The Day We Met Santa Claus
"Psssht" went the parking brake, as I parked my truck at the edge of the McDonald's lot, and marked the time to start our coffee break. Not the healthiest way to start the day, but sometimes my partner Ron has a craving that only an Egg McMuffin can satisfy, and this morning I must admit that my stomach agreed with his. I was parked next to a tractor trailer with its engine running, the driver trying to keep warm on this cold December morning. It can be quite soothing, the sound of a big diesel engine at idle, almost like a cat purring. Well, I guess it's an acquired taste, specific to those of us who work with trucks. You have to understand and respect the power and capability that sound represents. The average person would probably find it annoying.
We returned to our truck with our McFatwiches and coffees, and quickly settled into our usual conversation of recent weeks:
"You know, it's been over a month that we've been talking about buying ourselves some insulated coffee mugs, and we still haven't done it" I said.
"I know, I know, I keep forgetting" Ron replied.
"I saw one the other day, a nice stainless steel model, but it was twenty bucks. Now here it is, a cold day, and I'm kicking myself for not having bought it."
"I'm sure we'll get around to it eventually" he sighed.
"I know, but 'eventually' doesn't keep my coffee warm today. It wouldn't be so bad if the heaters on these trucks worked better…"
"Hey, there's a dog in that semi!"
With that, he was out the door. As I rushed to finish my still not yet cold coffee, Ron had gone outside to strike up a conversation with the driver of the truck next to us, and, dog lover that he is, pat the driver's Basset hound sitting in the passenger seat. A few minutes later, he waves goodbye to the driver and comes back into the truck with two cardboard boxes.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Well, I was just talking with him about his dog, and just before leaving he asked me how many of us were in the truck. I told him 'two', and he gave me these. He said that they were Christmas presents for his customers, and every year he ends up with a few spares."
"Wow, that was nice of him. You know, it's times like this that I wish I had something with our company name on it that I could give to people who give us stuff. You know, just to be fair."
"Me too. Like a pen or something."
"Yeah, exactly. So…I wonder what he gave us."
I opened the box, still grinning at the thought of a stranger's unusual generosity, and could not believe what I saw.
"No way. No freakin' way..."
What I found inside was a coffee mug. Not just any old coffee mug, but a stainless steel coffee mug, exactly the type that I didn't buy the other day, exactly what Ron and I were talking about buying for the last month but never got around to actually doing. I must have sat there with my mouth open like an idiot for I don't know how long, and when I looked outside to thank the trucker for the gift, he was gone. I immediately came to the only conclusion that any sane and reasonable person would have come to:
"Ron, do you know who that was?" I asked.
"I didn't get his name."
"That was none other that Santa Claus."
"What?"
"It all makes sense" I continued. "It's just before Christmas, and we meet a chubby older gentleman driving a truck…"
"No way…"
"Listen…Santa drove a sleigh right? Well, today's equivalent to a sleigh would be a tractor trailer. He gave us exactly the presents we wanted, but for some reason didn't get around to getting for ourselves. And then, when we turned around to thank him, he was gone."
"You're saying that Santa Claus is in Montreal, eating at McDonald's, and working as a truck driver…"
"No, not working as a truck driver. He just needs the truck to haul all those gifts…"
"Okay, I think the stress is finally getting to you. Let's get back to work."
I put my coat back on, and marked down the time to end our break. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I thought "Santa Claus. In the parking lot of a McDonald's. How cool is that?"
