A Christmas Story

On 145th Street, someone started a rumor about Mother Fletcher being over 90 years old. If someone wanted to know about the 20's they'd turn to Mother Fletcher with questions, she seemed to know everything. William Michael O'Brien, a patrolman, heard about her before meeting her three months later. O'Brien was patrolling by foot, and went to stop by the shopkeepers to share a few words when he was told by a little girl that Mother Fletcher was sick, she needed an ambulance. 

In 145th Street, its practically impossible to get a doctor who does house calls. He went with the girl who told him about Mother Fletcher to her apartment. It was small, but cleaner then clean. Mother Fletcher was sitting up-right in her bed, O'Brien has never seen a black person before. He asked her what the problem was, but she didn't know. Then he asked her age, she said, "Full grown", rather then her exact age. Mother Fletcher was mysterious. He called an ambulance and they carried her out of her apartment. 

After the incident, O'Brien received a package from Mother Fletcher. The package was a sweater, for him. The Lieutenant told him about Mother Fletcher, that she made sweaters for those who are kind to her. O'Brien took the sweater, and when he made his round on 145th Street he stopped by Mother Fletcher's apartment to thank her for the sweater she made for him. As he thanked her, he mentioned he had a wife and daughter, he was trying to get her to make them sweaters as well. 

Months passed and O'Brien started learning more about Mother Fletcher. He would run into her every now and then. He would write everything she said, trying to put together her exact age. Christmas was around the corner, and Mother Fletcher was throwing a little dinner and invited O'Brien and his family. When he went home that night he told his wife she invited them, but he didn't want to go. He thought Harlem was a bad city and didn't want anything bad to happen to them. But Kathy, his wife, and his daughter, Meaghan, convinced him to take them. They went to dinner at Mother Fletchers house, and had their Christmas dinner.