Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! By Ashley
This past Saturday, we drove up through the Santa Cruz mountains to chop or, should I say, saw down a Christmas Tree. We left it up to chance which tree farm we would find our Tannenbaum. Upon getting to the top of the mountain, and not seeing a tree farm, we were beginning to think that we may have gone the wrong way. We finally noticed a handwritten sign that said Frank’s Ranch and had an arrow pointing the way. Following this, we soon discovered the tree farm.
Relieved, we begin the fun and tedious search through a forest of Christmas Trees. Too tall, too short, too fat, not fat enough, too bald, two trees growing out of one trunk…about an hour and a half later, we found “the one” and cut it down.
While Collin went to get the car, I went to pay. I whipped out the credit card, and the sweet lady at the pay booth told me they only accepted cash or checks. Gulp, I didn’t think we had either. I told her this, and she said, “Don’t worry.” She proceeded to hand me a little blue piece of paper with the address (handwritten) on it and said, “Just mail us a check when you get home.”
Stunned, I said, “Thank you so much!”
When Collin came with the car, we realized we did have the checkbook in the console. We went back to the counter to pay, and he asked to whom to make the check out; she said, “Virginia Franks.” She went on to say the farm had been in her family for a long time and reassured us that we could just mail her the money. As I thanked her again, Collin handed her the check and said, “I want you to remember one thing this Christmas.”
She said, “What’s that?”
He replied, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” She laughed and told him she didn’t think he was old enough to get that reference and that she always believed to this day. We thanked her again and went to put the tree on top of the car.
On our way back down the mountain, we mused what a kind gesture it was to trust that we would send them a check. So refreshing in this world in which we now live.
Thank you, Virginia, for our beautiful tree and for trusting and believing in the goodness of others. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. I know there is because of people like you.
