I like this a lot, it’s a nice take on the challenge idea and I really felt the emotion in the second paragraph.

I was thinking, Scrooge, by the end there..

A bit of a word jumble in the second last paragraph. I got the gist that a hit on the noggin brought you to your senses. A smile is worth a thousand gifts unless the gift is for me.

ah i see the errors, thanks Marli, fixed.

yes the head hitting must have been part of the reason for hospitalization.