 Everybody, happy holidays! Thank you so much for coming today to join us for one of our absolute favorite things here at NCSFM, Dr. Miller's reading of Halsey Grint's Stone Christmas. There's different relations right here, the one who's been stopped emailing, so I'd like to personally say that I'm beyond thrilled that everyone could come and be with us today. So without further ado, Dr. Miller and Halsey Grint's Stone Christmas. This seems to be proof that you might graduate, but you never grow up. Can I slide up? Yes. What? I don't know. I don't blame you. What's fun time? I could read this without these. And now I can't. And now my deafness is trying to become even parent to me, and so that I have hearing aids so that I can hear myself read it. I can become a mechanical fringe. Down in Whoville, like Christmas a lot. Who then just north of Whoville did not. The Grinch, the whole Christmas season. Now, now, don't ask me why. No one quite knows the reason. It could be that his head wasn't screwed on just right. It could be. The most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was too size, too small. But for whatever reason, his heart was huge. He stood there on Christmas Eve hating. Hating bearing down from his cave with a sour, grinchy frown at the warm landing. With the warm-lighted windows below their crowns. For he knew it. A mistletoe reaped. And they're hanging, they're stung, snarled with a sneer. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve practically here. And then he growled with his Grinch fingers nervously drowning. I must find some way to stop tomorrow. He knew all the blue-boy girls and boys would wake bright and early. They'd rush for their toys. The noise, noise, noise, noise. That's one thing he hated. The noise, the noise, noise. And old would sit down to a feast. And they'd feast, and they'd feast. And they'd feast, feast, feast, feast, feast. They would feast on who put it. And who roast beefed. Which was something the Grinch couldn't stand in the lease. And they, they'd do something he liked least of all. Down in the booth it. And the small would stand close together. They'd stand hand in hand. And the looms would start. They'd sing, and they'd sing. And they'd sing some of the sing. The more the Grinch bough. You might for 53. What up with it now? I must stop this Christmas from coming. I know just what to do. The Grinch laughed in his throat. And he made a quick Santa Claus hat and a coat. And he chuckled and plopped. Just like Saint Nick. Reindeer. The Grinch was crowned. And he found. Did that stop the old Grinch? The Grinch simply said, If I can't find a reindeer. I'll make one instead. So he called his dog. And he took some red bread. And some bags. And some old chattel sleigh. And he hitched up old Grinch said, Get out! For the homes where the hoos lay a smooth bed. Quiet snow and clear. All the Grinch were dreaming. And now came. When he came. To the first little house on the square. His stock number one. The old Grinch he calls his. And he climbed to the roof. If he bags in his fist. Then he knew who stopped him. He stopped him. And slumped. And he took every present. Poppins and bicycles, roller skates, drums. Checkerboards, tricycles, popcorn. He flaunts. And he's. Living bags. Then the Grinch. Very nearly stuffed. One by one. Then he slumped in the ice box. He took the hoos' feet. He took the hoos' body. He cleaned out that ice box as quick as a flash. Why that Grinch even took their last can. Of a food of the chimney with glee. And now. Stuck up the tree. And the Grinch grabbed the tree. And he started to shove. And he heard. Like a coo. He took around fast. And he saw. A small. Little. And he was not. Much more than Grinch. Had been caught by this tiny. Who daughter. Who got up out of bed. She stared at Grinch. And said. That old Grinch was so smart. And so slick. He thought of a lie. And he thought it up quick. Why. My sweet little thought. No fake Santa Claus lie. On this tree. That won't like. On one side. So I'm taking it home to my workshop. My dear. Then I'll bring it back. And he spit. The child. Then he patted her head. And he got her a drink. And he sent her to bed. And when. Sending. And stuffed. And the last thing he took. Was the log for their fire. Then he went up the chimney himself. The wire. On their walls. He left enough of books and some wire. And the one. Spit of food. That he left in the house. Was a crumb. Small. Even for a mouse. Then. He did the same thing. He was too small. For others. For other goons. It was quarter past dawn. All the food. Still a bed. All the food. Still a suit. When he packed up his sleigh. Packed it up with their presents. The ribbons. The wrappings. The tags. The trimmings. With his load. To the tip. Grinch is coming. They're finding out now. The nose is coming. They're just waking up. I know just what they'll do. Their mouths will hang open. For a moment or two. Then the hooves. Down in Whoville. That's a noise. The Grinch. And he paused. And the Grinch. Put his hand to his ear. A sound. Rise and snow. It started. It started. But the sound. The sound wasn't sad. What? The sound sounded so. But it was. Mary. The Grinch. It was a shock. It was a surprise. Everyone was small. They were singing. Without any presents at all. It didn't stop Christmas from coming. It came. Somehow the Grinch beat. And the snow stood puzzling. And the sound. It came without ribbons. It came. It came without tentacles. It came without packages. Boxes. A bag. And he paused. The sound. And the Grinch. Put his hand to his ear. He had it before. Maybe. Maybe Christmas he thought. Doesn't. Come from a store. Maybe. Christmas. Well in Rueville they say. That the Grinch's small heart. Three sizes. That way. And the minute. His heart. Didn't feel quite so tight. He whizzed. With his load. Through the bright morning light. And he brought back the toys. And the food for the thieves. And he. He himself. The Grinch.