Santa is a Red Sox Fan

Yes folks, it’s true and my seven year old daughter was just as surprised as I was to discover it.
As we waited in the line for our turn with the man on the chilly Main Street of Stockbridge last Sunday our conversation had touched upon her doubts about Santa’s capacity to deliver. “How can he remember all the things people ask for?” she wondered. “He doesn’t have a laptop or a PDA or even one of his helpers taking some notes!”
She was at the age of needing just a little more proof that the whole Santa thing was for real and was beginning to find shreds of evidence that it just might be bogus. Until we got to second in line that is.
The kid in front of us was about to mount Santa’s lap as Santa queried “Now where are you from young man?”
“Boston” said the kid.
“You a Red Sox fan?” asked Santa.
“Oh YES!” he replied with a huge accompanying smile.
“Me too! Give me five!” said Santa raising his palm in the air.
I almost fell over backwards and we were both hollering with delight. What an amazing revelation for Santa to make. Maybe he was taking the whole Rockwellesque Main Street of Stockbridge thing just a little too far. Sure, back in Rockwell’s days most everyone in the crowd would have been on board with Santa being a Red Sox Fan. But times have changed. The visitors and “second homers” far outnumbered the local crowd at this event and most of them came from you know where and probably wore pinstripe pajamas to bed.
I glanced back down the line to those within earshot. I half expected to see a mass exodus from this particular Santa’s parade. But it was not to be. The brave Yankees fans in the crowd just gripped their kids hands a little tighter and feigned a smile at Santa’s bad taste in baseball. After all he was Santa and how could you rip your kid away from him just because he slept with the enemy.
For us local folks though, it was a moment not to be ignored, especially those of us weary of being a minority in our own land despite the recent World Series victory. Boston kid’s Dad helped us out by turning to the crowd and announcing for those who might not have heard. “Hey did you all hear that? Santa’s a Red Sox Fan!”
Five or so generally scruffy and randomly-placed people back down the line cheered in delight at the news while a collective thirty or more either raised their eyebrows, lowered their heads, or shuffled their feet as if they were in line at a wake.
Santa appeared oblivious and just went about his business with the kid from Boston.
My daughter however, had her faith restored.
“Dad, if he’s a Red Sox fan he MUST be the real Santa!” she exclaimed before taking her turn and leaping onto his lap. “Hi Santa, I’m from here and I’m a Red Sox fan too!” she beamed.
Santa smiled, looked up at me and winked.