By Zarek A Dragon

This story is based off the song Touch of the Master's Hand. In fact, the first paragraph is a paraphrase of the start of the song.

Grandpa Carson lost his home because he could not afford the property tax. As such, the county auctioned it off along with the contents inside.

As the auction was winding down, there was one item left. It was battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it was hardly worth his while to waste much time on the old violin, but he held it up with a smile. "Folks, she don't look like much, but it's all we have left, I reckon we ought to sell it too." Then he asked, "Who's got a bid on this old violin? When it's gone, we're through."

Charlie didn’t have much, but that violin belonged to his grandfather. "I'll give you a dollar for it," he called out.

A lady called out, "Two dollars."

Charlie counted out the number of ones he had, "Three dollars, but it's all I have."

"Who will make it four, just one dollar more?" No one wanted to beat the boy for just a measly dollar. "Going once for three dollars."

As the auctioneer was about to say going twice, a grayed-haired man came forward. He blew dust off the violin, tightened its strings and played out an angelic tune.

A man called out, "I'll give you one thousand dollars for it." As another man offered two thousand, Charlie cried, "I really wanted your old violin, Grandpa."

Grandpa held up his hand, "Three thousand."

"Three thousand, once... Three thousand, twice…"

A local businessman called out, "Four thousand dollars."

Everyone was quiet as Charlie cried into his grandfather's stomach. "I'm sorry, Charlie, but three thousand was all I had to spend."

"Sold to Mr. Prescott for four thousand dollars."

Mr. Prescott approached Charlie and Grandpa. "Will you two come with me?"

Grandpa wasn’t sure why they were following the guy who outbid him, they just did.

After he paid for the violin, he knelt down to look Charlie in his eyes. "Can you tell me why you wanted this beat up violin so badly?"

"Yes, sir," Charlie explained, "it was my grandfather's, and I was hoping he'd teach me how to play."

"I see," Mr. Prescott responded. "I believe you offered three dollars for it. Do you have that three dollars?"

Charlie pulled his three ones out and showed them to Mr. Prescott. Mr. Prescott looked at Charlie, "We have the Christmas pageant in five months. Do you think you could learn to play a Christmas song by then?"

"Any Christmas song?" Charlie asked.

Mr. Prescott nodded, "Which ever one you want. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but if you promise to do that, I will sell you this old violin for your three dollars."

With a big smile on his face, Charlie handed his three dollars over. Grandpa asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Mr. Prescott replied, "Do you remember Evelyn Prescott?"

"Oh yes," Grandpa averred. "I was planning to marry her, but she started gaining weight and the family moved away. Carolyn always knew I truly loved Evelyn, but she never said a word to me about it."

"Can I come by your home and talk with you and your family tomorrow?"

That night, Grandpa went to sleep and passed peacefully in his sleep. When Mr. Prescott came by, he found out the news.  Grandpa had written a note and placed it in an envelope "for Matthew Prescott." When Mr. Prescott arrived, he was given the envelope. He read, "Matthew, when Evelyn left, I suspected she was pregnant, probably with you. That would mean you are my son. I wish I had known earlier but am at peace with the fine young man you've become. Love, Dad, I think."

Matthew Prescott wept upon reading the note. "He had figured it out and wished he had known sooner."

"So, Grandpa was your daddy?" Charlie asked.

"He was, so I want to dedicate your song to honor him. Have you picked out a song yet?"

"Grandpa and my favorite Christmas song is O' Holy Night."

Matthew Prescott reached for the violin, then asked, "May I?" With Charlie's permission, he played the song perfectly, then offered, "Would you like me to teach you how to play it?"

Before Matthew Prescott left, Charlie's dad approached him. "I thought you should know that Dad really loved your mother. He was heartbroken when she left, and my mom picked him back up. She told me that she knew she was always his second choice, but he never once treated her as such. He treated her with the love that he had meant for Evelyn. Your mom must have been a very special lady, Brother."

Matthew smiled, "I guess we are brothers, maybe only half brothers, but there are two of us, and two halves make a whole." Daniel Carson laughed at Matthew's logic and hugged his brother.

Five months later…

Matthew Prescott was standing on the pageant stage. "This next tune will be played by Charlie Carson. He is dedicating it to his grandfather, my father. If he doesn’t have a problem with it, I would like to accompany him with my voice." Charlie gave Matthew a big smile.

You could tell Charlie worked hard to perfect the song. He played it flawlessly. When the song was finished, Matthew tearfully announced, "He only started playing the violin five months ago, yet played O' Holy Night to perfection. He told me that it was his and his grandpa's favorite Christmas song. I know Grandpa Carson is smiling at Charlie tonight."

As the crowd cheered, Charlie looked up with a tear coming out of his eye, "I love you, Grandpa."

Merry Christmas!!!