Maybe Santa is Real!

I like millions of Americans are rushed about daily, trying to get ready for the upcoming holidays. Gifts to buy, food to cook, guests to make ready for. Except this year I decided to do my best and enjoy the holidays, all parts of it, the people, the sounds, the smells, I mean have you ever noticed how great the air smells after a snow? Sure its a pain to shovel and salt, but the air is almost sweet smelling, the silence is glorious and deafening all at once.
So there I was at the gas station pumping away, people watching and at the pump across from me was a man, not to old, not to young, sort of ageless. he was wearing a black down coat and a red plaid shirt, his hair and beard were white but not unkempt. He was singing Christmas carols, smiling and washing the car windows on his red Honda with great care..he noticed me watching him and just smiled back and said, "I need to keep them clean this time of year I do alot of traveling from state to state.", I gave him a knowing smile.
A man pulled up behind him in a tired and worn out car much like himself. He started to have a conversation with the first man, and the tired worn out man grew increasingly agitated, yelling and shaking his head, very unusual behavior for this part of the country so I watched on. The first man kept smiling and cleaning his windows the other grumbled back to his car. Finally the grumbler drove away but not before he said more mean things to the jolly fellow, the happy fellow was not even slighted by the horrible words he was being called. Then with a quick turn and a smile he looked at the man and said, "You should be nice because you never know if Santa is watching." The grumbly man used some more choice words and drove to another pump.
The jolly old man looked at me and smiled and I wished him a Merry Christmas as I got in my car. I turned and said to the happy man "Excuse me but perhaps that man is sad and lonely and that's why he was so mean", He said "My dear you are right he is lonely and sad and I can't change that.". I shrugged, agreeingly and wished him a merry Christmas againl and turned to leave. I looked at him one last time and he called to me and said "By the way I know you have been very good this year, Merry Christmas!" He gave a laugh and a wink
But as I drove home I thought what if there was a Santa and I just met him at the gas station? Well I guess I will know for sure in a few days, but just in case I am off in the morning to get the ingredients for home made cookies to leave for Santa, in this day and age and economy why take any chances?
OK really truely this happened to me at Kroger on Beechmont in Cincinnati, Ohio in the early afternoon thei past Friday.