Harper Bee Christmas Parade

The Harper Bee, our five day a week newspaper, sponsors a Christmas parade every year and today was the day. Santa Claus (this year Cletus VanVanderham) arrived on a caboose at the end of a railroad train and was met by a firetruck from the Harper Volunteer Fire Department. He stood on the back of the vehicle while it traveled down Harper Lake Road toward the two block downtown section. Children were dismissed from school and lined the streets waiting for Santa to pass by. As he went by he threw little candy canes to their waiting hands. Right in front of Brickley's Five and Dime he jumped off the truck and went inside where a throne-like chair was waiting. Children queued up waiting for an opportunity to sit on Santa's lap and plead for toys. I overheard one little boy ask for a new Apple computer. Santa asked him if it would be his first computer and he said no, but I would be his first Apple and Johnny S. kept bragging so much about his Apple and how great it was it was impossible for his to sleep good at night because he wanted one like Johnny so much. Things have changed a lot since I was a boy.