第一篇文章SantaClaus–TheRealStory
IremembermyfirstChristmasadventurewithGrandma.Iwasjustakid.Iremembertearingacrosstownonmybiketovisither.Ontheway,mybigsisterdroppedthebomb:"ThereisnoSantaClaus,"shejeered."Evendummiesknowthat!"
MyGrandmawasnotthegushykind,neverhadbeen.IfledtoherthatdaybecauseIknewshewouldbestraightwithme.IknewGrandmaalwaystoldtheturth,andIknewthattheturthalwayswentdownawholeloteasierwhenswallowedwithoneofher"world-famous"cinnamonbuns.Iknewtheywreworld-famous,becauseGrandmasaidso.Ithadtobetrue.
Grandmawashome,andthebunswerestillwarm.Betweenbites,Itoldhereverything.
Shewasreadyforme.
“NoSantaClaus?”shesnorted…”Ridiculous!Don’tyoubelieveit!Thatrumorhasbeengoingaroundforyears,anditmakesmemad,plainmad!
Now,putonyourcoat,andlet’sgo.”
“Go?GowhereGrandma“Iasked.Ihadn’tevenfinishedmy2ndworldfamouscinnamonbun…
“Where”turnedouttobeKerby’sGeneralStore,theonestoreintownthathadalittlebitofjustabouteverything.
Aswewalkedthroughitsdoors,Grandmahandedmetendollars.Thatwasabundleinthosedays.
“Takethismoney,”shesaid,“andbuysomethingforsomeonewhoneedsitI’llwaitforyouinthecar.”
ThensheturnedandwalkedoutofKerby’s.
Iwasonlyeightyearsold.I’doftengoneshoppingwithmymother,butneverhadIshoppedforanythingallbymyself.
Thestoreseemedbigandcrowded,fullofpeoplescramblingtofinishtheirChristmasshopping.ForafewmomentsIjuststoodthere,confused,clutchingthatten-dollarbill,wonderingwhattobuy,andwhoonearthtobuyitfor.
IthoughtofeverybodyIknew:myfamily,myfriends,myneighbors,
thekidsatschool,andthepeoplewhowenttomychurch.Iwasjust
aboutthoughtout,whenIsuddenlythoughtofBobbyDecker.Hewasakid
withbadbreathandmessyhair,andhesatrightbehindmeinMrs.
Pollock’sgrade-twoclass.
BobbyDeckerdidn’thaveacoat.Iknewthatbecauseheneverwentoutatrecessduringthecoldweather.
Hismotheralwayswroteanotetellingtheteacherthathehadabad
coughbutalluskidsknewBobbyDeckerdidn’thaveacough,hedidn’t
haveagoodcoat.
Ifingeredtheten-dollarbillwithgrowingexcitement.Iwouldbuy
BobbyDeckeracoat!Isettledonaredcorduroyonethathadahoodto
it.Itlookedrealwarm,andhewouldlikethat.
“IsthisaChristmaspresentforsomeone?”theladybehindthecounteraskedkindly,asIlaidmytendollarsdown.
“Yesma’am,”Irepliedshyly.“It’sforBobby.”Theniceladysmiled
atme,asItoldherabouthowBobbyreallyneededagoodwintercoat.I
didn’tgetanychange,butsheputthecoatinabag,smiledagain,and
wishedmeaMerryChristmas.
Thatevening,Grandmahelpedmewrapthecoat(alittletagfellout
ofthecoat,andGrandmatuckeditinherBible)inChristmaspaperand
ribbonsandwrote,“ToBobby,FromSantaClaus”onit.
GrandmasaidthatSantaalwaysinsistedonsecrecy.Thenshedroveme
overtoBobbyDecker’shouse,explainingaswewentthatIwasnowand
foreverofficially,oneofSanta’shelpers.
Grandmaparkeddow