If someone says there is no Santa, give them a glare and say "Humbug!"
I write to express the sincere thanks of a friend to a gentleman she doesn't know. He is truly an angel. He was the last present on a truly wonderful day.
Recently, I drove my friend to the hospital for her last treatment for cancer. It had been a long 10 months, but she was finally cancer free. Although that is a tremendous gift, it gets even better.
From the hospital, we went to the Kelowna Community Food Bank to get her Christmas hamper.
The food bank is an amazing place. It took about an hour and a half to get through the lineup. It went across the front of the building and down the side street.
There were a great many volunteers going back and forth, keeping everyone supplied with hot chocolate.
Someone even brought a chair, as standing was almost impossible after my friend's treatment.
Inside, they have a wonderful system. Volunteers kept coming out with carts and items in them.
When it came their turn, each client would step in front of the next cart as a volunteer pushed the cart down a long table where more volunteers were putting more goodies in the basket, including a large turkey.
I couldn't believe how much was in the two boxes that were in the grocery cart. Then, each volunteer would push the cart out to the waiting transportation that the person had come in.
A huge thank you to all the volunteers at the food bank. Your efforts make a wonderful gift for Christmas.
But it still gets even better yet.
The volunteer who was pushing my friend's cart suggested she wait around the corner of the building while I went to get my truck. We parked about a block away as the traffic was awful.
While I was gone, a man walked past and put an envelope in my friend's hand, said Merry Christmas, and was gone. She didn't really get a chance to see his face. He sort of came out of nowhere and someone else said he disappeared east on the small side street.
My friend stood there in shock with her volunteer as I pulled up.
We were going to try to find the man, then decided maybe it would be nicer if we didn't know who he was.
I looked inside the envelope and said "there is a Christmas card and a $50 bill in here."
When I counted the cash, my friend went weak in the knees. I finally stopped at 10 brand-new $50 bills - $500!
After being off work for a year, my friend's bank account didn't have enough to even pay the next month's rent, let alone buy any food.
I suggested we had better put the money in the bank and, while doing so, we asked the teller to make sure they were real bills. They were.
So my friend decided to take me for lunch, saying it felt good to be able to treat somebody else for a change.
To the gentleman who came and went like an angel, you have no idea how much what you did for a stranger has meant to her. It has been hard for her to keep smiling these last many months, but she did anyway.
She is happy and grateful. Thank you so much, Santa.
And a happy new year to all.
Bruce Brown,
Kelowna