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Santa Action

November 26, 2006

Dad got the "gig of the year" this season with the annual holiday season kickoff in downtown Traverse City, Michigan. Pretty heavy.01. "Pre-game jitters."02. "Right downtown...Front Street, Traverse City, Mich."03. "Showtime!"04. "My dad, my hero."05. "I'm not wearing any underwear!"06. "Ha ha. Uh, Santa, have you been drinking? Shame, shame."07. "Checking in with the big man at the North Pole."08. "gettin' heated in the cockpit."09. "The sexy dames couldn't get enough of ol' Santa."10. "Santa's even down with the pigs."(+) One last naughty detail to think about.My old man has been playing Santa Claus for some twenty five years. Sometime around autumn he lets his beard and locks grow out. His rotund girth is well, a "year round deal," if you get our drift.He plays private parties, business events and hits up the local hospices. I remember him telling me about how he sat with this lady who didn't have too long to live. The nurses told dad she probably wouldn't make it through the weekend."I made her smile, Aaron," dad said about his time with the old lady, who's time was quickly running out.I was 11 or so, hiding in the back of dad's van. I remember him delivering boxes of food to needy families dressed as Santa, with crying moms and their wide-eyed younglings holding onto her legs looking up at him. That was a heavy thing. I remember him getting choked up when he'd get back in the rig.For the record, all proceeds from his Santa enterprise goes to the Father Fred Foundation in Traverse City. I posed the question, "You earned it Dad, why don't you just sock it away for you and mom?"His answer is the same each year, "Cuz Aaron, there are people who are hurtin' out there and need help.""Hell, I bought five bikes this year with the extra loot I ratholed away all year long." he exclaimed, "That money was burning a hole in my pocket!"The bikes go to a fella in Central Lake who distributes them to kids who don't have bikes. Every kid should have a bike. This year their aim was to give otu 100 bikes. Amazing. Heroes.His season kick off was a bit of a milestone this year. He opened the Traverse City Holiday season with an appearance. I'm feeling kind of down cuz I missed it, but feel good cuz I got a couple weeks with that fucker this fall.Good work, dad. Love you.(CALL TO ARMS: To all the readers—and fuck, there's a mess of you on here these days—please leave dad a comment. He could use all the support we can muster up, plus, the old man loves the press. Leave a comment. Tell him something good. Speak up.)

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