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Show Thursday, December 23, 2004 THE PYRAMID 15 that amazing reindeer of old On a December night hi Chicago several years ago,fa-a little girl climbed into her thers lap and sked a question. It was a simple question, asked in childrens yet it had a heart y, rending effect on Robert May. Daddy, four year old Barbara May asked, Why isnt my Mommy just like everybody elses mommy? Bob May stole a glace across his shabby two-rooapartment. On a couch lay his young wife, Evelyn, racked with cancer. For two years she had been bedridden; for two years, all Bobs small income and smaller savings had gone to pay for treatments and m medicines. The terrible ordeal already had shattered two adult lives. Now Bob suddenly realized the happiness of his growing dauther was also in jeopardy. As he ran fingers through Barbaras hair, he gropped for some satisfactory answer to his her question. Bob May knew only too well what it meant to be different. As a child he had been weak and delicate. With the innocent cruelty of children, his playmates had gloated the continually stunted, skinny lad to tears. Later at Dartmouth, from wWch he Bob May he was And so it was that Rudolph became the most famous and beloved of all the reindeer. The huge red nose he once hid in shame was now the envy of every buck and doe in the reindeer world. Santa Claus told everyone that Rudolph had saved the day and from that Christmas on, Rudolph has been living serenely and happy. Little Barbara laughed with glee when her father finished. Every night she begged him to repeat the tale until finally Bob could rattle it off in his sleep. Then, at Christmas time, he decided to make the story a poem like The night before Christmas and prepare it in booklet form illustrated with crude pictures, for personal gift. Night after night, Bob worked on the verses after Barbara had gone to bed for he was determined his daughter should have a worthwhile even gift, though he could not afford to buy one . . . Then as Bob was about to put the finishing touches on Rudolph, tragedy struck. Evelyn May died. Bob, his hopes crushed turned to Barbara as his chief comfort. Yes, despite his grief, he sat at his desk in the quiet, now lonely apartment and woked on Rudolph with tears in his eyes. Shortlev after Barbara had cried with joy over his handmade gift on Christmas morning, Bob was asked to an employees holiday party at Montgomery Wards. He Who claimed the only good didnt want to go, but his office associates insisted. gift was one ecological. No baseball, no football; When Bob finally agreed, he someone could get hurt; took with him the poem and Besides, playing sports ex- read it to the crowd. At first the noisy throng listened in posed kids to dirt. Dolls were said to be sex- laughter and gaiety then ist, and should be passe; they became silent, and at And Nintendo would rot the end, broke into spontaneous applause. That was in your entire brain away. So Santa just stood there, 1938 disheveled, perplexed; By Christmas of 1947, He just could not figure out some 6,000,000 copies of the what to do next. booklet had been given He tried to be merry, tried away or sold making to be gay, Rudolph one of the most But you've got to be care- widely distributed books in ful with that word today. the world. The demand for His sack was quite empty, Rudolph sponsored products increased so much in variety limp to the ground; Nothing fully acceptable and number that educators was to be found. and historians predicted Something special was Rudolph would come to ocneeded, a gift that he might cupy a permanent niche in Give to all without anger- Christmas legend. ing the left or the right. Through tne years of unA gift that woulc happiness, the tragedy of his with no indecision, wifes death and ms ultimate Each group of success with Rudolph, Bob every religion; May has captured a sense of And as each Every ethnicity, every hue, serenity. Everyone, everywhere, Christmas rolls around he even you. recalls with thankfulness So here is that gift, it's the night when his daughters question inspired him priced beyond worth. May you and your loved to write the story. graduated in 1926, others happy. was so small that Rudolph, Bob explained, always being mistak- was terribly embarrassed en for someone's little by his unique nose. Other brother. reindeer laughed at him; his Nor was his adult life mother and father and sister nnich happier. Unlike many were mortified too. Even of his classmates tvho floatRudolph wallowed in self-pited from college into plush jobs, Bob became a lowly Why was I born with copy writer for Mont- such a terrible nose? he gomery Ward, the big cried. Chicago mail order house. continued Bob, Well, Now at 33, Bob was in One Christmas Eve, Santa deep debt, depressed and sad. Claus got his team of husky Although Bob didnt know reindeer - Dasher, Dancer, at the time, the answer he Prancer, Vixen, and the othgave the tousled haired cliild ers ready for their yearly on his lap was to bring him trip around the world. The fame and fortune. It was entire reindeer community also to bring joy to countless assembled to cheer these thousands of children like great heroes on their way. his own Barbara. On that But a terrible fog engulfed December night in the shab- the earth that evening, and by Chicago apartment, Bob Santa knew that the mist cradled the little girls head was so thick that he wouldagainst his shoulder and be- nt be able to find any chimgan to tell a story . neys. Once upon a time there Suddenly Rudolph ap- was a reindeer named his red nose glowing eared, E than ever. Santa Rudolph, the only reindeer righter in the world that had a big sensed at once that here was red nose. Naturally people the answer to his perplexing called him Rudolph the Red problem. He led Rudolph to Nosed Reindeer." As Bob the front of the sleigh, faswent on to tell about tened the harness and Rudolph, he tried desperate- climbed in. They were off! ly to communicate to BarRudolph guided Santa safely bara the knowledge that, to every chimney that night. even though some creatures Rain, fog, snow and sleet; of God are strange and dif- nothing bothered Rudolph, ferent, they often enjoy the for his bright nose penetratmiraculous power to make ed the mist like a beacon. y. . . unauthorized use of his nose And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation, millions in Demanding over-ducompensation. So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife, Who suddenly said she'd enough of this life, Joined a group, packed, and left in a whiz, Demanding from now on her title was Ms. And as for the gifts, why, he'd ne'er had a notion That making a choice ety, Released to the wilds by could cause so much commotion. the Humane Society. And equal employment Nothing of leather, nothing of fur, had made it quite clear Which meant nothing for That Santa had better not him. And nothing for her. use just reindeer. So Dancer and Donner, Nothing that might be conComet and Cupid, strued to pollute. Were replaced with 4 pigs, Nothing to aim. Nothing to and you know that looked shoot. stupid! Nothing that clamored or The runners had been re- made lots of noise. moved from his sleigh; Nothing for just girls. Or The ruts were termed dan- just for the boys. gerous by the E.P.A. Nothing that claimed to be And people had started to gender specific. call for the cops Nothing that's warlike or When they neard sled noises on their No candy or sweets, they Second-hansmoke from were bad for the tooth. his pipe had his workers Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth. quite frightened. And fairy tales, while not His fur trimmed red suit was called Unenlightened. yet forbidden, Were like Ken and Barbie, And to show you the strangeness of life's ebbs and better off hidden. For they raised the hackles flows, Rudolf was suing over of those psychological e self-hel- p non-pacifi- roof-top- s. d ones enjoy peace on earth. This poem is copyright by Harvey Ehrlich. Thanks to all our customers and associates for a wonderful year. We wish you all the happiness of the season and hope your holidays are spent joyfully and in good company. It's been a real privilege serving you this year. We look forward to your continued patronage in the yKA new year. FarWest Bank What your bank should Ephraim Fairview Mt. Pleasant be. & Mortgage - .At rv 1 x?v A V from Central Utah Teiephone and Internet service, gave a presentation to the Fountain Green Elementary school students on teiephone and Internet safety in two different sessions. The children were taught that they should not give out any personal information over the phone or Internet. It was an excellent program and the school appreciated them taking time to be there. Mindy Tucker, Sarah Bench and Speedy Uplink, representatives The Christmas Cake tell you one thing . . every year since we were children, my mother used to bake a large cake, and after I . she got so she couldn't bake, shed have t baked up there at a bakery. But she baked this cake and one Christmas we all stood around this cake and sang, Happy Birthday, dear Jesus. We are so glad you were born today. Happy Birthday, dear Jesus My mother is still alive and we still do that evei y year. . . . Hamburgers on Christmas Eve We have hamburgers on Cliristmas Eve traditionally. Why? I think because mothers were trying to prepare a massive Cliristmas dinner and it was always such a hassle that all they could muster for Christmas Eve were hamburgers, potato chips, and a coke. Nancy Redenbaugh, Ann M. Fleming A Celebration of American Family Folklore Happy ami Healthy Holiday! We're dispensing our best wishes, and they include a large measure of thanks to our loyal customers. We truly appreciate your trust in us. Everything on sale December 26 because we love you! T hanks for your business. TH t PRESCRIPTION HMfONF iiakmacYf 322ES MT. PI PASAN T. UTAH 84647 w r. 1992 Free to distribute without changes as long as this notice remains intact. is. Bar-bara- Twas the Night Before Christmas! Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck. How to live in a world that's politically correct? His workers no longer would answer to Elves, Vertically Challenged they were calling themselves. And labor conditions at the north pole Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul. Four reindeer had vanished, without much propri- o 'f.ftftf tt V.V V .V.V, Peace Ee With you May your spiiil he filial with the inspnation and hope of that fust Christmas, when a In phi slat hiazai a path to the manger, thus heralding a new era oflufetbi mankind To ail our good fiends, goes ut dap appreciation for the to us. Noel! shown voiTve goahvill CENTRA L UTAH TITLE 140 North Main, Manti PO Box 37 Fax (435) - 835-111- 1 835-882- 4 Glen, Mark, Terrie, Marie, Travis & KayDee V , |