The rest of the trip to Helen is uneventful,if long.As he pulls onto I-75,Sam runs out of 'P-98'.He turns to 'WYSO',the Yellowsprings NPR station.They are talking to some professor from Oxford about quantum mechanics.

Finding this subject somewhat interesting,if dry,Sam starts to go off into his own little world.Thanksgiving was last Thursday.He is wondering just how he is going to afford any kind of Christmas at all this year,yet alone,one with the new furniture that Bridget wants to have.O-K,needs.

Christmas isn't about Jesus' birth.it is about presents.Or,more exactly,the memory of presents.

There is a small portion in Sam's every day life that always accepts Christ as his savior.Sam wholehearted believes-it is part of his being-that Jesus Christ was born,died,and reborn.He doesn't need Christmas to acknowledge or light this spark.He lives with it.

Sam sees the hustle and bustle of nearly everyone else during the Christmas season-people stressing themselves out to find the right amount of presents-as a way of spreading good cheer.He finds it very Christian for folks to be legitimately putting themselves out by making other people happy.It might be in a cheap artificial way,but to Sam,people giving more then they can afford to give,and doing it at a cost to themselves(be it through stress,overcharged credit card bills,or even just by saying,'Merry Christmas',to a co-worker),very Christian.

And the memories behind this giving stay within a person their whole lives.Most of Sam's personal best memories of Christmas are of the years of him growing up poor,and of one or two presents.But he finds that his best all time favorite recollection is the one after a great Christmas-Eve service.Bridget,Sean,Ryan,Jake and he were exiting the church only to find that it was snowing:hard.How happy his perfectly aged kids were.It was really coming down.Jake actually made snow angels in the middle of the deserted road.

So,it isn't that Sam needs to get the furniture for Bridget.Sam knows there will be fine memories of this year,with or without furniture,because the family is together.But,still,he wishes he could get it for her,anyway.

Sam is amazed that he is already at Exit number 74.He has made good time.He is a half an hour early.He sees the famous golden arches.Sam decides he 'IS' going to have that Breakfast Mac meal.He is even going to sit down inside to enjoy it.

It turns out,that is a wise decision.There is a line at the drive-thru.It is moving steady,but there is no one inside.Sam parks and exists the Focus.

The girl that greets him at the counter,is slightly what Sam's mother would call,'big boned',but,still,young and pretty.She gives Sam a big smile,"Welcome to McDonald's.Would you like to try a Breakfast Mac Meal with the new 'Special'tangy sauce?"

Sam is as excited as a dog wagging his tail.He was originally going to get the original Breakfast Mac.But,now,she has made the special tangy sauce sound soo good,"Yes,thank you.That would be great.And,I'll have a large coffee,please."

"Do you want cream with that?"