The year I turned 10 it snowed on Christmas Eve… a lot. Richmond Virginia is one of those places that rarely has a white Christmas, so when it does, things generally come to a screeching halt. On this night in l966, my mother happily wrapped gifts secure in the knowledge that all was ready for Santa’s visit. My father put last minute touches on the tree and my brother and I were tucked away in bed dreaming of sugar plums…or in my case, a Kissy Doll.
Kissy was the dream doll that year. Dressed in a red gingham dress, she stood quite tall, arms outstretched ready to “kiss” anyone who squeezed her arms together. Why I wanted this doll I don’t remember, but I do remember it was all I asked for, so when my mother took Kissy from her box for a test kiss, she remembers all but breaking down in tears when Kissy would not oblige. By now it was 9 PM and snow was flying, already several inches deep. These were the days before local shopping centers and Kissy had been purchased at Miller & Rhodes, a downtown store 15 miles from our home.
Ever the optimist, Mama made a call to the downtown store hoping someone would answer the switchboard and offer a suggestion. The gentleman who did was obviously enjoying a last minute office party, the jovial spirit sounding in his voice.
“Mrs. Patterson,” he said, “I give you my solemn promise that your little girl will wake up with a Kissy doll under her tree tomorrow morning.”
Mama hung up after giving him our address more hopeful than certain that this would be the case. She assumed by the time he came down off the table and removed the lampshade from his head, he would not remember it was even Christmas let alone locate a Kissy doll in the six story department store and deliver it to her in a raging snowstorm.
The snow continued to fall hard and fast. A bit after 11 PM, a yellow cab rounded the corner of our street and slid to a stop barely missing the ditch. A well dressed gentleman knocked on the door, red-faced from the cold wind, the office celebration or both. When he handed her the Kissy doll, bowed deeply and wished her all the joy of the season, Mama did not see a tipsy executive, she saw the real Santa Claus. Needless to say, we shopped at Miller & Rhodes until they closed their doors many years later, and although this is not MY Christmas memory per se, it’s one of my favorites just the same.
Although Sharon Stanley has been writing for years, it was only after her youngest graduated high school that she got serious about it. She picked up her pencil and paper, joined the SCBWI and got busy. She has two picture books under contract and looks forward to seeing them published. Sharon lives with her husband, two grown boys, three dogs, three cats and lots and lots of cows on a working farm in Virginia. She enjoys all sorts of artistic and creative endeavors and blogs about her publishing journey and farm life at www.sharonstanleywrites.blogspot.com. Her life is a crop circle of craziness that affords her a never-ending supply of subject matter for all the stories she writes.
4 comments:
Wow! I can't begin to imagine store personnel giving that kind of service. What an amazing story. Along the lines of Miracle on 34th Street. Thanks for sharing, Sharon.
I know Kai, unreal even for l966! Thanks for reading!
Great reading! Thanks so much for sharing. Makes one feel Christmasy!
Thanks Nancy...Christmas is coming fast!
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