4 - Sunday, December 21. 1986 - North Shore News

Bob Hunter

® strictly personal @

MY cizht) year old is beginning to wonder about Santa Claus,

It is, Of course, not the first time be has expressed some doubt. But the grilling he pase me the other evening was much more intense than ssual,

He used the phrase ‘if he's real’ at least three times.

So I've kind of got the sense tt this will be the last) real Christmas for the kid.

It was two years ago, T recall, when the first doubts assailed him. Some rotten older kids at school had laughed at him when he talked a! out Santa,

I assured him that they were twisted perverts with holes in their heads.

But he decided to take a scien- tific approach. He would wait up and see Santa for himself.

Lexplained that Santa was one busy Pelle.

That was no problem. The kid reasoned that such an overwork- ed guy might appreciate a cookie and a glass of egg nog and maybe a little chat, just so he'd know he was appreciated.

Well, fair enough. We left the cookies and egg nog by the fireplace and the kid propped himself up with pillows in the liv- ing room and sat down to wait.

Gotta hand it to him. He lasted until darn near midnight before flaking out.

Last year, he was so determin- f ed to see the jolly geezer that he camped on the floor in front of the fireplace with a stack of com- ic books to read to keep himself j awake and no pillows, because those, he realized, make him too comfortable.

Again, he was out, despite his best intentions, by midnight.

As a consolation prize, after we had stuck the presents under the tree, | got out an old pair of Mustang arctic survival boots, tromped them in the fireplace, and left an ashy trail of foot- prints to and from the tree.

Well that blew the kid’s mind. it was actual evidence. His faith was restored.

This year, he’s not going to let himself sit down, He plans toa keep walking in circles in the liv- ing room all night, pinching himself to stay awake.

We'll deal with the situation as it comes and I'll try to dream up some other phoney evidence as proof that ole’ apple cheeks is still doing his chimney thing, reindeer and all.

fo have this bad) feeling. sou see, Uhat once he fets go oof the Sante fantasy, the whole struc. ture of ignorant childhood bliss will begin to unravel,

A couple of weeks ago, for in- stance, Looheard him refer to “World War Three’

Psaid, “What do vou mean by thace’

He shrugged and iooked away, “You know,’ he muttered, “when they blow up the work."

“That's just bad science fiction cartoon stuff," bE told him firmly. “Nobody can blow up the world. The world’s gonna be here for billions of years.”

Well, he was sure glad to hear that!

When it comes to kids, truth is an overrated package. | assume the right to censor what he learns. Censor everything.

Right now there is a sparkle in his eyes that comes in part front not) knowing about nuclear apocalypse possibilities.

He doesn’t know about booby-trapped toys in Afghanistan, either. Let's keep it that way as long as possible, thank you,

How long that will be, | don't know. It will be too soon is all I know for sure.

I knew it was going to be a tough Christmas to get through when the kid announced his plans

the other day for trapping the

Tooth Fairy. It almost worked. He has a pet mouse, you see.

So when it came time to put the |

tooth he’d just shed in an envelope, he placed the envelope itself in the mouse cage and stacked several of his little sister’s baby toys — the kind that make- noises when you move them — on top of it.

Just opening the cage makes a certain amount of racket. Fur- thermore, the mouse gets agitated and starts to run in its exercise wheel, which makes squeaking noises,

All in all, the kid figured the Tooth Fairy couldn’t possibly slip a couple of bucks into that envelope without waking the whole house.

In fact, we nearly did wake him in the process. The cage door pinged loudly. The mouse started running. The wheel squeaked, The toys rattled. We made the drop successfully, but it was a close thing.

Christmas Eve is gonna be tough. I just know it.

“SO WHO NEEDS A

TILLEY HAT?”

Because it's a rain hat AND a sun hat. and because it ties on in the wind. and doesn't shrink, and because it’s comfortable and it looks good.

terrible |

Scouts sell trees for Australia trip

Lb SINTH St. Agnes Seymour Scout Group is sell top Cheistaias trees to help send four members of the group toa world-wide jamboree om Austrafia next December.

Christuias tree coondinator Katharine Trueman said briday the group -- which has Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Ventures ~~ ts selling ping and fir Christmas trees.

“They range in price from S12 ta SIO said Trueman, a Beaver eroup leader.

The trees are being sold from 10 a.m. to Y pam. at

Keith and Moody ‘behind the grocery store’ and the group hopes to raise $1,406 to help fund the trip.

Trueman estimated it will cost the group $16,000 to send the four Ventures to the Australian jamboree. “You have to start (raising money) now,”” she said.

In the spring of next year, the 60-year-old North Shore Scout group will host a special dinner for the alumni. We're looking for old members,"* she said.

Former group members interested in the event can call Trueman at 988-6744,

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