A Favorite Christmas Story
An aging Broadway actor had fallen on hard times, so desperate that the only work he could find was the role of Santa Clause at a local department store. He enjoyed the kids for the most part and took some solace in his hidden identity, certain he would never be recognized behind all the red velvet, white fur, and the false hair and beard.
Then one day, as he was working his way through a long line of children and parents, it happened. A beautiful, stately, well-dressed woman stepped forward with her grandson. As he lifted the little boy onto his lap, his grandmother smiled and the old actor's heart skipped a beat. He knew her in an instant, his former leading lady in countless performances on stage and screen. Turning away quickly, the actor felt his face flush with embarrassment as he turned toward the boy and tried to disguise his voice.
When the grandson finished with his Christmas wish list, the old actor set him down with a warm "Ho, Ho, Ho, and a Merry Christmas!" The woman reached for his gloved hand and took the list. "Just one thing to add, Santa." She turned aside, wrote some words, folded the list and handed it back. "Thank you so much, Santa. Merry Christmas."
The aged actor breathed a sigh of relief and stuffed the Christmas list inside his wide, black belt. Hours later, he finally finished his shift and as he unbuckled his heavy costume, the folded Christmas list fell on the floor. Picking it up, he unfolded the paper revealing five crisp $100 bills and these words: "Merry Christmas to the greatest actor I have ever known."
Then one day, as he was working his way through a long line of children and parents, it happened. A beautiful, stately, well-dressed woman stepped forward with her grandson. As he lifted the little boy onto his lap, his grandmother smiled and the old actor's heart skipped a beat. He knew her in an instant, his former leading lady in countless performances on stage and screen. Turning away quickly, the actor felt his face flush with embarrassment as he turned toward the boy and tried to disguise his voice.
When the grandson finished with his Christmas wish list, the old actor set him down with a warm "Ho, Ho, Ho, and a Merry Christmas!" The woman reached for his gloved hand and took the list. "Just one thing to add, Santa." She turned aside, wrote some words, folded the list and handed it back. "Thank you so much, Santa. Merry Christmas."
The aged actor breathed a sigh of relief and stuffed the Christmas list inside his wide, black belt. Hours later, he finally finished his shift and as he unbuckled his heavy costume, the folded Christmas list fell on the floor. Picking it up, he unfolded the paper revealing five crisp $100 bills and these words: "Merry Christmas to the greatest actor I have ever known."
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