This story is about a young mother with three small
children, her moments of desperation, and her love for her children during the
weeks approaching Christmas.
It was Christmas 1988 in Flint, Michigan. It was a time when
the city of Flint was still a prospering General Motors town, few people were
laid off, and overall, life seemed good. Unfortunately, for one young Mother
with a set of identical twin boys - age 3 and a third son - age 16 months, the
word 'struggle' had taken on a whole new definition.
The separation took place in the month of August; the
father/husband had frozen every penny she had. This created problems she had
never faced before - severe poverty. She was living in a house her parents had
obtained for her, working as a temporary at any job she could get, but the idea
of buying gifts for her children for Christmas seemed to be strictly an idea.
While driving to work one morning she heard on the radio an
advertisement for 'Christmas at Autoworld'. This place was built as a teaching
amusement park - inside. The theme was the automobile industry since it was
located in the heart of Flint, Michigan. Unfortunately, it was failing;
therefore, the city was offering the residents one last chance to experience
the fun before it closed its doors - FOR FREE! There was no cost to be admitted
or ride on the rides, but food was not free. She decided that since she didn't
have two pennies to rub together for Christmas, her boys would have the
'Christmas' experience at Autoworld. Her boys were her life, her loves.
So, on the night of the big 'free' event, it was snowing,
very cold, but the very spirit of Christmas was in the air. A true Michigan
Christmas. She bundled them up in their winter outerwear put them and the
umbrella stroller into the old car she had purchased for $1,200 and headed to
'Autoworld!' The night was definitely COLD, but she parked as close to the
entrance as she could.
As she was putting her baby into the umbrella stroller with
her twins at her side, a horse drawn carriage pulled up behind her car and the
driver asked her if she wanted a ride. She politely declined (wishing she could
have since it was a perfect night to do so) stating that she didn't have any
money. She proceeded to walk the snowy sidewalk with the stroller and her twins
to the entrance.
The experience inside was thrilling for her boys. Of course,
they would get hungry as the whole environment smelled like cotton candy, popcorn,
hotdogs, pizza, and every other type of food a vendor could serve. She reached
into her wallet to see what money she had. She determined she had enough for
two slices of pizza and one soft drink. They all sat down at a table and shared
their dinner; she ate nothing, her children always came first.
After spending a couple of hours the children were getting
tired, the facility was getting ready to close and it was getting bed time for
them. She gathered them up, bundled them up and headed outside. At the curb in
front of the main entrance there was the horse drawn carriage looking like it
was waiting for Cinderella. The driver said, 'You wait right there, don't move
I will be right back. Don't leave.' The young mother was shocked but did just
that, waited. Her boys loved looking at the horse.
A few minutes later the carriage appeared back in front of
them. The driver got down from his seat and said, 'Get in.' The Mother said, 'I
don't have any money for a ride.' The driver told her he was all done for the
night and she was his last passengers... there was no charge. He told her he
was just going to give her and her boys a ride around the parking lot to her
car. Her boys were thrilled to say the least.
He helped her and her precious cargo into the carriage
covered them up with warm woolen blankets (just like in the movies) and off
they went. After they made a U-turn, he turned to her and asked her, 'Would you
like to see the city by way of horse drawn carriage?' This is what she wanted
to do all along. Of course, she said yes and her boys were ecstatic!
Throughout the whole ride she and the driver had been
talking about her situation and that her Christmas wish was to get a permanent
job enabling her to support her boys. The driver, now known as Harold, pulled
up behind her car after a grand tour of the city, halted the horse, parked, and
lifted one by one her children down out of the carriage. Then, like Santa
taking Mrs. Claus's hand, he helped her out of the carriage only in his hand
was a $20 bill folded up.
His eyes were filled with tears and said it isn't much but
buy these beautiful boys something for under the tree from Santa and my
Christmas wish for you is that I hope you receive that job.
One week later I received a job offer that was to start in
January, it lasted for ten years. My 'Carriage Santa' came to visit me there
several times. Yes, this is my story. My twins are now 27 and my 'baby' in the
umbrella stroller is now 25. They are all grown up and very successful and my
'Carriage Santa - Harold' has now passed away but God sent him to me for a
reason. I have always tried to pass along the goodness he showed me, a complete
stranger, whenever I can.
I truly believe in the love that 'Santa' stands for,
therefore, I believe in Santa. God is Love, Santa is Love and I believe in
never giving up, there is always hope.
Merry Christmas.
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