By Roger Turner
I'm a shopping center Santa Claus
For three weeks every year
It pays my rent and buys me food
And buys a case of beer
I never really liked it
Till one day two years back
When one small child asked me
Just how I filled my sack
I thought a bit and told the waif
That magic filled it up
Her eyes grew wide as saucers
Just waiting for a cup
I told her how my elves
Made the toys for me to give
To take around the whole wide world
Where all the children live
She asked me then why did I not
Fulfill her wish last year
I noticed then, her eyes welled up
And I know I saw a tear
She said that her poor mother
Had left and run away
She packed her bags a year ago
And left on Christmas day
She didn't leave me any gifts
She said in her small voice
She only left a letter saying
She had no other choice
She asked that with my magic
I make her wish come true
I'd said I'd try to do it
I would see what I could do
I wiped my nose and dried my tears
And put the small girl down
She turned to leave and walk away
Her coat was chocolate brown
It was a few days later
That she came back to my chair
Her eyes were bright and sparkling
And she wore ribbons in her hair
Thank you Santa for what you've done
There's someone you should meet
This is my mum, she's come back home
She's my early Christmas treat
Your magic worked a miracle
You made my wish come true
Now I believe in Santa Claus
And the Easter Bunny too!
I did not try to find her mum
To lie would not be fair
But when I left the mall that night
I said a little prayer
I prayed to God that she would find
Her mother back in her life
And that this small, young child
Would be free from any strife
I know that it's a pipe dream
Like wishing on a star
But I wished on one a few years back
And someone heard me from afar
I'm a shopping center Santa Claus
For a week or maybe two
But little girl, wherever you are
I still believe in you.
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Thursday was a very pretty day -- chilly but clear -- so after a pile of morning work, I went to meet a friend at Starbucks, then took a walk in the park and eventually ended up at the mall for a Pokemon raid. You'd never know that Thanksgiving was just a week ago; the mall is in full Christmas mode, though Santa looked a little lonely and Sears, which is closing after the holidays, just looked sad.
I made Paul watch the Jurassic World LEGO prequel, which was very enjoyable -- sure, a giant commercial for adorable LEGO dinosaurs, but much less dark and violent than the actual Jurassic Park movies. Then we caught up on The Gifted, which is like a darker parallel to this season's Supergirl. And then we saw the horror of the Cowboys-Saints game before turning it off for infotainment!
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