Please forgive me for, A Little Christmas Story
Hedgehog
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
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- Tucson/Marana Arizona
- Vehicle(s)
- -1975 Jeep CJ5, 360 V8, Headers, Duel Exhaust,T15 transmission, D-20 Transfer case, Twin Stick Conversion, Warn 8274 Winch
-1951 Willys Wagon, 4 cylinder, "F" head, little rust, very close to stock
Hello guys & gals, Please indulge me as I write a Christmas story for you on this Christmas (2016) day:
This is one man’s story about one Christmas day. For a little background, he was a big man, much like Hoss Cartwright on the TV series bonanza. He grew up in a small town in a hard working family that was a little small town farmer, a little school teacher, a lot Forest Service forester. He married his high school sweetheart. She was funny, a little bit wild, intelligent and the love of his life. Through all the turmoil in his life he died still loving this woman. He had 4 children. A healthy girl came first, a full term still born girl came second, a healthy boy was third and a retarded boy came last. For most of his life the road and the big trucks were where he made his living. But with young children times were rough on the road. He took classes and became a certified welder and moved California, the land of milk and honey. While he was building horse trailers for the rich and famous the road kept calling his name.
For a country boy in the city life was moving along well enough. That was until the love of his life tried to kill him with sleeping pills. Fortunately she told a neighbor woman that he was finally at peace with god. Essentially she saved his life with coffee and a quick trip to the hospital. The love of his life’s sanity had been slipping for a little while and she fell head first into her first schizophrenic episode. The state of California committed her to a mental hospital.
The man was lost, 2 healthy children and a mentally retarded infant. He did what he could. His brothers wife wanted a BIG family and stepped up. The man drove from California the Wisconsin leaving his 3 children there with until things got better in California.
Then came Christmas. The man was alone and desperately missed his family. Then out of nowhere his boss pulled him aside and gave him a few days off for Christmas. The man made a mad dash for his family, but time was very short, Christmas was only a few days away.
He jumped in his Ranch Wagon and headed east to see his children. He drove for several hours alone, then he saw a couple young men hitch hiking heading east. It was close to Christmas, it was cold and he was alone so he picked them up.
He talked with them for a while, they were on a break from college, they were broke and couldn’t afford bus fair and wanted to get home for Christmas, but likely wouldn’t make it in time. Their home was more or less on the way to Wisconsin. The man grew to like them and made this deal with them. “Boys, do you have drivers licenses?” …. “Yes, sir.” ….. “Okay, let’s make a deal, I’ll guarantee you that you will make it home for Christmas, but we have to work together to do it.” ….. So, they drove. They all took shifts. One would drive while the others would sleep. The police would allow 10 miles above the speed limit and they drove a steady 9 miles above. They stopped only long enough to get gas and change drivers.
Late on the second night they caught the attention of a hard old police officer. He tailed them for a while and finally pulled them over to see what was going on. He talked to the man for quite some time. They hadn’t done anything wrong exactly, but it was obvious that they had a system and were in a hurry.
The man told him about the boys with him, about his wife and about needing his children for Christmas. The officer walked away, talked a little on his radio. The hard old officer came back to the man. “Sir, I can’t guarantee you that I can get you to your children before Christmas, but I can guarantee you that you will get to the state line as quick as possible, follow me.” The officer escorted them right to the state line and waved them on.
With the generosity of the officer the boys made it home for the holidays and a little boy was able to came down the stairs on Christmas morning to find a man sleeping on the couch. ….. I was convinced that Santa let my daddy in. The years have gone by, Dad left this earth long ago, but to this day I will never forget seeing him on that couch.
That is why I truly believe in Santa Clause. Santa Clause isn’t some fat man in a red suite. He’s the college boys driving at +9 over, he’s the police officer guiding Dad to the state line, he’s the generosity and kindness from others that we don’t expect …… He’ my Dad on the couch on Christmas morning.
As I sit her typing with tears on my keyboard and knuckles all I think of is what a great memory my Dad gave us that Christmas.
This is one man’s story about one Christmas day. For a little background, he was a big man, much like Hoss Cartwright on the TV series bonanza. He grew up in a small town in a hard working family that was a little small town farmer, a little school teacher, a lot Forest Service forester. He married his high school sweetheart. She was funny, a little bit wild, intelligent and the love of his life. Through all the turmoil in his life he died still loving this woman. He had 4 children. A healthy girl came first, a full term still born girl came second, a healthy boy was third and a retarded boy came last. For most of his life the road and the big trucks were where he made his living. But with young children times were rough on the road. He took classes and became a certified welder and moved California, the land of milk and honey. While he was building horse trailers for the rich and famous the road kept calling his name.
For a country boy in the city life was moving along well enough. That was until the love of his life tried to kill him with sleeping pills. Fortunately she told a neighbor woman that he was finally at peace with god. Essentially she saved his life with coffee and a quick trip to the hospital. The love of his life’s sanity had been slipping for a little while and she fell head first into her first schizophrenic episode. The state of California committed her to a mental hospital.
The man was lost, 2 healthy children and a mentally retarded infant. He did what he could. His brothers wife wanted a BIG family and stepped up. The man drove from California the Wisconsin leaving his 3 children there with until things got better in California.
Then came Christmas. The man was alone and desperately missed his family. Then out of nowhere his boss pulled him aside and gave him a few days off for Christmas. The man made a mad dash for his family, but time was very short, Christmas was only a few days away.
He jumped in his Ranch Wagon and headed east to see his children. He drove for several hours alone, then he saw a couple young men hitch hiking heading east. It was close to Christmas, it was cold and he was alone so he picked them up.
He talked with them for a while, they were on a break from college, they were broke and couldn’t afford bus fair and wanted to get home for Christmas, but likely wouldn’t make it in time. Their home was more or less on the way to Wisconsin. The man grew to like them and made this deal with them. “Boys, do you have drivers licenses?” …. “Yes, sir.” ….. “Okay, let’s make a deal, I’ll guarantee you that you will make it home for Christmas, but we have to work together to do it.” ….. So, they drove. They all took shifts. One would drive while the others would sleep. The police would allow 10 miles above the speed limit and they drove a steady 9 miles above. They stopped only long enough to get gas and change drivers.
Late on the second night they caught the attention of a hard old police officer. He tailed them for a while and finally pulled them over to see what was going on. He talked to the man for quite some time. They hadn’t done anything wrong exactly, but it was obvious that they had a system and were in a hurry.
The man told him about the boys with him, about his wife and about needing his children for Christmas. The officer walked away, talked a little on his radio. The hard old officer came back to the man. “Sir, I can’t guarantee you that I can get you to your children before Christmas, but I can guarantee you that you will get to the state line as quick as possible, follow me.” The officer escorted them right to the state line and waved them on.
With the generosity of the officer the boys made it home for the holidays and a little boy was able to came down the stairs on Christmas morning to find a man sleeping on the couch. ….. I was convinced that Santa let my daddy in. The years have gone by, Dad left this earth long ago, but to this day I will never forget seeing him on that couch.
That is why I truly believe in Santa Clause. Santa Clause isn’t some fat man in a red suite. He’s the college boys driving at +9 over, he’s the police officer guiding Dad to the state line, he’s the generosity and kindness from others that we don’t expect …… He’ my Dad on the couch on Christmas morning.
As I sit her typing with tears on my keyboard and knuckles all I think of is what a great memory my Dad gave us that Christmas.
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