NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This scene takes place a few months after the events of the story.
True is walking through a music store, when she stops and looks at a CD.
TRUE O'BRIEN (as Paige): “Christmas Wishes, by Jack Deveraux, Jr.”.
She looks at the back of the CD, reading each title. She goes up to the cash register, pays for the CD, then leaves. She walks out to her car. She gets in, unwraps the CD and puts it in. The first song begins.
CASEY MOSS (as J.J., over the speaker): Met my old lover in the grocery store/The snow was falling Christmas Eve/I stood behind her in the frozen foods/And I touched her on the sleeve. She didn't recognize the face at first/But then her eyes flew open wide/She went to hug me and she spilled her purse /And we laughed until we cried
True put her hand over her mouth.
TRUE O'BRIEN (as Paige): No way!
CASEY MOSS (as J.J., over the speaker): We took her groceries to the check out stand/The food was totaled up and bagged/We stood there lost in our embarrassment/As the conversation dragged/Went to have ourselves a drink or two/But couldn't find an open bar/We bought a six-pack at the convenience store /And we drank it in her car. We drank a toast to innocence/We drank a toast to now/Tried to reach beyond the emptiness/But neither one knew how. She said she'd married her an architect/Who kept her warm and safe and dry/She would have liked to say she loved the man/But she didn't like to lie. I said the years had been a friend to her/And that her eyes were still as blue/But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I/Saw doubt or gratitude. She said she saw me in the record stores/And that I must be doing well/I said the audience was heavenly/But the traveling was Hell. We drank a toast to innocence/We drank a toast to now/Tried to reach beyond the emptiness/But neither one knew how. We drank a toast to innocence/We drank a toast to time/Reliving, in our eloquence/Another "Auld Lang Syne". The drinks were empty and our tongues were tired/And running out of things to say/She gave a kiss to me as I got out/And I watched her drive away. Just for a moment I was back at school/And felt that old familiar pain/And, as I turned to make my way back home/The snow turned into rain...
A tear went down True's face.
SOUNDTRACK
“
Same Old Lang Syne” by Dan Fogelberg
“
A Soldier's Silent Night” by Fr. Ted Brendt
“
Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses
INTRODUCTION
ANDRE DIMERA (Writer): One of the best things about Christmas, in my opinion, is the music. I absolutely love Christmas music. There's just so much of it out there. There's all kinds. Probably my all time favorite Christmas song ever, the one I could listen to over and over again is “Same Old Lang Syne” by Dan Fogelberg.
THE STORY
ANDRE DIMERA: So, I adapted that song into a story. Remember when I said that “Long Black Veil” was a guinea pig? Well, this was what is was a test pilot for. In order to portray the story properly, though, I had to have somebody who was a musician as well as part of a couple. And, then I thought, “J.J. plays the guitar, and he and Paige are kind of a thing”. So, I moved the story forward five years into the future and ran with it.
CASEY MOSS (Jack “J.J.” Deveraux, Jr.): I like the idea of J.J. being a traveling musician. I could totally see him doing that someday. Working with True (O'Brien) on this was great, especially since, this was supposed to be five years later on for these characters. And, although they are broken up, we don't really know what happened. We see a little bit of it, but we never ge the full story. And, I kind of like that. It's open to the viewer to decide what happened to them.
TRUE O'BRIEN (Paige Larson): Paige isn't really in a great place when we meet her in this story. She's married, but she married more for financial stability than love. Which, I think, is sad. Casey (Moss) was great in this story! I just loved doing this! It was awesome! Plus, I loved when Casey sang the song. It's a great song!
ANDRE DIMERA: The story is also adapted from a poem that gets frequent airplay on the radio. “A Soldier's Silent Night”, written by Lance Corporal James Schmidt and recorded by Father Ted Brendt. I chose Philip to be the main player for this story, because he had a big storyline in the past in which he was stationed in Iraq.
JAY KENNETH JOHNSON (Philip Kiriakis): It's a very touching poem. It's just beautiful. I loved making an adaptation of that. It was nice to see even a small scene of Philip's time overseas. Plus, I think it's kinda cool that he taught Santa Claus a little bit about Christmas. It was such a great story, and I feel very honored to have been part of it.
ANDRE DIMERA: I had Casey record “Same Old Lang Syne”, as you will have heard above. So, to be fair, and because I wanted to see what it would sound like, I had Jay (Kenneth Johnson) make a recording of “A Soldier's Silent Night”. I hope you enjoy it. And tune in tomorrow to hear what's coming in the future.
Jay sat on a bed.
JAY KENNTH JOHNSON (as Philip): 'Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone. In a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone. I had come down the chimney, with presents to give; to see just who in this dwelling did live. I looked all around, a strange sight to see. No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stockings on the mantel, just boots filled with sand. On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands. Medals and badges, awards of every kind. A sobering thought came alive in my mind. This house was different, it was dark, it was dreary. I had found the home of a soldier, I could see that most clearly. The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone. Curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home. His face was so gentle, the room in such disorder; not at all how I picture the United States soldier. Was this the hero of whom I'd just read? Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed? Then I realized the other families that I saw this night, owed their lives to soldiers, who were willing to fight. In the morning 'round the world, children would play. Grown ups would celebrate a bright Christmas day. But they all enjoyed freedom, each month of the year, because of soldiers like the one lying here. I couldn't help wonder how many lay alone, on a cold Christmas Eve, in a lands far from home. The very thought brought a tear to my eye. I dropped to my knees and started to cry. The soldier awakened, I heard his rough voice, "Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice. I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps.". The soldier rolled over, and drifted to sleep, but I couldn't control it, I continued to weep. I kept watch for hours so silent and still, as both of us shivered from the cold night's chill. I didn't want to leave him on that cold dark night. This guardian of honor so willing to fight. Then the soldier rolled over, and in a voice soft and pure, he whispered,"Carry on, Santa. It's Christmas Day. All's secure.". One look at my watch and I knew he was right. Merry Christmas my friend, may God bless you this night.
