The Story of Grinchita
Grinchita wasn’t very old when she was set out to fend for herself. But it didn’t matter. She knew she had to go. She may have to hide in the the shadows until she was fifty-seven-and-a-half years old, but she would find her destiny. And it certainly wasn’t staying in this wretched town.
She didn’t know how she got there, but she knew how to get out. She knew she had a family somewhere looking for her… Or maybe she didn’t. But it didn’t matter. She had to find a way out of this place.
She was only six when she heard tales of that “crotchety old Grinch,” who lived just northwest of Bobtoville. She had been sitting in the corner of the school yard, trying to write a story about all the Bobs being killed by a mystery axe-murderer.
She didn’t like the Bobs very much. She didn’t have any friends. Well, she made a few of them, but her green-ness she was sure scared them away. Or perhaps not. Who knew. But they called her mean names, terrible names. She was so furry and green, and with those big gray eyes… she looked so out of place. But where could she go? She was only now being kept in a household that didn’t want her—what a sin, having such a creature in their living space. But they had a care.
It was two days to Christmas Eve, and everyone was chattering about gifts and cards. Grinchita sat alone and did independent things, rather than unsocial. The Bob girls passes her with scowls, snarls tied onto their lips. Grinchita just frowned and looked sadly at her work. The Bob boys just glared at her and then made some fun of her greenish looks.
There was only one boy Grinchita was fond of and that was Jerrel Jay, much of an outcast himself. He was quite loud and liked to make people laugh, but when it came right down to it, he didn’t really have many friends. He smiled at her sometimes, warmly she thought, not a mocking one. He never really spoke to her. She didn’t blame him. For who could ever come to care for a grinch?
“Doris says he lives on top of Mt. Crumpit,” said that horrible Suzy Sue. Grinchita thought there might have been more to that statement, but she wasn’t paying attention till Suzy said, “big, green, hairy—like that bearded girl!”
Grinchita’s long fuzzy eyebrows furrowed. She pretended not to hear, but she could feel Suzy and her friends looking at her, giggling.
“My mommy says that that awful girl is related to him!”
“Gross!” exclaimed Wendy Dear. The others agreed.
“He HATES Christmas,” Suzy went on half-disgusted, half-enjoying. “He tortures anyone who goes up on Mt. Crumpit. My cousin lives in Whoville. SHE went to see him and that nasty old Grinch attacked her and—“
“Well if your cousin is anything like you I don’t blame him!” Grinchita suddenly snarled, quick to her feet. She felt extremely offended by her tales. He must have a perfectly good reason for not liking the Whos.
Suzy raised her eyebrows. “I’m sorry, do you have something to say?”
“I’ve already said what I wanted! You keep your nose out of everyone else’s business, you stuffed-up scumball!”
Suzy Sue sighed and quite frankly just slapped Grinchita across the face. Grinchita growled and her felt her cheek. It didn’t really hurt. Just the action… “Snob!” Grinchita last snarled and stomped out of that schoolroom and marched away.
She spent Christmas Eve with her foster Bob parents. She liked Christmas. She liked to play in the snow and build snowman, and she liked to eat at the Feast. But she did it all alone. No one wanted to play with her. She didn’t want to play with any of them. They would only make fun of her. So she just stayed alone, away from everyone. She sat in the cold and the next day she went back to school, back to the taunts and irritation.
And her patience wore thin. She could always ignore them, but she was beginning to think it was time for a new plan. She was only seven, but the more stories she heard of this nasty Grinch, the more she liked him. The Grinch was just misunderstood. She was sure of it. So he lived atop Mt. Crumpit? Fine. That’s where she would go, as soon as she found away.
In the mean time, her fuse was lit and burning with every Bob that passed my her. In school her grades were fine but she was so miserable and angry Everytime she dared look up from her work, someone snickered or said something nasty. And worse, sometimes she did too.
Suzy Sue didn’t like her any better. In facy, Suzy Sue hated her worse. She got Grinchita in trouble any time she could, and no one was on her side, so she always go in trouble. She had no defense. No one believed her. But one day, she told Suzy exactly what she was going to do.
“Hah, you’re a stupid green bearded girl with no sensibility, passion or intelligence. My mommy says that you’re just roadkill come back.”
Bitterness swept through Grinchita. “Your mommy talks too much.”
Suzy glared. “Yeah, well at least I have a mommy!”
That Grinchita’s eyes flared red. “I don’t care! I have some family, and his name is The Grinch--!”
“Grinchita, we don’t talk about him in here—“ said the teacher worriedly and softy.”
“—Well I do! And one day I’m gonna find him and you’ll all see! Especially you, SUZANNE SUE!”
Grinchita spent the rest of that week outside, writing “I will not speak of the Grinch” 10,000 times. But she didn’t care. She had scared them. And told the truth. She didn't like being in there anyway. It was much prettier out here. She could almost see Mt. Crumpit on top of her little hill.
She didn’t really go to school anymore. She was usually sent to do some sort of work, for her constant talk of The Grinch got her into too much trouble. So they sent her to serve. It was good for her character, they said. Yeah, okay.
Whenever someone said something nasty to her she said something nasty back. She had gotten in a fist fight with Carrie Cath and Lilly Lyn four times. Carrie wasn’t very big and neither was Lilly, so she usually one the fight and lost everything else.
And this is how life was. She quietly plottend through the days how she would escape. But she didn’t really know. How could she slip out? Did she even need to? They wouldn’t miss her. She would be alone… but what did that matter, she always had been.
She was nine years old that Christmas Jerrel Jay brought his dog in for show in tell. Grinchita was out cleaning the school grounds, but she liked dogs. They never minded that she was green. So she took a peek inside.
She knew Jerrel saw her, but he didn’t say anything. He just kept showing his dog about.
“What an ugly mutt!” Suzy Sue snarled.
“I agree! Get that flea-bitten thing out of here!” Carrie Cath added.
Jerrel glared at her, and then nodded to Suzy. “I would but she’s a student!”
“Ugh! I never—“
“I’m sure you haven’t.”
“You wanna know what I think of you and your dog, Jerrel Jay Bob?” She picked up a yard stick from beside the teacher’s desk, and in a flash it was raised above her head, and Grinchita interluded and used all her strength to lift the yard stick away.
“Ugh! It’s YOU!”
“Get away from Jerrel and his dog. Now,” Grinchita growled.
“Oo, standing up for Jerrel and his poor ittle doggie?” Suzy laughed.
“Get away,” she repeated firmly, a snarl across her lips.
Just then, the dog gave a painful whimper.
Grinchita looked at the dog and then to Jerrel. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I was just getting to that part—she’s going to have puppies.”
Grinchita smacked her hand on her forehead. “This isn’t happening… Whyyyy do I get involved…?”
“She’s having puppies?!” Lilly Lyn cried out. “Icky! Get her away!”
“I think I might be able to help,” Grinchita said, ignoring Lilly.
Five puppies. And they were so adorable, everyone agreed. Except for Suzy and her little crew.
“I think they’re just as wretched as their mother. They’ll grow up to be just like her.
“Can’t you mind your own damn business for once? Jerrel Jay think they’re cute, and that’s all that really matters. I hate to break this to you, but your opinion really doesn’t count.”
“How dare you…”
“How dare I WHAT?”
“I’ll… I’ll tell you WHAT!!!!” Before Grinchita could even blink Suzy made a quick slap and knocked every single one of those newborn bundles of fuzz off the long table Jerrel has put his little beagle/terrier mutt on to give birth.
Most student gasped. “There!” Suzy snapped.
“You…” And the next thing anyone knew, Suzanne Sue Bob had a big ripe black eye, a sore lip and an awful bloody nose. Grinchita was certain she had never produced such anger.
Grinchita quietly gather up the dying puppies in her arms and wrapped them in the blood towl. The teacher had ahold of her, struggling to take her back, to get her away. But Grinchita was too strong. Adrenilin rushed through her and she know she must help Jerrel with his puppies before she escaped.
“Come on, Grinchi,” Jerrel whispered. “This way.” They hurried quickly out onto the cold, icy ground, and disappeared behind the snow hills. No one knew where they went.
Jerrel lived in a tiny shack at the edge of Bobtoville with seven brothers, two sisters and his parents. The place was shabby and dimly lit with candles. But when they hurried in the house, his parents were bustling about the house with big bright smiles, and his two youngest brothers and both his little sisters were helping a big, all of them smiling. The sisters were bickering about something, but all in fun.
Grinchita envied this household. They were so poor, and their living quarters so shabby. But their house was filled with warmth and sparkling silver and red candles, garland strung about, mistletoe, and thought there was no television, stereo or anything fancy, there was an old record player playing sweet Christmas songs.
“Mom, Dad! Sweetey had her puppies!” Jerrel forced cheerful voicing.
“Oh she did? That’s wonderful, dear! But in school?”
“Yes… five…”
“Well let’s see them, dear! Johnny, won’t you put on some warm milk?”
“Of course Allie.”
“But Mom…” Jerrel sighed glumly. “I think they’re all going to die.”
The woman gasped and went pale. “But… Jerrel… we’ve never had a litter…” Suddenly she noticed Grinchita and tripped backwards a little. “Jerrel—“
“Her name’s Grinchita. She’s my friend.”
Whoa. Grinchita smiled for real for the first time. All her other grins were in terrorizing, sarcasm and spite. But Jerrel Jay Bob just called her, Grinchita, his friend.
“She stopped that wretched Suzy Sue from hurting Sweetey. And she helped her give birth.”
“I thought I warned you about picking on other Bobs…?”
Grinchita was rocking the tiny pups in her arms, but she knew it was too late. She knew they couldn’t save them.
“Jerrel,” she said hoarsely. “We’re too late. We’re just too late.”
Jerrel frowned, and tears welled in the corner of his eyes. Grinchita set the puppies down in the firelight, which she stood just out of. She involuntarily hid in the shadows after so many years of taunt and torture.
“I can’t stay, Jerrel,” she whispered. “I can’t stay in Bobtoville.”
“Can’t you just stay here for awhile…?”
“No… I must go somewhere else. People here don’t like me. You’d all be better without me.”
Jerrel nodded. “I understand. But won’t you take something with you?”
Grinchita looked at him curiously. What did he mean?”
Jerrel lifted a puppy from the fallen litter. A puppy that was actually breathing. “Please, take her with you.”
“But she’s the only one left…”
“Please. I want you to have her. And take care of her. She’ll die without you.”
“But you can take better care of her than a grinch like me…”
“No. You need her. Please take her.”
Grinchita’s long, furry green fingers gently took a hold of the cimmanom-furred puppy. She was barely breathing, and need nursing quick.
“But how? It’s the middle of winter…” she set the little dear up to her mother so she could get nice, warm nourishment in her.
“The Magic of Christmas. You’ll find your way.”
Grinchita stayed the night. Jerrel’s mother gave her a backpack filled with sweet cakes and cookies, and dozens of bottles of milk. Three big warm blankets, which she showed Grinchita how to roll into a small ball. The family secret she had said with a wink. She made a little sweater for the puppy and Grinchita. The puppy’s had a little cinnamon gingerbread man on it and Grinchita’s had a pretty peppermint candy cane.
Christmas Eve was a time for warmth and joy, but the snow was bitter cold as Jerrel opened the door for her. “You and Cliffer be careful.”
“We will. Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me. I think you deserve a friend.”
“The Magic of Christmas?”
“I hope so.”
“Maybe someday I’ll see you again…”
Jerrel shook his head and smiled. “Merry Christmas Grinchita.”
She shook the words out: “Merry Christmas, Jerrel Jay Bob.”
And that face of Jerrel Jay was last Bob face she ever saw again. Ever.
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