Wave to Santa!

Dear Dan,

One year shortly after Thanksgiving you, mom dad and I went to have dinner at Howard Johnsons. I think you were already in high school and I was still in Jr. high. We both might still have been in Jr. high; I don't quite remember exactly. We were going past College Heights and the Alphas were driving around with Santa on the fire truck. Mom got all excited, started waving and yelling to us, "Wave to Santa! Wave to Santa!" She turned around and looked at us sitting in the back seat. We just sat there, looking at each other and at her. All of a sudden she realized SHE was Santa and WE had known that for quite a few years!

We all laughed so hard; the tears were running down our faces. I think dad even laughed out loud. THAT was unusual. His biggest laugh was usually a smile.

We got to Howard Johnson's and mom was laughing and staggering; she could hardly stand up straight. She had one of those purses that had one strap and a clasp on the top. The clasp wouldn't stay closed. As she brushed the tables, her open purse was knocking the silverware off the table and - of course - it was all landing in the purse. Mom kept digging the silverware out of the purse and resetting the tables. The hostess and the other customers were all slackjawed, looking at us. That made her laugh harder and stagger more. We just kept shaking our heads and laughing all the way to our table.