"Father Christmas" - 1

--------------- Forwarded Message ---------------



From: 	Lincoln Rd. McHenry, IL, 71222,645

To: 	FetterNet

Date: 	Wed, Nov 10, 1993, 6:36



RE: 	"Father Christmas" - 1



                        "Father Christmas"



        As Christmas approached in the Year of our Lord - 1959, our

mother was carrying her seventh child. We knew that it would be another

son. Lacking modern techniques, like ultrasound or amniocentisis,

experience was our guide. This was going to be a special child. Not only

would he be a magical "7th son", our mother's due date was February

29, 1960. There was a chance for us to have our very own "Leap Baby"!

Cool, way cool! Back to Christmas, since mom was so "preggers" our dad

stepped up and volunteered to take over getting this year's Christmas

together. What a great guy.... applause.... applause!



        Dad was a man of action. Right away he began instituting sweeping

changes. As President-Elect Kennedy was formulating his "New Frontier"

inauguration speech, our dad could sense that America was ready to lead

mankind into the "brave new world" of space age technologies. Part of

this new science was already available to the common man, and we Gerdes'

were about to join in. This year we were going to purchase an -- ALUMINUM

CHRISTMAS TREE! "An aluminum tree? Really, Dad! Complete with the plastic

color wheel, that would alternately bathe our silver beauty in God's

primary colors... RED (click)... YELLOW (click)... BLUE (click)... Yes! Wow!

Way to go dad! HooHah!"



        "I know it costs a lot ($30.00) Dolores, but the Jaycees are

wanting $4.00 for their scraggly, needle dropping, fire hazards. Plus we

will never have to buy another tree - ever." Hey, who could argue with

that logic. Now for the big decision do we go with just one color of

ornament or do we mix in groups of blues, greens, reds, and golds? 

Family vote -- "Even baby David?" "Yeah, he lives here." "He's only two!"

"So, he knows what I (dad) like!" Dad's "mix it up" faction won the vote

over my and Roger's push for exclusive "Virgin Mary" blue ornaments.



        Christmas was off to a running start. So, what about presents? By

some strange cosmic quirk, parents and the kids were on the same page. In

the big kid's bedroom, me and my brothers, were working our way through

the 1959 Sear's Christmas Catalogue, jumbo size edition. We kept

gravitating to page 366. There she was in all of her shiny sleek beauty -

The Silver Bullet -- "Sear's Best" all around train set for young

families. In her bedroom, Mom had also fixed upon this magnificent

machine. But dad had grander plans. He was in agreement with mom, that a

train set would be the perfect family gift. But he knew a guy, Zeke

Orlinski, who knew a guy, name unknown (just as well), who was a model

train hobby type. This guy would sell us TWO locomotives, throw in all

kinds of little trees and scenary, a wooden water tower, and a whole box

of extra track! "All for the same money as Sears wants for the Silver

Bullet, Dolores." "I don't know, Kenny. Are you sure this old stuff is

any good?" "Would Zeke turn me on to this if it wasn't a real bargain?"

"Ken, really do you think..." "Look, Dolores, trust me. Remember how a

big a hit my tree decision was. I'm a natural at this "Father Christmas"

role."



                End of "Father Christmas" --- Part 1