Santa Has a Personal Friend in the Local Fire Station

I originally heard the whisperings of this secret from someone who had heard it from someone else, who had in turn heard it from a longtime resident here. Now I know Santa is supposed to be everywhere, but during the rush towards Christmas, he usually sends a lot of helpers out to spread the cheer, make his presence known and get reports back on all the children who go to see Santa at various malls, school gatherings, and so forth.

One thing a lot of people don't know is that he sometimes makes those appearances himself. You never know when he might appear or how or even where, so don't go around being doubting Thomases, convinced you know that all those helpers of his are not the real Santa. You don't know everything, and our little city has it's own connection to the jolly man, that we don't tell everyone. He comes down here for a bit of a break, so we don't let everyone in on the secret.

He may be busily preparing all the gifts and surprises for Christmas, but he also likes to enjoy the season out amongst the real world folk, plus he has been known to go on holidays himself, to other parts of the world, during the rest of the year.

We saw him driving a big white pick up truck once, with his beautiful white beard and it was the middle of summer. He obviously wasn't wearing his heavy red suit, and in fact he didn't even have red on, he was wearing jeans, but he did have big black boots on. He doesn't cut off his beard during hot months, but sometimes he trims it a bit.

I think he is friends with someone in town, because every once in awhile I see him, and he always nods at me with a little knowing smile, or taps the side of his nose a few times. He knows who the believers are and who thinks he is a bunch of phooey.

The thing is he shows up here sometimes, not long before Christmas, so it must be a really close friend he has here. He hasn't come every year, but when he does, like any little boy, he has this fascination with firemen and fire trucks, and he loves to go for rides out into the neighborhoods. Near Christmas though, he dresses in his warm red outfit.

He doesn't generally spread it around, outside of this little city, that he will be here, and neither do the residents, but he lets his buddy at the fire station tell everyone around here that he would be showing up on a certain weekend. I had heard about the city secret from a long time resident, but even though I believed in him, I had a hard time believing the rumours, that he actually went around to visit people.

Well Christmas season before last, I got the proof firsthand that the little town secret was for real. It was probably a week or two before the big day, so I still doubted the whispered rumours. He had to be too busy to go for joy rides on fire trucks.

A notice went out to the local residents, that he was coming, and I thought about all the rumour mills and misleading gossip I had heard everywhere I had lived, but it was no skin off my teeth to take the flier. I carried it inside and set it on my desk with all the other junk mail I use for scratch paper.

The following Saturday morning was kind of foggy and gloomy. I was sitting at my desk working on some paperwork and bills while listening to Christmas music, and singing along with it at the top of my lungs. Suddenly I heard the shrill of a fire engine in the neighborhood and some children screaming. Thinking there might be a fire from a dry Christmas tree or something, I stepped out the front door to look down towards the end of the street.

There was no fire. It was the big city fire truck being driven by a couple of our local firemen, but in the back stood some big kids holding a bag and right next to them stood the big man himself. My daughter and all the kids in the street had run out to wave at him, but the driver pulled the truck over to where we all stood, stopped and Santa climbed down to say hello. I started to wonder if I had inadvertently spiked my eggnog since I usually like it with no alcohol added, but he came right over to us and handed each child a candy cane and a great big fresh orange. The kids all gathered around him to say hello, but after he did, he walked over to me and handed me my very own candy cane and ripe orange too. Maybe he knows I am one of those adults that can still hear the reindeers bell ring, even though I am all grown up.

He stayed a few minutes amidst the giggling, smiling children, then he climbed back up on the fire truck. As they drove past us he looked right at me and tapped the side of his nose again, three times, like I had seen him do a couple summers previously, while I drove quickly past his white truck.

We didn't see him again last year, and I know you won't believe this story anyhow, but I don't think he will mind me sharing this little secret about our fireman's dear friend. I guess it isn't a secret anymore now, but since we never know if and when he might show up again, I'm not too worried about you knowing our town's best kept secret.

He likes to surprise people, so you never know, he might be friends with someone in your city or town too. I did hear a rumour that he is rather fond of planes, and that he has a friend who works for an airline up in Canada, but maybe that is their secret, and I don't want to spoil it by telling you what city his friend lives in there, but I know.