82. Being A Mall Santa Can Be Rough
I covered for the local mall Santa many years ago. A little girl came up with a group of kids. She didn’t even look up at me and didn’t want to talk or get a candy cane. I asked her what was wrong. She said I didn’t give her what she asked for last year and started crying. I told her I was sorry and would try again this year. She said I couldn’t because she asked Santa to stop daddy from hurting mommy and he didn’t.
Her father had attacked her mother and she didn’t survive. All I could do was apologize. The chaperone took the girl away, not saying anything. I went home sick, removed my suit and never wore it again. I don’t know if the other person helping Santa that day thought they could do something for that little angel, but she was betrayed. I still think about her every holiday season.
