Honorable mention: My son
“Trapped in Paradise” by Gus McConnell by Chuck Meyer We had been told in early November 1966 that Mark would be our Christmas present. I ordered from St. Louis’s finest department store Styx Bar and Fuller their top brand, electric train. But Mark wasn’t ready to be with us that Christmas. It wasn’t until 1:30 a.m. on January 25, 1967 that our 9 lbs. 3 oz. son announced his first day. Throughout our small farm community I declared January 25 as my personal holiday. I gave out cigars with blue cellophane wrappers announcing in bold letters “It’s A Boy!” He was just grown enough the following Christmas to enjoy the signal lights, whistle, metallic noises, and lighted passenger car interiors pulled by twin streamline-shaped locomotives. This electric train became the instrument of our father and son relationship, reminding us forever of our first Christmas together. Mark was always fascinated by ice, which our severe winters manufactured in abundance. We’d go to our frozen pond and I’d cut sections of thick ice into triangles. After generously coating these stained glass-like panels with food coloring, I’d use snow as mortar to lock them onto the tree limbs. The sunlight reflected…
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