'It was your dad that answered all those letters that the kids wrote to Santa every year'

Background: Tim Russert's Wisdom of Our Fathers has hundreds of stories men and women tell about their fathers, including the one below. It's a remarkable book--to learn more, see my co-authored column America's Father Hunger (World Net Daily, 10/13/06).

The story below is "The Mail" from John Mooy, of Interlochen, Michigan, about his father mailman Nat Mooy (1905-1985).

"As a young boy, I sometimes traveled the country roads with my dad. He was a rural mail carrier in southwestern Michigan, and on Saturdays he would often ask me to go on the route with him. I loved it. Driving through the countryside was always an adventure. There were animals to see, people to visit, and freshly-baked chocolate-chip cookies if you knew where to stop, and Dad did. We made more stops than usual when I was on the route because I always got carsick, but stopping for me never seemed to bother Dad.

"In the spring, Dad delivered boxes full of baby chicks. Their continuous peeping could drive you crazy, but Dad loved it. When the peeping became too loud to bear, you could quiet them down by trilling your tongue and making the sounds of a hawk. When I was a boy it was fun to stick your fingers through one of the holes in the side of the cardboard boxes and let the baby birds peck on your finger. Such bravery!

"On Dad's final day of work on a beautiful summer day, it took him well into the evening to complete his rounds because at least one member of each family was waiting at their mailbox to thank him for his friendship and his years of service. 'Two hundred and nineteen mailboxes on my route,' he used to say, 'and a story at every one.' One lady had no mailbox, so Dad took the mail in to her every day because she was nearly blind. Once inside, he read her mail and helped her pay her bills. And every Thursday he read her the local newspaper.

"Mailboxes were sometimes used for things other than mail. One note left in a mailbox read, 'Nat, take these eggs to Marian; She's baking a cake and doesn't have any eggs, and don't stop to talk to Archie!' Mailboxes might be buried in the snow, or broken, or lying on the ground, but the mail was always delivered. On cold days Dad might find one of his customers waiting for him by the mailbox with a cup of hot chocolate. A young girl wrote letters but had no stamps, so she left a few buttons on the envelope in the mailbox; Dad paid for the stamps. One busy merchant used to leave large amounts of cash in his mailbox in a paper bag for Dad to take to the bank. On one occasion, the amount came to $32,000. It's hard to believe, but it's true.

"A dozen years ago, when I traveled back to my hometown on the sad occasion of Dad's death, the mailboxes along the way reminded me of some of his stories. I thought I knew them all, but that wasn't quite the case.

"As I drove through Marcellus, I noticed to aluminum lamp poles, one on each side of the street, reflecting the light of the late-afternoon summer sun. When my dad was around, those poles supported wooden boxes that were roughly four feet off the ground. One box was painted green, and the other was red, and each had a slot at the top with white lettering: SANTA CLAUS, NORTH POLE. For years children had dropped letters to Santa through those slots.

"I made a left turn at the corner and drove past the post office and across the railroad tracks to our house. Mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table when I heard footsteps on our porch. There, at the door, stood Frank Townsend, who had been Dad's postmaster and great friend for many years. So of course we all sat down at the table and began to tell stories.

"At one point Frank looked at me across the table with tears in his eyes. 'What are we going to do about the letters this Christmas?' he asked.

"The letters?"

"I guess you never knew."

"Knew what?"

"'Remember, when you were a kid and you used to put your letters to Santa in green and red boxes on Main Street? It was your dad that answered all those letters that the kids wrote every year.'

"I just sat there with tears in my eyes. It wasn't hard for me to imagine Dad sitting at the old oak table in our basement reading those letters and answering each one. I have since spoken with several of the people who received Christmas letters during their childhood, and they told me how amazed they were that Santa had know so much about their homes and families.

"For me, just knowing that story about my father was the gift of a lifetime."

Awww, what a sweet story. Thanks, Subby. :)

I've got something in my eye, I think.

I've been in a deep depression all day over how bad this Christmas has sucked, so this story has officially put me over the edge. Emotional breakdown in 3...2...1...

Showed this story to my girlfriend, mom and sisters, all of whom are currently in the process of making Christmas dinner. There's now a box of tissues on the counter along with all the ingredients. Excellent submission, subby.

Wow, just wow.

/Merry Christmas everyone.

Holy...wow

I...am literally at a loss for words

/nice find subby
//Merry Christmas

indeed!

the server's being slammed.

So naturally, I'm dry-eyed and continuing to be skeptical.

It was your dad that answered everyone's letters to Santa every year

....and it was your mom that serviced all the horny sailors while he was out.

Piss Up A Rope: It was your dad that answered everyone's letters to Santa every year

....and it was your mom that serviced all the horny sailors while he was out.

Theres no hate like ex-wife hate.

Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.

Rethorn: Piss Up A Rope: It was your dad that answered everyone's letters to Santa every year

....and it was your mom that serviced all the horny sailors while he was out.

Theres no hate like ex-wife hate.

your mom divorced your dad?

Dispector: Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.

Agreed. I teach fourth graders and you wouldn't believe how many of their parents drop that bomb on them before they're ready to hear it.

Dispector: Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.

My folks never told me that he didn't exist. I found out on my own, from older kids at school.

That being said, thanks again subby for posting that story.

Good stuff subby, thanks.

Mail fraud is a federal offense.

My grandpa gave my dad a box of golf balls and some duct tape. He said, " the balls are top quality and should work out fine, and the duct tape is to fix up the cracks and holes in your game."

I've got something in my eye, too.



Kleenex, anyone?

Dispector: Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.

Not really mine already knew it was no Santa at age 5
//Didn't have to tell her it's no Santa just asked her "what she want me to get for her for Xmas" she figured out the rest herself

Awesome story subby :)

seestephgo: Dispector: Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.

Agreed. I teach fourth graders and you wouldn't believe how many of their parents drop that bomb on them before they're ready to hear it.

My parents never told me Santa was real in the first place, and I actually think that's the better thing to do. They told me just like the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy, that Santa was a fictional character, but that doesn't mean Christmas can't be fun. You get presents, you have a great meal, you see friends and family, etc.

I was surprised to see how sad kids were when they found out Santa wasn't real. It almost seemed like Christmas was somehow ruined for them, at least for a little while. No bomb ever dropped on me, so I've always enjoyed it.

drjekel_mrhyde: Not really mine already knew it was no Santa at age 5
//Didn't have to tell her it's no Santa just asked her "what she want me to get for her for Xmas" she figured out the rest herself

I think it's kinda lame not having a Santa for Christmas... at least while you're a kid. It just takes the "magic" of it all. I found out on my own as some of the other farkers have mentioned. I'm not emotionally scarred or hurt by it. I'm glad I had the enjoyment of it... even I knew later on it was a lie.

i haven't thought about the old north pole mailboxes in years...in fact, i don't think i even realized that i had forgetten about them until just now.

i remember being very concerned that i was too short to reach the slot :)

awesome.

baby dinosaurs Quote 2007-12-25 08:51:46 PM
Mail fraud is a federal offense.


LOL

Dispector Quote 2007-12-25 08:40:16 PM
Hey, question fellow farkers: What's up the parents that tell their kids there's no Santa? I dunno... kinda takes the fun out of the holiday.


Mine just never told me there WAS a Santa. Starting life firmly grounded in reality, I know how to sense bullshiat to this day.

/You can still have a wonderful imagination, you know.
// probably why I never liked pro wrestling too

Well, I guess that's why my return letter from Santa always smelled like Wild Turkey and Pall Malls.

Dispector: drjekel_mrhyde: Not really mine already knew it was no Santa at age 5
//Didn't have to tell her it's no Santa just asked her "what she want me to get for her for Xmas" she figured out the rest herself

I think it's kinda lame not having a Santa for Christmas... at least while you're a kid. It just takes the "magic" of it all. I found out on my own as some of the other farkers have mentioned. I'm not emotionally scarred or hurt by it. I'm glad I had the enjoyment of it... even I knew later on it was a lie.

better teach them how to lie and generally deceive early on.

Great story.


Santa is one of the great things about being a kid. I feel for those whose parents wouldn't at least try and play along with it. My son is 5 and I plan on keeping it going for as long as I can, I figure maybe 2-3 years at the most.

And before the sand filled vaginas start yelling about "lying to children" and "Guess they will think the same about Jesus" I'll just have to head them off and say "I don't give a crap what you think, PERIOD."

Piss Up A Rope: Dispector: drjekel_mrhyde: Not really mine already knew it was no Santa at age 5
//Didn't have to tell her it's no Santa just asked her "what she want me to get for her for Xmas" she figured out the rest herself

I think it's kinda lame not having a Santa for Christmas... at least while you're a kid. It just takes the "magic" of it all. I found out on my own as some of the other farkers have mentioned. I'm not emotionally scarred or hurt by it. I'm glad I had the enjoyment of it... even I knew later on it was a lie.

better teach them how to lie and generally deceive early on.

Here's a wonderful candidate for "Sand Filled Vagina" of the year.

Ok, I'm done, still a great story.

SouthParkCon:

And you apparently don't give a crap about your kids either. Great pattern there. At least you're consistent.

SouthParkCon: Piss Up A Rope: Dispector: drjekel_mrhyde: Not really mine already knew it was no Santa at age 5
//Didn't have to tell her it's no Santa just asked her "what she want me to get for her for Xmas" she figured out the rest herself

I think it's kinda lame not having a Santa for Christmas... at least while you're a kid. It just takes the "magic" of it all. I found out on my own as some of the other farkers have mentioned. I'm not emotionally scarred or hurt by it. I'm glad I had the enjoyment of it... even I knew later on it was a lie.

better teach them how to lie and generally deceive early on.

Here's a wonderful candidate for "Sand Filled Vagina" of the year.

Ok, I'm done, still a great story.

atleast convince them of weinachtmann, the traditional german santa that comes earlier in december and dresses like sarumon.

if you are good, he brings presents, if you are bad, he sticks you in a gunny sack and takes you away for his stew.

My parents never taught me about Santa because we never celebrated Christmas. Seriously it's one of the few things about the whole stupid situation I *don't* regret. My parents may have taught me a bunch of useless crap, but at least it was useless crap they actually believed.

I don't really know how I would handle it, but I'm inclined to agree with the person up above - I wouldn't teach them that santa is real, just that it's a fun fictional character. I'm also not so sure that I would be too keen on the whole "presents" thing. Nothing takes a child's mind off of what you really want them to be thinking about than new toys. :)

But then I'm kinda coming at it from an outsider's perspective anyway...

duskglow2000: SouthParkCon:

And you apparently don't give a crap about your kids either. Great pattern there. At least you're consistent.

And it now looks like we have a Runner-Up.

Meh... My father's been working for the post office for 40 years, and he's the biggest prick I've known in my whole life.

Great, very sweet story and I'm glad you posted it but this--->


skinink: Well, I guess that's why my return letter from Santa always smelled like Wild Turkey and Pall Malls.

made me laugh really hard.

SouthParkCon:

I don't have a vagina. But nice try.

Sticks and stones will break your bones, ta ta, cheerio, crumpets, bad teeth, and all that.

My parents never told me there wasn't a Santa. In fact, he visited me and my 25 year old brother and our significant others this morning! They always said that as long as we believed in Santa, that he would still stop at our house. :)


SouthParkCon

I can understand both sides of the Santa argument, but I agree with you. I loved the magic of the whole thing when I was younger.

Bin_Jammin:

A short of your favorite alcoholic beverage says that mine was more of a prick. :)

SouthParkCon

Yeah, my kids found out Jesus wasn't real at a very young age.

Pass me some of that Kleenex, kr7bky....

//glad family still around
//slashies!

Squallshaper:

Understandable. I guess from that perspective, there's not a whole lot of difference between teaching kids about jesus and teaching kids about santa. The only difference I guess is that you never get told that jesus doesn't exist, you have to figure it out for yourself.

Jesus: Santa for adults.

How sweet Tim, your father spent years lying to children.

duskglow2000Bin_Jammin:

A short of your favorite alcoholic beverage says that mine was more of a prick. :)


I just found out recently I'm a diabetic, no drinking for me. Now I've got nothing :(

Ok, non-alcoholic works too.

I don't drink either.

Trinilos: I was surprised to see how sad kids were when they found out Santa wasn't real. It almost seemed like Christmas was somehow ruined for them


I've never once witnessed this. Every child I've known eventually figured it out and just went on about their merry little way.

Relatively Obscure:

It's possible that you weren't paying much attention, also.

Kids are good at hiding things like that, and it comes out in other ways, sometimes much later.

Relatively Obscure: Trinilos: I was surprised to see how sad kids were when they found out Santa wasn't real. It almost seemed like Christmas was somehow ruined for them

I've never once witnessed this. Every child I've known eventually figured it out and just went on about their merry little way.

Guess I only noticed the ones who did. Eh, never made much of a difference to me. I still enjoyed the holiday as much as they did, just without the big guy in red.

thalidomide new and improved: the server's being slammed.

So naturally, I'm dry-eyed and continuing to be skeptical.

F A W K

I read it, and now my wife is wondering why I'm teary-eyed.

Piss Up A Rope: better teach them how to lie and generally deceive early on.

I came here to assure myself some Farker would make this comment. Thanks for giving me the comfort of a consistent universe.