocked to see their boys shaking their heads as they head back for center."

The dressing room was quietly exuberant- they had a lead at halftime. The smiling man took it all in, offering little to the quietly animated discussions between the players. Finally he glanced at the clock, "Another half to play gentlemen! Look for our hosts to be more forceful now."

As the Dundee players came out, their determination was evident. He could hear the crowd quietly commenting about it as he watched them return, "Old Andy (Hessenthaler) must have really lit into them at halftime!"

John Arne Riise keyed the intense Dundee pressing and sent a loose ball out for Fotheringham. Fotheringham headed it down, but Roman Vasilyuk's driving volley skittered off the outside of the post to the groans of the faithful. There were gasps next as a stellar passing sequence saw Clarke chip the ball for Shields- only to see his header sail just over the bar.

There was clear apprehension in the crowd as Brian Watt wended his way past defenders, dribbling down the right side. His smart cross saw Teale leaping and then at the last second Jacob Burns reached the ball before him, desperately pushing the ball. A huge sigh went up in the stands as Burns header hit the crossbar directly and bounced away- an own-goal that would have been disastrous had it gone in.

The fans moved to the edge of their seats as Patrick Agyemang moved through the St.Mirren defense, but Blackwell took the ball away and moved down the pitch on a sensational dribble of his own. His low shot beat Ashwood, but bounced harmlessly off the outside of the post.

Hessenthaler subbed on Swedish wunderkid Emil Jonsson for Vasilyuk to try and jump start the Dundee attack. It seemed to work as young Icelandic defender Arnar Viktorsson went on a long dribble and boomed a rising shot- only to see Williams get a hand on it and push it over the net. Prunty took the corner and lofted an inswinging corner toward the middle. Clint Hill and Stephen Wilcox both jostled in the air for the ball, but it was Wilcox that got his head on the ball and his looping redirection caught Williams on the wrong foot and fell into the net for the equalizer as the Dens Park crowd roared its approval.

St. Mirren jumped to the attack under the quiet urging of its caretaker manager. Buchan's through ball found Blackwell with a step on his defender. Blackwell wrongfooted the ball, but Ashwood was able to reverse course and get fingertips on the ball to push it around the post. Boukhari passed into the area, but Clarke was block tackled by Prunty and the ball skittered back to midfield.

Boukhari again entranced the crowd as he ran past two Dundee midfielders before sending a pass to Shields. Shields wasted little time in crossing to an unattended Clarke. Clarke put a strong head on the ball- only to see Ashwood make the save of the match as he deflected the ball so it sailed just wide of the far post. On Teale's ensuing corner, his lofted ball was hit square by Shields, but Darron Paton (who had just subbed on for Riise) was able to clear it off the goalline before it went in.

Hill earned a yellow card for obstructing Agyemang just outside the area. Agyemang took the dangerously located free kick and hit a booming shot that was slightly deflected by the wall- only to see Williams snare the ball in a brilliant reaction save.

St.Mirren earned a corner and Teale again floated it in. Fotheringham headed the ball to midfield and Jonssson was away- one on one with Rego. Jonsson took it past Rego, but his scorching low blast just missed the far corner of the net. With the time winding down and moving into injury time, St.Mirren staged one more grand passing sequence but Ashwood was in perfect position to snare the header from Shields and the final whistle blew moments later.

The fans stood and gave both clubs a standing ovation at the superbly entertaining match, and left muttering about the spirited effort from down trodden St.Mirren.

***

In the dressing room, there seemed a restored confidence. The player's steps seemed a bit more sprightly with the display of excellent football in the books- even though it hadn't yielded a win.

He watched them, smiling to himself at the renewed vigor of his club.

As they moved out to the team bus, the jolly Mr. Klos resolutely shook each player's hand as they made their way on to the bus. They all thanked him, and a few implored him to consider remaining as manager- but he shook them off with a gentle smile and a good natured wave.

He came close and told the cheery cheeked man, "I can't thank you enough for what you have done- for me, for us. It is too bad that we couldn't win it for you."

The man smiled broadly, "A win is only a momentary thing. What they have received is life long- the understanding that hope and faith can carry you to dizzying heights. I wish you the best in the remainder of this season- and for others to come."

He looked closely at the man, "You aren't coming with us on the bus back?"

Once again the man smiled broadly, "No, I have a ride coming. Thanks anyways- and Happy Holidays."

The man strode off into the swirling snowflakes of a gentle reminder of winter, whistling "Auld Lang Syne."

Faramir · April 13, 2004