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Rodrick let them in. I thought about jumping out the back window and making a run for it, but I'm glad I didn't, because I would've looked like an idiot. It turns out the police weren't there for me at all. They were just there to collect last - minute gifts for the Toy Drive. I thought they might be bluffing and that they were just using the Toy Drive as a way of flushing me out. But I finally worked up the courage to go to the front door, and I even brought a donation with me and tried to act casual.

The police said they couldn't accept a used toy as a donation and that they were only taking new items in their original packaging. I actually think they were just a little freaked out by Alfrendo, because they seemed to leave in a hurry after that. Christmas When I woke up this morning, I couldn't believe it was Christmas and I was in my house with electricity and heat and wasn't on the run from the police. I went downstairs to see if there was anything under the tree, but I was totally shocked to find there weren't any gifts at ALL. At first I thought it was all Santa's Scout's fault and that he'd been running his mouth about the trouble

I've gotten myself into lately. But Mom came downstairs a few minutes later and told me Santa DID come last night and that he left our gifts in the garage. Mom said the snowstorm really messed up Santa's schedule, so he ran out of time to wrap presents and just put them in garbage bags instead. That didn't make a lot of sense to me, but at that point I was relieved to be getting any gifts at all. The rest of the family came downstairs, and Mom said we could have fun reaching in the trash bags and guessing what our gifts were. It wasn't really the same. But I think Dad was pretty happy he didn't have any wrapping paper to clean up.

After I was done with the gifts in the trash bag, Mom handed me a wrapped present that she said was from HER. It was my "Tower of Druids" graphic novel, so I was a little confused. Mom said she felt bad about forging Kenny Centazzo's autograph, so she found out where he was appearing a few weeks ago and got my book signed for real this time. She said she had to wait in line for three hours but she was happy to do it for me.

PLEASE WRITE, "TO MY BIGGEST FAN, GREG." But based on what's written in my book now, I'm guessing Kenny Centazzo didn't hear my name correctly. To my biggest fan, Craig Kenny Centay go Hopefully I can find a rich guy named Craig who's really into graphic novels so I can sell it to him for a pile of cash. Rodrick got a snare drum and some drumsticks, and Manny got a bunch of toys and a pair of sneakers. Even though Mom taught Manny how to tie his shoes

yesterday, it looks like he'd prefer to have her do it for him anyway. After we were done opening presents, Mom said it was time to go to church. I told her we couldn't go because we didn't have any clean clothes to wear, but that's when she pulled out three last gifts. SANTA GOT ALL THREE OF YOU BOYS V - NECK SWEATERS! I really like to spend Christmas in my pajamas, and the second you put on dress clothes, it feels like it's over. So I decided to put my clothes on OVER my pajamas and pick up where I left off once we got