conversations.from: human
conversations.value: a plot for a book about Nathan, Robert, Christmas entitled The Christmas Shoes
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The Christmas Shoes (film): The film has several intertwined plot lines: One story is about a driven, workaholic lawyer named Robert Layton and the impact of his job on his marriage to Kate, and to his relationship with his daughter Lily.\nAnother is about Robert\'s mother Ellen, and her friendly neighbor Dalton who is a teacher at Nathan and Lily\'s school.\nThe main story is about Maggie Andrews and her terminal illness, and how her family (small businessman husband Jack and young son Nathan) deals with the impending loss.\nAll stories are linked together.\nThe story opens with Robert visiting the cemetery shortly before Christmas.\nHe sees a younger man wearing a Boston Red Sox Cap visiting another grave.\nWe flash back.\nRobert is leaving his office and notices a delivery truck driving away.\nHe sees that a box has fallen out of the back of the truck and opens up the box to find a pair of red brocade shoes with gold trim.\nAfter repeatedly failing to remember to take the shoes to Wilsons Store, Robert finally returns the shoes to Tom Wilson, the owner of Wilsons.\nOutside the store, Robert\'s car won\'t start and Tom tells him about a great repair shop run by Jack.\nNext, we see an increasingly tired Maggie and eventually learn that she has congestive heart failure due to a virus and is now in need of a transplant.\nAs Maggie gets weaker, Kate takes over Maggie\'s volunteer job directing the local school choir during the Christmas season.\nOne day, Nathan overhears his mother telling Kate how she and Jack met at a dance studio, and how every year on their anniversary they would to go dancing.\nNathan now knows that he wants to get his mom a very special pair of dancing shoes for Christmas.\nHe goes to Wilsons store and finds a beautiful pair of red Christmas shoes he just knows his mom will love.\nthe same shoes Robert returned to Wilsons store.\nNathan set out to save the money to buy the shoes by collecting soda pop cans after his dad tells him each is worth a nickel.\nDalton helps care for Nathan after school and takes him to meet his neighbor Ellen.\nEllen gives Nathan her son\'s old Red Sox Cap.\nShe then takes Robert\'s old lunch box and writes Robert a note to place inside.\nMaggie does not receive her heart transplant because the heart was tested to have Hepatitis By the time they find another heart she will be too ill to undergo the operation.\nMaggie decides to go home to die.\nEllen sees Dalton loading large bags filled with empty soda pop cans into his trunk.\nEllen tells Dalton that she is going to leave the outside Christmas light on for a while.\nThe next morning the lights are still on and Dalton discovers that Ellen has died.\nLater when Dalton is walking with Nathan, he tells Nathan that his wife died 11 years ago.\nHe tells Nathan to cross over to an alley, where Nathan finds a large number of empty soda pop cans.\nNathan runs out of the house to Wilson\'s Department Store - only to find the door locked.\nRobert is late, as usual, going to Wilson\'s to pick up gifts for his wife and daughter.\nTogether they get the store clerk to open the door, which we find out "sometimes locks itself".\nWhen Nathan runs to the counter in front of Robert to pay for the shoes, the very rude clerk tells him he does not have enough money to pay for them.\nRobert standing behind him overhears the clerk tell Nathan he does not have enough money to buy the shoes and sees Nathan get very upset.\nRobert asks Nathan what is going on.\nNathan explains that he wants the shoes for his mom, for whom this will be her last Christmas, so that she will be beautiful in heaven.\nAfter hearing the story, Robert pays the balance of the money needed.\nNathan thanks Robert, and runs all the way back to his house.\nRobert leaves the store without the gifts, realizing that being with his family is the greatest gift he can give them.\nHis car won\'t start again and asks Tom Wilson to give him a ride.\nTom asks him if he is going to the Christmas concert.\nRobert says yes and Tom tells him it is at a new location.\nMeanwhile, Nathan gives his mom the shoes.\nShe says they are the most beautiful shoes she has ever seen.\nRobert and Tom arrive at the new location for the Christmas concert and meet Katie and Lily.\nThe concert is in front of the Andrews home where they are caroling for Maggie.\nAfter the vigil, a group of Robert\'s clients thank Robert for all he is doing for them and giving them hope at Christmas.\nRobert and Katie reconcile.\nThe family sees the light go off in Maggie\'s room.\nLater, Robert sees the package his mom Ellen had sent, and reads the note inside.\nShe would be happy to know he is making time for his family just as she wanted for Robert.\nWe flash forward to present time at the cemetery.\nRobert tells the younger man that he likes his Boston Red Sox Cap.\nAfter the younger man leaves, Robert sees the red shoes on the grave the young man was visiting.\nHe realizes who he is and calls after him, but he has already driven off.\nRobert smiles to himself.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Add another sentence about \nOn, Christmas, Eve, bed, dying.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The Christmas Shoes (film): The film has several intertwined plot lines: One story is about a driven, workaholic lawyer named Robert Layton and the impact of his job on his marriage to Kate, and to his relationship with his daughter Lily. \nAnother is about Robert\'s mother Ellen, and her friendly neighbor Dalton who is a teacher at Nathan and Lily\'s school. \nThe main story is about Maggie Andrews and her terminal illness, and how her family (small businessman husband Jack and young son Nathan) deals with the impending loss. \nAll stories are linked together. \nThe story opens with Robert visiting the cemetery shortly before Christmas. \nHe sees a younger man wearing a Boston Red Sox Cap visiting another grave. \nWe flash back. \nRobert is leaving his office and notices a delivery truck driving away. \nHe sees that a box has fallen out of the back of the truck and opens up the box to find a pair of red brocade shoes with gold trim. \nAfter repeatedly failing to remember to take the shoes to Wilsons Store, Robert finally returns the shoes to Tom Wilson, the owner of Wilsons. \nOutside the store, Robert\'s car won\'t start and Tom tells him about a great repair shop run by Jack. \nNext, we see an increasingly tired Maggie and eventually learn that she has congestive heart failure due to a virus and is now in need of a transplant. \nAs Maggie gets weaker, Kate takes over Maggie\'s volunteer job directing the local school choir during the Christmas season. \nOne day, Nathan overhears his mother telling Kate how she and Jack met at a dance studio, and how every year on their anniversary they would to go dancing. \nNathan now knows that he wants to get his mom a very special pair of dancing shoes for Christmas. \nHe goes to Wilsons store and finds a beautiful pair of red Christmas shoes he just knows his mom will love. \nthe same shoes Robert returned to Wilsons store. \nNathan set out to save the money to buy the shoes by collecting soda pop cans after his dad tells him each is worth a nickel. \nDalton helps care for Nathan after school and takes him to meet his neighbor Ellen. \nEllen gives Nathan her son\'s old Red Sox Cap. \nShe then takes Robert\'s old lunch box and writes Robert a note to place inside. \nMaggie does not receive her heart transplant because the heart was tested to have Hepatitis By the time they find another heart she will be too ill to undergo the operation. \nMaggie decides to go home to die. \nEllen sees Dalton loading large bags filled with empty soda pop cans into his trunk. \nEllen tells Dalton that she is going to leave the outside Christmas light on for a while. \nThe next morning the lights are still on and Dalton discovers that Ellen has died. \nLater when Dalton is walking with Nathan, he tells Nathan that his wife died 11 years ago. \nHe tells Nathan to cross over to an alley, where Nathan finds a large number of empty soda pop cans. \nOn Christmas Eve, while Maggie is home in her bed dying. \nNathan runs out of the house to Wilson\'s Department Store - only to find the door locked. \nRobert is late, as usual, going to Wilson\'s to pick up gifts for his wife and daughter. \nTogether they get the store clerk to open the door, which we find out "sometimes locks itself". \nWhen Nathan runs to the counter in front of Robert to pay for the shoes, the very rude clerk tells him he does not have enough money to pay for them. \nRobert standing behind him overhears the clerk tell Nathan he does not have enough money to buy the shoes and sees Nathan get very upset. \nRobert asks Nathan what is going on. \nNathan explains that he wants the shoes for his mom, for whom this will be her last Christmas, so that she will be beautiful in heaven. \nAfter hearing the story, Robert pays the balance of the money needed. \nNathan thanks Robert, and runs all the way back to his house. \nRobert leaves the store without the gifts, realizing that being with his family is the greatest gift he can give them. \nHis car won\'t start again and asks Tom Wilson to give him a ride. \nTom asks him if he is going to the Christmas concert. \nRobert says yes and Tom tells him it is at a new location. \nMeanwhile, Nathan gives his mom the shoes. \nShe says they are the most beautiful shoes she has ever seen. \nRobert and Tom arrive at the new location for the Christmas concert and meet Katie and Lily. \nThe concert is in front of the Andrews home where they are caroling for Maggie. \nAfter the vigil, a group of Robert\'s clients thank Robert for all he is doing for them and giving them hope at Christmas. \nRobert and Katie reconcile. \nThe family sees the light go off in Maggie\'s room. \nLater, Robert sees the package his mom Ellen had sent, and reads the note inside. \nShe would be happy to know he is making time for his family just as she wanted for Robert. \nWe flash forward to present time at the cemetery. \nRobert tells the younger man that he likes his Boston Red Sox Cap. \nAfter the younger man leaves, Robert sees the red shoes on the grave the young man was visiting. \nHe realizes who he is and calls after him, but he has already driven off. \nRobert smiles to himself.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the first three paragraphs for this book
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The Christmas Shoes
  I look out the window and wait, wondering what will happen today. Life is weird. Just when I think I'm making heads or tails of it, when I'm getting used to today, along comes a new morning. The kids are running through the condo screaming, listening to their own voices echo off the naked walls. As Ethan checks out every closet and cupboard space, his face is fixed in a wide, transforming smile, just like his father's. Emma is like me, more cautious as she looks, envisioning where her things will go. Her eyes flame out fiery blue from her olive face as she swings her favorite stuffed animal, a bunny named Sugar, around her bedroom. When I was six, I had a stuffed dog named Henry. He's somewhere in the moving boxes. Ethan says that now that he's six he doesn't need a stuffed animal anymore, but I noticed he brought Friska the one-eared dog in the car with him. Seems all of us, no matter how old, have a hard time letting go sometimes.
  The clouds look upset, puffing the sky up in a solid wall of gray. I hate moving when the trees have dropped their leaves. But that's today. Tomorrow will be different. "The truck is here!" I yell from the living-room window. My cell phone rings and I see that it's my mother. "It just pulled up," I say to her. "Bring your crew anytime."
  I haven't lived near my mother since I left for college sixteen years ago, but Kyle and I always wanted to live closer to our parents; the trouble was always which one. Kyle's parents are still living in the small Oklahoma town where Kyle was raised, but I'd have to travel too far for work as a hygienist if we moved there. My parents are divorced. They decided when Jeff and I were teenagers that they couldn't live together anymore and it took me years to forgive them. I loved them always, but sometimes I couldn't stand to talk to either one of them because of what their decision did to our family. Dad lives in a town in Arizona near his children from his second failed marriage and enjoys his grandchildren there, but my mom doesn't live close to either Jeff or me. Not that she needed us; Miriam Lloyd-Davies stands just fine on her own, but I thought Emma and Ethan should be closer to her, three-blocks-away close, to be exact.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Add another sentence about Everything's, feeling.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The Christmas Shoes
  I look out the window and wait, wondering what will happen today. Life is weird. Just when I think I'm making heads or tails of it, when I'm getting used to today, along comes a new morning. The kids are running through the condo screaming, listening to their own voices echo off the naked walls. As Ethan checks out every closet and cupboard space, his face is fixed in a wide, transforming smile, just like his father's. Emma is like me, more cautious as she looks, envisioning where her things will go. Her eyes flame out fiery blue from her olive face as she swings her favorite stuffed animal, a bunny named Sugar, around her bedroom. When I was six, I had a stuffed dog named Henry. He's somewhere in the moving boxes. Ethan says that now that he's six he doesn't need a stuffed animal anymore, but I noticed he brought Friska the one-eared dog in the car with him. Seems all of us, no matter how old, have a hard time letting go sometimes. 
  The clouds look upset, puffing the sky up in a solid wall of gray. I hate moving when the trees have dropped their leaves. Everything's drab and bare and the feeling of emptiness chokes me. But that's today. Tomorrow will be different. "The truck is here!" I yell from the living-room window. My cell phone rings and I see that it's my mother. "It just pulled up," I say to her. "Bring your crew anytime. "
  I haven't lived near my mother since I left for college sixteen years ago, but Kyle and I always wanted to live closer to our parents; the trouble was always which one. Kyle's parents are still living in the small Oklahoma town where Kyle was raised, but I'd have to travel too far for work as a hygienist if we moved there. My parents are divorced. They decided when Jeff and I were teenagers that they couldn't live together anymore and it took me years to forgive them. I loved them always, but sometimes I couldn't stand to talk to either one of them because of what their decision did to our family. Dad lives in a town in Arizona near his children from his second failed marriage and enjoys his grandchildren there, but my mom doesn't live close to either Jeff or me. Not that she needed us; Miriam Lloyd-Davies stands just fine on her own, but I thought Emma and Ethan should be closer to her, three-blocks-away close, to be exact.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: three more paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The stack of flattened boxes is growing at the front door, and I start to take them out when I see the neighbor's car pull into her driveway, so I close the door before she sees me. Through the window sheers I can see her walking to her mailbox. I set the boxes down. I'm not going to the curb now. If I see her, I'll wonder if anyone has told her about her mother and then be plagued with guilt that I didn't tell her. I shake my head. What a preposterous situation!
  This place is too quiet without the kids. I fall into bed and dial Mom's number to say good night to them but discover they're too busy to come to the phone. "They're distracted," Mom says. I smile. She's always been very distracting, and right now that's a good thing. I hang up and stare at the ceiling, thinking of my neighbor. Kyle would have told her her mother had died. Even if his world had collapsed in on him, Kyle would have pushed his way up through the rubble and done what he was supposed to do.
  I didn't set out to be an old maid. When I was in my early twenties there was, according to my mother, "still hope for me." But when I got into my late twenties the hope all but left Mother's eyes. "Lord have mercy, Ivorie," she would say. "What is going to happen to you when your pop and I leave this earth?" I was, in her opinion, doomed to a bed-of-nails existence without a man.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: the last five paragraphs
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: He slumps down against the stump and listens as a train passes below. He stands and runs out of the trees onto the hillside overlooking Morgan Hill. Clackety, clackety, clack, the train shakes along the rails and he sits on the hill, watching it. Three children run after the train, a white boy and girl and another boy the color of the coffee the man drank each morning. The boy strains to hear what they're saying but it doesn't matter. They're laughing and carrying on so he can only imagine that they're happy about the sight of the train, or the way the sun makes them feel after so many days of rain, or maybe because their mothers have promised them a piece of chocolate cake when their chores are through. They keep running behind the train and the boy stands to his feet, moving toward them. In his mind, he can hear the man yelling at him to stay put on the hillside but her voice shouts over his and urges him to keep running. An hour passes or maybe more before he makes it to the jagged bottom. He grasps the rocky ledge and shimmies his way down onto the grass of the valley. The last time he was this far from the shack he was with her and she was picking buttercups and daisies and sticking them out of the pockets on her dress, the one with the faded blue flowers on it.
  He crosses the valley and stops at the creek, watching the water ripple over the protruding rocks. The dream plays out in his mind and he stumbles backward, held fast to the ground as his heart blares like a siren in his ears. He looks to his left and notices the creek narrows further down the valley. He runs alongside it and spots a cluster of rocks sticking up from the water, dry and brown as buns. His heart leaps like a horse let out of its stall and he crosses to the other side. He doesn't know what to do now; he feels like a bird freed from its snare but with nowhere to fly. The track rails beam in the sun and he reaches down to touch them; they are hot and smooth and he steps on top, teetering as he walks. He stays on the rail closest to the bank and sees the roofs of houses that face the hills where he lives. If anyone is home they won't be able to see him on the track below. He races along the bank and stops at a set of stairs dug out of the earth that leads up the bank. He steps onto the earthen bottom stair and cranes his neck to peek over the top of the bank. A plain, white house sits in front of him with sheets hanging out to dry. They flap toward him in the breeze like curtains on a windy day and he leaps up onto the bank and runs behind the sheets into a patch of tomatoes.
  He crouches low and listens for any sound. Something wet pushes against his arm and he jumps, turning on it. A dog's yellow body sways with each wag of her tail and she pushes his arm again, nuzzling her head under his hand. He pets her head and she licks his face, making him smile. A tomato dangles in front of him and he pulls it from the vine, pushing it to his mouth. Red juice drips down his chin and the dog busies herself cleaning it. A row of onions is next to the tomatoes and the boy pulls one from the ground and peels off the first muddied layer, revealing the slick white head. He gnaws into it and shoves the rest in his mouth. He notices cucumbers on their vines and steps over a row of beans to get to them. His pockets bulge with the cucumber, two more onions and a handful of peas. The boy looks over his shoulder to make sure no one has seen him and grabs another tomato before dashing down the side of the bank. The dog runs to the top of the embankment and barks, watching him on the rails below.
  I throw open the back door, waving my way through the sheets on the line. Sally's down on her front legs with her hind end up in the air, barking. "Sally! Hush that yapping!" She turns to look at me and sniffs my hand before looking back to the track to bark some more. "Nothing's there," I say, taking a sheet off the line and folding it. She barks again and I kick my leg toward her and then grab my back. "Now look what you did! You made me put a hitch in my back." She rubs against my leg and I ignore her. "No point in trying to make up. What's done is done." I fold another sheet and put it in the basket. I head to the house and notice something in the garden. I set the basket down on the steps and walk to my tomato vines. One is broken and dangling like a puppet from the weight of the tomatoes. "Did you do this?" I ask Sally. She lay down and wags her tail. "It's funny how this wasn't like this two hours ago when I was out here working but the minute I turn my back one of my best producing vines gets broken." I pick the two drooping tomatoes and snap off the limb, tossing it aside. Sally nudges her head under my hand and I smooth out the yellow fur, brushing away bits of grass and weeds. "You and your making up." I hold onto the tomatoes and pick up the basket of sheets. "Stay out of my garden!"
  THE CHRISTMAS NOTE. Copyright © 2011 by Donna VanLiere. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.