A saint of sorts arrived in Saint Ignace today at noon.
The bright morning dims to another gray Northland day. The Straits of Mackinac are bleak and dismal. A Sheppler’s ferry streams in from “The Island” as they refer to Mackinac Island here. There are no tourists or travelers on the open deck that’s for sure. There must be someone huddled inside or the boat probably wouldn’t have made the crossing.
“Hmmm” I say to myself. (At least I think I only said it to myself)
"Just who is crossing to the mainland this time of year?"
Could be shoppers, could be islanders gathering parts and registrations for the fleet of snowmobiles that will roar to life once some snow falls. It’s certainly not Jamaican workers—they’ve all gone back to another warmer island for the winter.
The water on the straits is all slate gray swells with occasional frosted tips of whitecaps. Mostly just swells though. The ferry is the only boat traffic I see.
My mood, paralleling the highs and lows of sunlight levels, begins to slide down into its own gray trough.
When what to my wondering eye should appear,
But an elf dressed in red who walks right in here!
He shakes hands in the lobby and shares candy canes,
Then hands one to me as my gloominess wanes.
Santa Claus arrived in Saint Ignace today! He looks great!
His red suit is plush and his beard is snow white and lustrous. It doesn’t look like the economy or the recent turmoil in the world is affecting him at all. He confides that he is moonlighting for a radio station though, so maybe he’s feeling the pinch. The station that hired him is one that’s already switched to all Christmas music even though it's still early December.
They have the perfect guy for the job! Saint Ignace: You better watch out. . .
Santa Claus is here on State Street and he's watching you!
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