A Christmas snow ¡ob; or a visit to the North Pole HOM ELITE ’ XL2 CHAIN SAW MAKES CUTTING TWICE-AS-EASY i The twiceaseasy chain saw with Twin Trigger™ Dual Control System i Lightweight, perfectly balanced, only 7V4 lbs. less bar and chain i Powerful Homelite* Hemi-Head Engine i Automatic Chain Oiler, standard equipment i Quiet Softone™ Muffler Only H I k»'Achats S u g g e s te d R e ta il Price *TM Trademark of Homelite, a division of Textron Inc. W a lly ’s Sm all Engines Homelite Sales & Service Rt. 2 Box 1453, Sandy, Ore. 6684703 by Cwpt. Eddie Windsocker As told to Nancy Barker Note: A friend of the Sandy Post has had the opportunity to visit Santa Claus at the North Pole, and has given the Post an exclusive interview with Santa himself Captain Eddie Wind- socker, a free lance pilot of our acquaintance, got off course on a flight to California, and ended up at the North Pole. Here, in his own words, is his story. Well, I was on my way to Orange County, Calif to pick up some oranges (what else?). You gotta understand passenger business isn’t good these days, not for little planes like mine anyway. The big jets have ripped off us little guys in that respect. People expect luxury and safety nowdays for some reason. So I do a little freight now and then I don’t know just exactly what happened Ran into a snowstorm over K la m a th Falls, and I guess I got turned around somehow. Of course, my instruments aren’t too good anymore. Anyway, next thing I knew, I ran out of gas, and had to land. When I stepped out of the «mom ana joy. May many blessings be yours on this Christmas. 1 ’1 M I C ÜI lb McGUIRE’S NURSING HOME O ff Estacada Hwy. on Dubarko Sandy, Oregon 668-4633 TJ s In Sandy For Your Dining P leasu re » DELICIOUS FOODS AT REASONABLE PRICES U.S. CHOICE TOP SIRLOIN STEiK $3.50 Baked Potato Salad, Dessert Tea or Coffee Your Roast Pork w/dressing .i Roast Sirloin Beef Choice *2.50 FISH & CHIPS Halibut Pieces Cooked in our Special Batter Tea or Coffee, Dessert FIT FOR 4 KING STEAK and LOBSTER SPAGHETTI With Meat Sauce Garlic Toast B 8 ||C II H flllU n D IID C E D DUHUCH A Meal You Will Really Enjoy >1.95 i.S I5 A REAL MEAL v C R e s ta u ra n * Closed Christm as D oy 6 a.m . 't il M id n ig h t L o u n g e 7 1 a.m , 't il 2 :3 0 a.m . plane, I had the feeling I wasn’t in sunny Cal Either that, or they had a whale of a snow storm a ll of a sudden. Everything was white Not a tree or building for miles. The situation looked pretty dim, and I ’d about given up hope, when I saw a tiny red speck in the distance, moving towards me What a relief, I thought Here comes a rescuer, maybe. I just hoped he would have a few extra gallons of gas. A few minutes la te r, I decided that it was all a hallucination. Here was this little fat dude in a red suit, driving a bunch of reindeer, through the air yet. ‘‘Hey, if I didn’t know better, I ’d think you were Santa Claus,” I called, "That’s a good disguise, but who are you, really?” “ Would you believe the Jolly Green Giant? Come now, who did you expect to find up here in the North Pole,” the little joker snapped. The North Pole, hugh! Now I was sdT6 I ’d died and gone on to my desserts On the other hand, it isn’t supposed to be so blasted cold there. "Then you really must be . . . but no, that's impossible," I sputtered. “There isn’t any . . . I mean, you’re not really Santa Claus!” " If you say so,” shrugged the fat guy, “ but who else do you know with flying reindeer?” " W e ll, everybody knows there's no such thing as Santa Claus,” I scoffed. “ But I will admit that’s a good trick you got w ith those reind eer, especially with the gasoline shortage these days. HOW do you do it anyway?” “ You wouldn’t believe me if I told you” he laughed. “ I ’ve heard of being high—you mean th e y ’re on something? Whatever it is, I wouldn’t mind taking some myself,” I ex­ claimed. “ Of course, that’s not my bag really, but it would sure save on gas.” no, you’ve got it all said red suit. "M y crew is perfectly straight. I t ’s just a m atter of gravity—that is a n ti-g ra v ity . W ell i t ’s im ­ possible to explain. You don’t even believe m e !” “ Well, I didn’t say that exactly,” I hedged. “ I t ’s just that there's a small credibility gap, shall we say. If you're really Santa, where’s Rudolph? I only see eight of those far out reindeer, and not a red nose in the bunch!” “ Rudolph, Shmudolph! Who needs him ,” jeered jolly old elf. “A reindeer with a cold helped us out a few years back. He took a few tiny time pills, and we haven’t heard from him since. “ No big loss, though,” he added. “ Old Rudy got to thinking he was pretty hot stuff. Wanted to go into show biz! Listen we got along okay without him for years, and we do okay now.” All right, if you’re Santa, then who are all those other dudes in red suits,” I quizzed. “There’s another credibility gap.” “ Supposedly, th ey’ re my helpers," replied the little guy, “ but some of them aren't helping much! They actually encourage kids to ask for a lot of stuff they don’t need, and then their stupid parents run right out and buy it for them. I tell you it’s getting out of hand- doesn’t help the energy crisis either!” “ But what's wrong with that- takes the load off you, doesn’t it?” “ A r t you kidding? I jump down the chimney with a shiny new bike (which isn’t easy), and find that the parents have beat me to it with a m ini­ motorcycle, and an. electric light show machine,” sighed the elf. “Things would be simpler if th ey'd let me handle everything. After all, I know who’s been bad or good!” “ I didn’t realize you had so m any problem s,” I s ym ­ pathized “ Problems! You don't know the half of it,” he exclaimed. “ I know one rotten little rich kid who's asked for the Los Angeles Rams for Christmas.” "Boy, he sure doesn't want much does he? That's really homy," I chuckled “Funny! '.What's funny? 1 think he's going to get them ! I just don't know about these kids today," said the elf “Can't really blame them if their parents spoil them though.” “ T M most discouraging thing,” he added, “is that after J've knocked myself out to give the kid what he wants, laid a lot of goodies on him, then he turns around after Christmas, and says ‘I don't believe in Santa Claus. ’” “ Yeah, that is a bummer,” I agreed. “ I tell you, I ’m thinking seriously of retiring,” declared red suit. “ I t ’s getting to be too much. It used to be that people were glad to let me do my job, but there’s just too much in­ terference now.” “Santa Claus retire? That’s a good one,” I smiled. “What would you do if you retired? You’d have a lot of time on your hands, with no toys to make all year.” “ Don’t tell anyone, but I have plans to become an activist for the Gray Panters,” confided the jolly one. “ I think they could use someone with my executive capabilities, not to mention my image! I ’m sure they would appreciate m e." “ Listen, uh, Santa,” I said, “ Don’t be too hasty about this. What would we do without you at Christmas?” “ Oh, I ’m not too worried about that,” he answered. “The TV commercials will tell the kids w hat they w ant for Christmas, and the parents will run out and buy whatever it is. It might lack a little something, like Christmas spirit, but not many people will notice. You don’t really need m e.” " I don’t know . . . it just wouldn't be quite the same without you som ehow,” I mused, “that is, if you’re really Santa Claus.” “Still don’t believe, huh? See what I mean? That's the kind of attitude I ’m against,” the old guy said wearily. “Takes away my motivation somehow ” “ Oh, well I didn't mean it that w ay,” I hedged. " I t ’s just that it's such a shock to land here, and find you—its’s kind of hard to believe. “ Listen, if you’re re a lly Santa, maybe you can help me out! I ’ve got to get this plane down to California soon, and pick up some oranges—for C hristm as stockings, you know—but I ’m out of gas. You wouldn't happen to have any around here, would you?” “Funny hou should ask,” he grinned. “ I just happen to have a whole tank of the stuff. Let that be an early Christmas present.” “Wow, a whole tank? But that's impossible, with this energy crisis on now. You must really have connections.” “Oh, I ’ve had this for quite some tim e,” smiled the little elf. I got it some years ago when we were making toy cars that used real gas. They were exactly like the real thing! S tran g ely enough the kids didn't like them at a ll.” “Why was that?” “For one thing, they com­ plained about always having to put gas in the darn cars,” he recalled “ Another thing was, they stunk—the cars, not the kids—real exhaust fumes, you know. And the biggest thing was the accidents. More dogs and cats had broken legs that year than ever before We recalled every one of those cars!” "No wonder! Lucky for me you still had the gas," I said gratefully “Who needs gas when you've got re in d e e r p o w e r,” e x ­ claimed my benefactor “ Gosh, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this,” I said “You know, I do believe you're really Santa after all! How can I ever repay you?” “Just deliver those oranges here," he twinkled " I ’ll see that they get into the right stocking!" “W ait just a minute,” he Thur»., Dec. 20, 1973 (Sec. 1) S A N D Y (Ore., POST - 19 CHRISTMAS “ HO, HO, ho.And what do you two youngsters want for Christmas from Santa?” Santa Clause visited youngsters Saturday at the Sandy fire hall. 'Post Photo) added, and I ’ll have my rein­ deer bring that tank over to refuel your plane.” “Santa, you’re all h eart!” “ Ho, Ho, Ho, and Merry C h ris tm a s ,” chortled Santa Claus, shaking remarkably like a blob of red jelly, as he drove out of sight. And this is my story. Every word is true, I swear it on my Cessna, or my name isn’t Eddie Windsocker! I can even prove it. Santa Claus gave me his pipe as a souvenir: he has given up smoking, you know, in the interests of health and pollution Besides, how do you think I got back here? Believe me, there really is a Santa Claus! Cottrell School’s 4th grade Camp F ire Adventure group had a “Send-Off Ceremonial” in the school gym this past week The Eluta Kani A Kaga Discovery Club from Gresham gave the cerem onial to welcome into Camp Fire this group of girls and presented each Adventure girl with a new m em ber candle. Follow ing this, the Adventure group told their parents plans for the coming year, including plans for a Sewing Try-Ad. Several articles they will make also w ill meet 4-H requirements Several of their fun projects include camping, hiking, and field trips. After the ceremonial refreshments were served by Mrs. Joyce Coleman and Mrs Bev McCoy. Adventure Girls are K im ­ berly Belcher. Katrina Berg. Kathy Caba, Kim Clift, Julie Coleman, Tammy Cook, Robin Johnson, Carrie Krogh, Cindy McCoy. Leesa Thomas. Susan Thomlimb and Debbie Young Seveth grade Discovery Club girls are Cidny Blevins, Lisa Crewford. Dana MacGregor. Darlene Perks, Ruth Thomas. Beverly Proffitt, and Lanetta Justise Leader for both groups is Mrs. Elaine Thomas 1 In the happy spirit of the holiday, when peace settles as gently as freshly fallen snow, we pause and count our many blessings. Numbered high among them is your cherished patronage and good will. Bountiful thanks and sincere greetings to all. THE SANDY POST 668-554« 118 M ain 5«. Sandy, Ora. I