THAT ONE SPECIAL DAY

~ Iain Kelly

It started one year, with one child.

‘What do those children get?’ she asked, and her mother told her, ‘Not much.’

The child had some shoes she’d outgrown. She placed them at the gate of the orphanage on Christmas Eve.

The next year more shoes were left. Another year on and bags of clothing appeared. Then secondhand toys.

It became an annual event, every Christmas Eve. The more the media reported it, the more the donations grew.

The children inside the orphanage looked forward to Christmas morning.

Until one child asked, ‘Why do they forget about us on every other day of the year?’

adamickes-childsboots
Copyright Adam Ickes

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Great New Year to all, especially those who have read, liked and commented on my blog throughout the year, and have provided me with endless stories to enjoy in return. And a special mention to all those who have taken the time to buy and read my novel – thank you so much, it means so much to me. Here’s to the next year of blogging fun! Iain.

My new novel, ‘A Justified State,’ is now available in Paperback and on Amazon Kindle.
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download‘a first class read from start to finish’ – reader review
Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Book Depository

Published by Iain Kelly

39 year old writer, avid film viewer and book reader, employed in the media industry as a television editor.

96 thoughts on “THAT ONE SPECIAL DAY”

    1. Thank you Neil, it always does strike me that welcome as one-off charity events and donations are, wouldn’t it be better if we just spread everything about more evenly, all of the time?

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  5. Dear Iain,

    I’ve often asked that question myself. People go out of their way to give the homeless a Christmas dinner and presents. What about the other 364 days? Well done and evocative.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Thank you Rochelle. We have that a lot here too, free meals for the homeless on Christmas Day, free hotel rooms for them on Christmas night – but what about the next day and night?

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  7. Lovely thought and nicely written. I really like the fact that there is no death, no murder and no ghost. “Orphanage” sounds rather old fashioned maybe but so damn true with poverty stricken people in our European countries though.

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    1. Thank you Anshu, imagine we just gave our time, gifts, money without needing a reason or prompting? We should all ask what we can do to help those less fortunate.

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  13. I agree with others to an extent but surely it is not true that such issues are only addressed once a year. There are plenty of big events dedicated to children’s charities in the UK as the year goes around and sometimes, when someone is sadly gone, e.g. George Michael, we discover years of discreet generosity. But I think the idea of the shoes etc. being left every year is lovely and you wrote it beautifully with a beginning that made me think of Christmas straight away.

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    1. Thanks Jilly. There is nothing wrong with giving at Christmas, or for those charity fundraisers, but they always do make me wonder why we (myself included) need an event, or a reminder, in order to give to those less fortunate. Surely if we can afford to do that, we could just do it without needing the prompting, and then we all might be better off all the time.

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      2. Yes, there are plenty out there. I do wonder sometimes at the amount spent on paintings at auctions, fast cars etc.. and think, couldn’t that money be spent better elsewhere.

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    1. Indeed, and nothing wrong with that, it’s just nice to think they could spread that generosity over the whole year. Thanks for your wonderful review of my book Dale, so nice to read 🙂

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      1. Hmm… just saw my comment vanished!
        Yes, it does feel more intense during Christmas…
        And it was my pleasure as I really and truly enjoyed it!

        Liked by 1 person

  18. Ah, yes. Maybe that’s why I get so many requests in the mail all year long. Nicely done, Iain. I am enjoying A Justified State. Almost half way finished. I’ll do a review on my blog when I’m finished 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  29. Thank you, Iain. That is exactly my sentiment, esp during the month of December. Food, clothing, shelter, care: they are needed all year round. Just this one “special” time…arggghhh. You got me with the last line, if you couldn’t tell.

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  30. Such a wonderful story and message, Iain.
    Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to you and your family too.
    Congratulations on the new book. 🙂 very happy for you.

    Liked by 1 person

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  39. Perhaps people are so busy it is not until Christmas that their guilt comes to the surface or else they are just having a clear out before they get new replacements.
    A story that questions people’s motives.

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  45. Somehow this reminds of those charitable videos I see of people surprising others with gifts. The recipient looks sometimes embarrassed, and it feels a bit like self-glorification on the giver’s part. On the whole though, if it encourages other’s to do the same (in a less public manner) then it’s all good.

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  49. The last question throws reality on our face! It is so true – demonstrates that still there are so many unprivileged children, so much poverty.
    We can answer this question only when we would have solved the problems of world hunger and poverty and when all have equal opportunity – childless couples adopt such children and orphans get a family and home…

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