Billy B. was thinking about his childhood in Eldorado during the 1960s. He recalled his friend, Jeff, telling him that he, Billy B., reminded him of Charlie Brown…of Charles Schulz Peanuts comic strip and the television premiere of A Charlie Brown Christmas…in 1965. This comment had been a great compliment to Billy B. as he loved Peanuts and the antics of Charlie Brown and Linus and Snoopy and Lucy and Peppermint Patty…and of course Woodstock. The Linus and Lucy Theme Song by the Vince Gauraldi Trio…was his favorite music. Billy B. could visualize his role as Charlie Brown and Chet as Linus and Jeff C. as Snoopy. Many of the events that happened in the Third Grade of Hillcrest School…reminded Billy B. of the stories from Peanuts.

‘Billy B….do you really believe that if we enter your mom’s Magic Mirror…we can be a part of the Peanuts Gang and even be in ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ asked Chet? ‘The Wiz assured me that all we have to do is utter the words, A Charlie Brown Christmas…Pass…and then walk into the Magic Mirror,’ replied Billy B. ‘Jane is coming as well as Jeff C. and Tommy is joining us…as he loves Pig Pen! Now Neva J. had a Magic Mirror that she had visited the Sleeping Prophet, Edgar Cayce through. Neva J. loved Antiques and what she and her mom referred to as…Antiquing. Grace had a song that she often sang, ‘Antique…Antique…You’ll never lose your worth…Antique…Antique…the greatest thing on earth.’ Grace was a dedicated Christian as well as believing all of the events recorded in the Bible…including the existence of the Devil and Demons and the Lake of Fire and Armageddon where the blood will run as high as the horse’s bridle… Grace was a serious eclectic…Fundamentalist…

December 24…Christmas Eve arrived and the intrepid Magic Mirror Travelers were assembled in Neva J.’s bedroom in front of her Antique Magic Mirror that had been owned by the renowned Magician…Harry Houdini… Harry H. had purchased the Magic Mirror at the beginning of his career from an ancient Gypsy from Hungary…the country of his birth. Neva J. had purchased the Magic Mirror from Bess Houdini, Harry’s wife in 1940, in the town of Needles, California during a driving holiday that she and Billy B.’s; father, Willam, had taken. They had rented a UHaul to haul the large ornate Mahogony Magic Mirror back from California…first to Chicago…and later to Eldorado, Illinois. Neva J. loved her Mirror from Bess Houdini and relished telling the story of talking with Bess when she was in the Antique Emporium in Needles, California. Bess had told Neva J. that much of Harry’s success during his illustrious career could be attributed to the Magic Mirror. Harry and she had visited many of the mysterious places of the world and had discovered Magic that aided Harry in many of his death-defying escapes… She went on to tell Neva J. that she visited Harry through the Magic Mirror and the only reason that she was selling it to her was due to not having need of it much longer as the time of her death was approaching.

Chet and Billy B. and Jane and Jeff C. and Tommy L. walked into the Magic Mirror…and there was the Peanuts Creator…Charles Schulz…on set and directing each Peanut character where to stand…and then he called out…’Extras…take your places…’ Charlie Brown told Billy B., ‘Nice hat…man.’ Lucy said to Jane, ‘Do not go after my man…C.B…I steal the football from him…but I secretly love him…’ Snoopy laughed at Jeff C. and said, ‘Have you ever slept on top of a Dog House?’ Pig Pen arrived amidst a cloud of dust and told Tommy L., ‘Follow my lead.’ Linus walked up to Chet and pulled out from seemingly nowhere…a blanket and snapped it like a whip…and said, ‘You are going to be needing this…my good man…and if I forget a scripture in the Christmas Story…I will say…line…and you will whisper the line to me from the King James Bible that you will have open and you will be dutifully following my recitation of the wonderful Natviviy Story…’

And they all began to dance…with their noses pointed skyward…around the Christmas Tree…

Billy B. was in the mood for some Christmas fun. He and Chet and Jane and Daryl had planned to have a Christmas Party at Daryl’s house for Christmas Eve. Now Daryl and his dad, who was the third-grade teacher… enjoyed being called…The Wiz and Darly were from Bath, England. They were accustomed to Christmas Crackers. These are festive decorations for the table and make a snapping sound when pulled open…and often contain a small gift. Billy B. knew that if enough of the Christmas Crakers were pulled at one time…they would startle Santa Claus when he visited them at the Christmas Eve Party. The plan was to have Chet sit on Santa’s lap and ask for a Red Rider BB Gun and when Santa said, ‘You’ll shoot your eye out kid…’, (Courtesy of A Christmas Story) Daryl and The Wiz and Jane and Billy B. would pull several Crackers apart at once…and then enjoy the melee… Billy B. simply knew that Santa Claus…with his good nature and jolly spirit…would get the joke and laugh the loudest and longest…

Jane wondered if Billy B.’s idea really had merit. She knew that the look on Santa’s face would be great fun…but he was a gentleman of advanced age and many responsibilities…especially at this time of year. The Wiz assured her that Santa had a terrific sense of humor and that he would get the joke. Chet asked, ‘But what if he throws me off his lap?’ Daryl replied, ‘There are Christmas Pillows all around his Great Chair…in order to cushion his fall if he should trip getting into the Christmas Throne…of getting out of it to go to the restroom…’ Santa would have at his right hand his customary Christmas Pipe and his Apple Pie Tobacco. He relished refilling his Pipe and blowing giant smoke rings that circled his head like a wreath… His Merscham Christmas Pipe was specially crafted for him by his Lead Elf Humphrey Bogart…who was named after the famous actor. Santa cherished his Pipe and ashtray…handmade by Lauren Bacall…and you know who her namesake is…

Christmas Eve Party had arrived and Billy B. and Jane and Chet and Daryl and The Wiz had prepared the holiday hi-jinks. Daryl had fifty Christmas Crackers and had asked his father to recruit the entire third-grade class to assist in simultaneously pulling them apart at the moment that Chet asked Santa for a Red Rider BB Gun. Santa had just laid his Christmas Merscham Pipe on his precious handmade ashtray and invited Chet onto his lap to utter his Christmas request. When Chet said that he wanted a Red Rider BB Gun and Santa responded that he would shoot his eye out…all fifty Christmas Crackers went off in unison… Santa threw Chet off his lap and Chet hit the handmade ashtray made by Lauren Bacall and the Merschem Christmas Pipe hit the pillows and ignited their cloth coverings. The ashtray was broken and the Pipe was cracked and Santa yelled…Krampus…

‘Krampus is a horned figure in Alpine folklore who during the Christmas Season, scares children who have misbehaved. He assists St. Nicholas…

It is a lovely December day in Southern Illinois. It feels chilly but not cold…but then again I think it is all a matter of climatization. I noticed on my calendar that Christmas is sneaking up on me. It is 12 days away. I thought for some time that the Christmas Carol, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, was speaking of 12 days before Christmas…but in reality, it begins with Christmas Day. Since I learned the beginning of the 12 Days…I have taken some joy in knowing that the Christmas Season does not conclude with Christmas Day.

I was talking with my good friend of many years, recently, and I mentioned that life for me has been a battle with the dark side of my nature. Later I wondered if that sounded more ominous than I intended. Simply put life presents each of us with a basket of reversals and disappointments and difficult scenarios. I remember experiencing significant negative thoughts when my mom and dad divorced. I had a very dark opinion of my father…as I knew how much my mother suffered from the separation. Being a mere youngster I was settling into a cynical attitude and it felt comfortable to me and justified in view of my life experience. When one day a light bulb turned on in my brain and I decided to strive to be positive and to see the good in people and situations. Thus…I have a bit of Christmas…all year long.

The great philosopher, Forrest Gump’s mother, said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you are going to get.’ Indeed that is the case for us humans…and it is both the sugar and spice of our daily lives and the castor oil of our existence. The years fly by so quickly that at times we feel like our heads are spinning. Some of us take comfort in truisms that others assure us are the way to live our lives and the certain path to streets of gold and gates of pearl. Certainly, it is comforting to have a narrow view of the challenges of existence…but the reality of the banality of that comfort is a bit of tunnel vision and a missing of the forest for the trees… We may sing that, ‘Jesus loves the little children…,’ and yet only be aware of our own children or the children in our social group or the clique that we belong to.

Christmas is the message of hope for the hopeless. The coming of the Christ Child to a suffering world. The Christmas Star leads the Shepards to the Messiah…and they are called by the same God who compelled the Three Wise Men…The Three Kings…The Magi…

There is so much beauty in our world. Love is transformative and hope is eternal… As much as is within our power let us focus on the good…and shun the evil…

Billy B. said, ‘You do not really understand how the Poor see Christmas…unless you have been poor.’ ‘I recall when there was no Christmas Turkey…or Christmas Goose…or Succulent Christmas Ham for the Holiday Feast.’ He remembered the Christmas where he wanted a Daniel Boone Action Figure…that cost $3…and Neva J. told him that she did not have the money…unless Santa chose to bring him the gift…that looked just like the 1960’s actor, Fess Parker, who portrayed Daniel Boone on television.

The Holiday Excitement abounded in 1963. Billy B. and Chet were planning on enjoying Christmas together at Chet’s house with his mom, Thelma, and Billy B.’s mom, Neva J. Neva J. was busily making her Famous Coffee Cake and Green Bean Casserole for taking to Chet and Thelma’s Christmas morning. They had a 1957 Chevrolet Convertable…and they could not get the ragtop to come up. It was going to be a cold ride. Neva J. had sliced up the Commodity Cheese that she and had been saving along with the Potted Meat that she and Billy B. received on a monthly basis as part of the Commodities Program. Thelma…who was recently widowed…was planning on having Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs…uncooked for Chet…but cooked for the rest and she had purchased some hamburger at Poor Boys Market in Harrisburgh…to round out the event. Neva J. and Billy B. knew that they could have joined the family Christmas Dinner at grandma Grace’s house…but they felt marginalized after Billy B.’s dad and mom had divorced. Everyone would be talking about all of the Christmas gifts that they received and there would be a Christmas Goose and a succulent Christmas Ham…and a Giant Roast Beef…which had been Neva J.’s specialty…before the divorce… Both Billy B. and Neva J. were a bit weary of the pity and the constructive criticism.

So, Christmas Day had finally arrived! Neva J. and Billy B. had loaded the 57′ Chevy and brought with them a Christmas gift of Chritmas Kitchen Towels for Thelma and a bag of small Army Men for Chet. They were wrapped up from head to foot as the temperature was 10 degrees…and the chill factor would be several degrees below 0…for the Holiday Journey. When they arrived at Chet and Thelma’s house in Parrish Addition…there was Chet awaiting them on their front porch. He helped them in with the food that they had brought and the Christmas Gifts. Thelma was busily frying hamburgers and boiling Hot Dogs for everyone… except for Chet…who preferred them cold. Neva J. and Thelma were happy to be celebrating Christmas together…and there was no thought or mention of what they did not have…but rather their many blessings.

Knock…Knock…Knock…was sounding loudly from the front door. At the door was a large gentleman who was dressed as Daniel Boone…and he laughed and said that he had gifts for all in the house. Before Chet could ask him who he was…he grinned and turned on his heels and walked out of sight. As Chet opened the bag of gifts…there was a large roast and a succulent ham and the biggest roast goose that anyone had ever seen…and in the bottom of the bag was a Daniel Boone Action Figure. for Billy B….and a GI Joe…for Chet. Also…two envelopes were addressed to Neva J. and Thelma…and when they opened them each had a job offer at the Ben Franklin Dime Store that was next to the Orpheum Theatre…they were overjoyed but wondered how the man dressed like Daniel Boone had known that they had both interviewed on the same day…

Santa asked, ‘Did you deliver the Christmas Magic Bag…Fess?’ ‘I sure did, Santa, and you have made a tremendous difference in four people’s lives…’

1965 found Billy B. 9 years old. He was born in 1957. He was just 1 year away from double digits…and soon to be grown and on his own. For Christmas, he had asked for a Big Swinger Polaroid Camera…and he had peeked to discover that this was his gift from Neva J. Last Christmas, Christmas 1964 he and his mom had been visiting his grandma, Grace, and several of his aunts were there for the Monday Night Visit…and when the subject of Santa Claus came up…they had laughed and looked shocked and dismayed that he still believed in S.C….especially since he was a young man of 8 years old! Billy B. assured Wanda and Guelda and Vema that he knew that Santa was real as he had visited him at his house on West Street. Vema laughed and said, ‘That was no one but Old Bob Winters…not Santa…’ Neva J. reproved her sisters and told them that they had overstepped their bounds by telling Billy B. that there was no Santa Claus. At that point, Billy B. was determined to prove the existence of The Jolly Old Elf…

Billy B. had written a letter to Santa…at the North Pole and he had received the nicest response. Santa told him that not only did he exist…but that he would prove his existence to the 3 Doubting Sisters… The plan was for Santa to join their Christmas Festivities after he had completed his Christmas Eve Flight with his Reindeer. He would join Billy B. and Neva J. and his buddy, Chet, at grandma Grace’s house and enjoy Christmas Dinner with the entire group. Billy B. told Santa that there would be a long table set with all manner of Christmas Goodies and that he would save him a place at the head of the banquet. Santa replied that he would be there with a few surprises for the doubting Thomases…

Chet and his mom, Thelma, joined Billy B. and Neva J. for the short drive to grandma Grace’s. Thelma had brought a fragrant roasted pig and some uncooked hot dogs for Chet…which was just the way that he liked them. When they arrived there was so much laughter and mirth and making merry…that the Christmas Dinner was an hour later than planned. Suddenly…there was a loud knock at the front door and the peel of deep laughter…Ho…Ho…Ho… When Billy B. rushed to answer the door…in walked Santa and Mrs. Claus. Vema….and Wanda…and Guelda…looked astonished and somewhat humbled…for them… Santa ate like a hungry Elf who had been working all night. He asked for more Roast Pig and more uncooked hot dogs…as he exclaimed that was just the way that he liked them and had not had any since his mother had passed away. Then he summoned the 3 Doubting Sisters to come near his chair…while he packed his Christmas Pipe with some Apple Pie flavored tobacco. Santa first asked Vema what she had wanted as a Christmas gift when she was a little girl…that she had never received? Vema thought but a moment and replied, ‘I never received a Sketch Book and Drawing Pencils and some Watercolor paints and paintbrushes…as I wanted to be an artist…but we were much too poor for such expensive gifts for…me…’ Santa reached into his Great Christmas Sack and pulled out a half dozen Sketch Books and 100 Drawing Pencils…and every Watercolor imaginable with 100 paintbrushes. Tears welled up in Vema’s old eyes…and she hugged Santa and Mrs. Santa too.

‘Wanda…come here…and receive my gift for you,’ said the Old Sprightly Elf. Out of the Magic, Bag Santa pulled a Girls’ Schwinn Bicycle. Wanda exclaimed that she had asked for a Schwinn Bicycle when she was 9…but had not gotten one…and thus she had ceased to believe in Santa. Her hands trembled as she thanked Santa for restoring her faith in him…and in kindness and goodness and love…

‘Guelda…do not be afraid of me…come closer and see that I am harmless,’ laughed Santa. ‘Guelda…you are a bit of a musician…are you not,’ asked Santa? ‘I am sir…but I can not afford an organ to play and practice on, ‘replied Guelda. ‘Step into your bedroom…child…and see what Santa had brought for you,’ Santa said… as the Apple Pie Tobacco encircled his head. In Guelda’s bedroom was an antique Peddle Pump Organ that was perfectly tuned…and Guelda sat down and began to play…’Santa Claus Is Coming to Town…’

Chet walked up to Santa and asked if there was anything that he would suggest as to how he might be able to see just a bit better as his glasses were the thickness of Coke Bottles… Santa said, ‘Are you the young man that is the cause of the delicious uncooked weiners being a part of the feast?’ Chet answered, ‘I am Mr. Claus…it says right on the package that they are already cooked and therefore I think cooking them more destroys their delicious flavor…’ Santa then said to Chet, ‘Your choice of Hot Dogs has made my Christmas complete…take off your glasses and then you must tell me where Mrs. Claus can buy more of the delicious delicacy…’

Henceforth Chet had 20/20 Vision…and he and the Old Hot Dog Lover…met each Thursday for Oscar Mayer….straight out of the package…

Santa was engrossed in his annual Naughty Or Nice List…that was compiled by his Personnel Office each December 8th. Billy B. and Chet and Jane and Daryl were assisting St. Nicholas this year as it was the year of the Santa Trains and the COVID Vaccinations for every member of the Human Family that they could reach. Jane was heading up the compilation of data for the N & N List. It seemed that the List got progressively more unbalanced on the Naughty side each year. Santa had paid little attention to the N & N List except to warn children that they should strive to be good and therefore Nice…so as to avoid a Lump Of Coal in their Christmas Stocking. However, he had noticed a troubling uptick in mental and emotional trauma in the youth of the world. There were more and more mass shootings…and suicides among the young…and he and Mrs. Claus had wept when they saw the nightly news on television.

Pandemic had taken its emotional toll on the children of the earth. Krampus…his evil doppelganger had been working overtime to frighten and work his mischief on the precious children…giving them birch rods instead of toys. It seemed that the parents had forgotten their lovey children in the wake of the stresses of their lives. Where the children had been accustomed to going to school each day and receiving at least breakfast and lunch…for some time they had been Quarantined at Home and left hungry while mom and dad in their dysfunctional state had worried about their addictions. Guns had become like candy from a Sweet Shop. Popular media had suggested that the right to bear arms…was the answer to the myriad of problems that rained against the window sill of the lives of the downtrodden…and the ill.

Billy B. said to Santa, ‘Santa…why don’t you read a Christmas Story to each child that you visit this year?’ ‘This is an experience that many of them have never had,’ Billy B. explained. Chet added, ‘So many of the children are loved deprived…they need to know that someone cares about them…and loves them…and has the few minutes that it takes to read them a bedtime story.’

Jane suggested to Santa that she and Billy B. and Chet and Daryl…accompany him on the Santa Train to help in reading the Bedtime Stories to the children of the world. Santa loved the idea and asked Jane if she could recruit others to assist in this worthy endeavor? Jane said, ‘Santa…I will get all of the students in Hillcrest Grade School to help us…it will be exciting!’

Christmas Eve arrived and Jane and Chet and Billy B. and Daryl…and all of the students of Hillcrest School accompanied Santa and his elves on his Santa Train to not only visit many children who had never been visited by Santa before…but to read them a Christmas Bedtime Story…and to tell them that they loved them…

The Story went like this: ‘In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. He went to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2: 2-21. NIV

Billy B. was still undecided as to what to get his mom, Neva J., for Christmas. He had thought of getting her some books that she had been talking about…or perhaps a marionette puppet to accompany the Pinocchio Puppet that he had requested from Santa Claus… He remembered the Puppet Show that his neighbor Steve had put on for him and his mom last Saturday night. Neve J. had laughed and laughed when a little marionette had appeared on the tiny stage…called Wallace The Boston Terrier. The Wallace puppet was brown instead of the more common black. He danced and frisked across the other marionettes and jumped on them and licked their noses…and barked a mighty bark…for a small dog. Of course, it was Ivy, Steve’s mom, doing the barking and her constant smoking of Salem Cigarettes gave her a husky bark…that was extremely convincing.

Jane and Chet accompanied Billy B. to the pet store. Jane had a Boston Terrier and she knew what to look for. As the three dog whisperers looked high and low for a precious Boston…they finally found one…but it was black and white…and Billy B. had his heart set upon a Brown Boston. The Pet Store Attendant said that not to worry as she had a Brown Boston in the back that had been a little sick…but had just been given the all-clear from their veterinarian. Out came a sniffling and coughing small bundle of dog that looked more like a rabbit than a canine. He was so ugly…he was cute. ‘This is the one that you must get for Neva J…she will love it,’ exclaimed Jane.

Christmas morning came and Ivy and Ed and Steve and Susy joined Billy B. and his mom and Jane and Chet…to open Christmas presents. Steve had promised a Christmas marionette show after the presents were unwrapped and Susie and Jane had promised kisses under the Mistletoe if the boys minded their manners. Neva J.’s egg nog flowed freely and it was spiked with Peppermint Schnapps…after all, it was Christmas Morning…and her famous Coffee Cake was being eaten like that it was going out of style… Jane brought out a large red and black Christmas Box with a strange rustling from within…and she said, ‘Open this box…Pretty Lady.’ Neva J. undid the ribbon and took off the lid to discover Wallace The Boston Terrier looking up at her as if he had just discovered his Mommie. Neva J. was over the moon with Christmas Joy and she and Wallace The Boston Terrier danced the Christmas Dance… Then it was time for the Puppet Show…although by this time everyone was a bit sleepy from the wonderful Peppermint Schnapps Egg Nog and Neva J.’s Famous Coffee Cake.

Steve proudly proclaimed that there was always a little Christmas Magic on Christmas Morning. Suddenly on the Puppett Stage pranced Wallace The Boston Terrier and his Brother…Brody The Other Boston Terrier…and they began to perform. As Chet patiently waited under the Mistletoe for his promised Christmas Kisses…the room became dark and when it soon brightened up once again…there was Brody The Other Boston Terrier in Neva J.’s lap…along with Wallace…and thus began the long history of the Chicago Boston Terriers…

There was an especially cold wind blowing ferociously today. It was uncomfortable to walk in…I had to use my ‘Wind Strap’ on my Tilley Hat. I notice old people…more and more…and they were out in their slow and quiet force this morning…to buy Christmas gifts for their grandchildren and their children…and their loved ones. Barnes and Nobel Booksellers had a nice array of full shelves of books and puzzles and family games for the customer’s perusal. I was happy to see this after noticing empty shelves in our local Walmart and Kroger last week. I have wanted some Christmas decorations for our yard…for some time. I saw some large Blo-Mold Christmas Candles…but even on sale…they were expensive. I reflected on our Blo-Mold Nativity Scene that we put in our yard in Elkville for several Holiday Seasons…when the boys were young. I used to look out of our massive picture window to admire the Nativity.

We wait for the birth of Christ. For we Christians…the hope of the ages. We were given a great gift…so many years ago…and we want to commemorate that earth-changing event…the old get out in the cold wind to warm the hearts of others on Christmas morning. ‘Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’ Let the poor say, ‘I am rich’ Let the blind say, ‘I can see It’s what the Lord has done for me.’

The hope for the hopeless…is coming to our lonely and sad and sick world. ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase off his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The Zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.’ Isaiah 9: 6-7. KJV

Our eyes grow dim and our ears lose their audible acuity…but our hope grows stronger and more passionate each year of our lives as we await peace and no more war…health and no more sickness…love and no more hate…

Why not look for the coming of the Christ Child…in the eyes of those who have no voice…those who have been forgotten and marginalized and cast aside… Let us work toward a brighter future…a future that recognizes that we are all failing humans…that are bringing our gifts to the little baby…in the manger…

I traveled in Time…30 years…this morning. Not in H.G. Wells Time Machine…but by listening to a CD of Garrison Keilor and The Hopeful Gospel Quartet…that Jonathon got for me. I first listened to the wonderful harmonies of the Quartet…30 years ago. I had a cassette tape of their performance and was more than a little proud to have a vehicle that possessed a built-in cassette tape player. I played the tape on my way to my job as Assistant Superintendent of Building Services and I played it again on my way home to my little house in Elkville. We were in the midst of staff reductions resulting from budget cuts and my colleagues and I refused to reduce our vital service to our beloved University…to make a fiscal point… The rich melodies were an encouragement to me…as I worried constantly about our department and its continued viability.

I wrote the new Director a welcome note…and I told him that some of the best years of my life were working my entire career in Building Services. I went on to say that he would be working with consummate professionals throughout his organization. During the Christmas Season, I am reminded of the kindness and love, and dedication of the housekeeping staff…for all whom they served. They believed that our mission was as important as any mission of Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale…and that we were vital to the recruitment and retention of our most precious Campus Citizens…our students…

Some time ago a chancellor told me that Civil Service staff came third in line behind faculty and the A/P staff. After hearing this grossly incorrect statement a few times…I told him upon his completion of the creed that I would leave the meeting if he said it again. I went on to say that without Civil Service Staff there would be no SIUC.

Music can change my mood and lift my spirit…in a moment…especially when the singers are engaged emotionally in their art…and ministry…

Billy B. was fascinated with the Charles Dickens Christmas Classic, A Christmas Carol, and he read the narrative each year. He had memorized large portions of the text and he and Chet would quote paragraph after paragraph to each other during the Holiday Season. Chet said that he had been visited by the Ghost of Christmas Future and the spectre had warned him to beware of this Christmas Season…as it was the harbinger of a dark future if mankind did not change their ways and become renewed in the spirit of the Enlightened Scrooge. He then said something that was somewhat unbelievable…Tiny Tim was missing from the story…and no one knew where he was…

Chet got one of his many copies of A Christmas Carol down from his bookshelf and looked for the numerous accounts of Tiny Tim. Everywhere that Tiny T. was mentioned…like ‘Bob Cratchit carried…. on his shoulder.’ Chet telephoned Billy B. and told him of the mystery of the missing Tiny T. Billy B. responded, ‘Oh he is not really missing…he is eating Malto-Meal with mom at the kitchen table…and does he ever use a bunch of sugar on his cereal.’ Mom said that he came through her Magic Mirror to warn those who would listen to him…that Christmas would soon be forgotten if the human family of 2021 did not stop thinking exclusively of themselves and begin thinking of those who are suffering… Tiny T. noted that he had already been removed from the book and that soon his dad and the entire Cratchit family would be deleted also. Tiny T. went on to say that the Ghost of Christmas Present had lost 200 pounds and had laryngitis. Instead of being dressed in a brilliant green robe…he was clothed in sackcloth and ashes. Now…rather than Want and Ignorance hiding under the skirts of his robe…they were in charge of his broken-down castle and he worked for them…he no longer held a Horn-Of-Plenty…but rather a half bottle of Prune Juice…

Tiny Tim said that he was going to stay with Billy B. for 1 year…and that if they could not make a difference in renewing the Christmas Spirit… Chet suggested that they consult Santa Claus to see if he had any ideas on how to proceed…and off the were all three holding on to the night-shirt of the Ghost of Christmas Future… who was very happy to see…Tiny T.

Santa welcomed the cold crew of Christmas Helpers into his Grand Living Room with a roaring fire in his massive fireplace. When he had heard Tiny T.’s story he opened his copy of A Christmas Carol and saw with dismay that Bob Cratchit’s name had now disappeared from the vivid story. ‘We must act quickly’…said the benevolent old gentleman. Santa said that they must send each child and adult alike…a dream that explains the most certain demise of Christmas…if they do not change…the dream must illustrate what their future will look like without the Christmas Spirit… And so…that night…it happened…billions saw the future that they would awaken to once Christmas no longer existed. There was pain and anguish and suffering and death…and pervasive loneliness…that covered the earth like a dark blanket… The church doors closed and were locked…no one waited for the birth of Jesus…when the rich saw the homeless they laughed a hollow and anguished chuckle…and they saw in their hungry eyes…that they were next…

Loving your neighbor as yourself…was really the message of Christ…