"Jessie" A Christmas Story

[dennis00]

This tale has about 50 I before E words that follow the rule, I before E except after C or when sounded like A as in neighbor and weigh, and one word that is the exception. It doesn't follow the rule. Your mission, if you accept it, is to add more I befor E words, and to find the exceptional word.
My neighbors friendly niece, Jessica -Jessie-, can't believe that a sleigh loaded with freight, driven by an overweight senior citizen and pulled by eight reindeer can land on her families roof without shaking the chandelier hanging from their dining room ceiling. Last Christmas Eve she balanced some jellie-bellies on it's wings. The were still there when she woke up on Christmas morning,
This year, Jess thinks she will wrap up in her grannie's ancient eiderdown quilt and sit out on one of the balconies and watch for Santa all night. But, alas, she falls asleep after the Chrismas Eve festivities and wakes up on Christmas morning next to the fireplace, wrapped up in the quilt. The piece of pie she left for Santa and the cookies she left for his animals are gone and in their place is a note from Santa, written in what she recognizes as her dad's handwriting, thanking her for the treats. Under the tree is a doll that cries the tiniest tears you ever did see for her and a Big red fire engine with a ladder that reaches a height of three feet for her brother. One of his kitties has already discovered the top of the truck is a fine place to stretch out and take a nap.
Jessie thinks, Why did my dad write the note? Why didn't Santa write it himself? Maybe he was to busy? AND THEN IT COMES TO HER. Jessie knows why she has never been able to see Santa Claus. Because she has been looking in the wrong place. She knows he doesn't live at the North Pole and ride around in a sleigh and slide down the chimney. She knows that when the Christmas tree turns to brown needles and the twinkly lights are put away, when winter snow turns to spring rain and the flowers bloom an the trees leaves get born, and when the summer sun scorches her and makes her perspire. and when fall turns the Autumn leaves red and gold and when the rain turns to snow again and the Christmas lights come back out, through all this year, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are living right there in her house giving her and her brother presents. They get meals on the table, a roof over their head, clothes to wear and a warm bed to sleep in during the peaceful quiet of a child's night. She knows that she and her little brother live with Santa and Mrs. Clause. Yes, Jessie tells herself, their really is a Santa and a Mrs. Clause. They are my MOM and DAD.

Merry Christmas DU mom's and dad's from dennis00.