A Christmas Story

Adult Ralph Parker is remembering back to Christmas when he was nine years old living with his parents and younger brother, Randy, in the northern town of Hohman, Indiana. Then largely known as he, he, like most kids, loved Christmas, his favorite time of the year. He often fantasized about things that he knows now would never happen, but that within a kid's mind is totally plausible. That Christmas was memorable for: his contest-obsessed father winning a prize for the first time in his life which would be the bane of Ralphie's mother's existence; his father's seemingly never-ending battle with the furnace in the house and the neighbor's pack of dogs; his mother's attempts to get Randy to eat, he at a stage when he never ate anything voluntarily; Ralphie's changing view toward the Little Orphan Annie radio program and commercial advertising; Ralphie and his friends Schwartz and Flick's changing battle with their primary bullies, Scut Farkus and Grover Dill; the triple dog dare Schwartz issued to Flick; and Ralphie's new relationship with Lifebuoy soap. But most memorable was what he wanted more than anything for Christmas: an official Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun. As it looked increasingly like he was not going to get one, he went about trying to manipulate and outwit those he thought would either be the decision makers or influencers of that gift, namely his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus, even if he was in the form of a less than empathetic department store version.