To: E'Lane who wrote (42572 ) 4/23/1999 6:29:00 AM From: William Brotherson Read Replies (12) | Respond to of 50264
{{{{{Good Morning Everyone}}}}} You cannot imagine the feelings I was getting from your wonderful responces and comments. I did not have the strengh to read them myself, but my wife read some of then to me, and that gave me even greater strength. This will be the only post I can put up today as even this tires me out to exhastion, but you are worth everything I can do and a lot more. As each day goes by they say I will be getting stronger so it won't be long now... Todays Story is out of my christmas stories but the giving reminded me of Pedro, something so small can mean the world to another!! Simpler Times In 1949, school let out for Christmas and Pedro and Emmett rode the school bus home, talking and thinking about Santa Claus. Emmett said that he had tried to be good and wanted a BB gun. Pedro had gotten old enough and big enough and bright enough to know that if Santa Claus was going to bring him his favorite toys, he needed to pray real loud so Mama, Daddy and Grandmama could hear him. He also knew that it helped to turn down the pages in the Sears & Roebuck catalog in the outhouse. But deep down, Pedro wanted to believe in Santa Claus just like his younger friend, Emmett. Christmas morning arrived and there it was, the shiny brand new bicycle just like Pedro wanted. Also there was some fruit and a brand new Little Red Ryder BB gun. Pedro couldn't wait to show Emmett and headed to Emmett's house. Upon arrival, Emmett looked over at Pedro, barely able to speak, and said, "Pedro, Santa Claus didn't come. Either I've been bad, or he ran out of toys." Pedro could see the hurt in Emmett's eyes and hear the disappointment in Emmett's voice. Pedro, without thinking, replied, "Emmett, Santa did come. He thought you were spending the night with me, and he left your BB gun at my house. I was a-bringin' it to you." Emmett grinned like a baked opossum and was excited as a bug in a tater patch. Emmett hugged Pedro, and Pedro hugged back. At nine years old, at that moment, Pedro once again learned there really is a Santa Claus. On the way home on his new bike without his BB gun, Pedro kept thinking, "Please Mama, don't be mad," and she wasn't. By Charles D. Williams, M.D. wb