He fidgeted with the Pez dispenser, knowing that, by this time tomorrow it would be full again. Click. Click. Click. Donald Duck’s head nodded, controlled by a grimy thumb.
He would have refilled it, but he'd already spent his dime on a Coke this morning. He earned money by picking up trash, helping check oil, and pumping gas at the Standard station in front of the apartment where he and his mother lived.
He was mostly a good helper, and Sam the owner paid him well; 10 cents a day, and usually it went right back into Sam's cash register for candy.
But not today. Today, he would need no Pez, no Milk Duds, no bubble gum. Those things would be coming tonight for free.
What was Easter about anyway? As far as he knew, it was about eggs, candy, and baskets. Wasn’t there something else though? He strained to remember, his forehead wrinkling from concentration. If there was, he would have to think of it later. Right now he was focused on candy.
Mom had told him the Easter bunny only came if you followed the rules - keep your room clean, don’t talk back, finish your supper - and as the big day drew closer, he had made sure his record was spotless.
It was 9 o’clock. He was pretty smart for a 6-year old, so he knew that was bedtime on the weekend, but Mom wasn’t home yet.
She would occasionally go to a friend's house to visit, leaving him at home with his trusty guard dog, a Chihuahua named Katie. But tonight she was out later than usual.
There were certain rules when it came to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, rules that must not be broken. A big one was the “can’t be awake” rule. He wrinkled his nose, deliberating. Should he go to bed without her there?
He tried to call the friend's number but there was no answer. He walked to the window and peered into the dark.
In the distance, red lights began flashing on the train crossing arm. As he watched it lower into position, he wondered if Fairfield California was at the beginning of the Easter Bunny’s tour, or near the end.
He watched and waited for the train to finish, hoping the headlights he could see flickering between the boxcar wheels were his Mom’s. They were not.
He turned from the window and paced the kitchen. The parrot stirred in his cage, so he offered his finger between the bars to calm him.
If he went to bed now, the Easter Bunny would at least see that he had followed the rules. That made the most sense to him, so he put on his pajamas, brushed his teeth, washed the day’s dirt off his hands, and slipped into bed.
He popped back up quickly, having forgotten an important detail. The milk and carrot!
He poured the milk, but there were no carrots to be found. He looked around for a substitute and, hoping Santa wouldn’t mind, decided a cookie would have to suffice.
He placed the items carefully on the table in plain sight and headed back to bed.
________
He awoke to sunlight streaming through the window. He lingered in bed looking at the ceiling, trying to clear the fog.
His face lit up. It’s Easter!
It was a small house with only one bedroom, so he could easily see that his Mom was sleeping soundly in her bed.
His mind was swimming. Did she make it to bed in time, or was she awake when the bunny arrived? He bounded out of bed and rushed toward the door, then remembered to tip-toe so mom wouldn't wake up.
He imagined how silly he must look, trying to run and tip-toe at the same time, but he knew what waited for him beyond the door.
There would be eggs hidden around the house, a huge basket in the living room, and candy everywhere. It was something he especially enjoyed, the hunt for the eggs. Last year the bunny had taken extraordinary steps to make them hard to find.
He stepped gingerly around the corner and peered into the living room. The basket wasn’t in its usual place. He frowned. Surely the Bunny wouldn’t have hidden the entire basket, but he must have. What a clever idea! This would just add to the fun.
He poked around behind the chair, under the table, and in the bathroom. He slipped down onto his belly to see what might be under the couch.
Nothing there; no basket, no eggs. In a flurry, he ran around the house looking everywhere - under, above, and behind things - and he found nothing.
He folded his arms, thinking. Hmmm…
Under the sink! It was one of the last places he could think of, so surely it would be there.
He ran into the kitchen and dropped to his knees, sliding the last few feet to the cabinet. He peeked in gingerly, wanting to prolong the excitement and surprise he knew was coming.
Nothing. The frown returned as he stood up and walked to the living room. Surely there was a simple explanation, he was pretty confident he had been a good enough boy.
Well, there was that day a few weeks ago when he was late walking home from school. He had stopped at a friend’s house to see his new bike, and Mom was waiting for him on the porch. She was very unhappy with him that day.
Another time, a puppy had followed him home. Truth be told, some coaxing was involved. Mom wasn’t too excited about that either.
Also, he had hidden an unwanted ham and cheese sandwich behind the refrigerator when his mom left the room, and when she returned, he had lied, telling her he’d finished it.
His plan was to return later and properly dispose of the sandwich, but Katie discovered it first, and left pieces of it strewn across the kitchen floor.
It hadn't been his best year after all. He rubbed his chin and realized it was wet, failing to notice the tears rolling down his face.
He wanted to awaken Mom and ask her advice but it was still pretty early, so he curled up on the couch and turned on the television.
An hour later, his mother woke up and walked into the living room in robe and slippers. She noticed the TV was tuned to an Easter church service. She saw the puzzled look on his face and realized what had happened.
She sat down next to him and struggled for answers to his questions. Sometimes, she said, the Easter Bunny just forgets. Sometimes he runs out of candy and has to finish the next night. It could be a hundred different things, but she was sure it wasn’t because he was a bad boy.
He was doubtful the Easter Bunny would forget him, he never had before. And, he’s never been known to run out of candy. How could she be sure it wasn’t about the sandwich, or the puppy?
She sensed his confusion and hugged him, which cheered him up a little. If she was right, he thought, Easter goodies will probably come tonight.
He got dressed, brushed his teeth, and headed to the Standard station. His friend Sam could probably use his help on a busy holiday like Easter. Today's dime would go toward refilling his Pez dispenser, just in case.