2004 Year in Review

A Christmas Doll

A CHRISTMAS DOLL

While attending a (Morrison High School) class reunion (this past summer in Morrison) a young lady tapped me on the shoulder to gain my attention. She asked if I remembered giving her a doll for Christmas many years ago (ed: we assume 1970’s), while delivering a food basket to her residence. As I recall, it was Christmas eve and members of the police department volunteered to deliver the food baskets. Unfortunately, I don’t recall the name of the organization providing the baskets, but smiles on faces of the recipients expressed their gratitude to the sponsoring organization.

During one delivery stop we placed the basket on the table, and upon leaving the residence I noticed a small girl sitting on the sofa. I asked if she was waiting for Santa Clause? she implied Santa was not coming to her house. Looking around the living room, the absence of a Christmas tree and decorations confirmed my assumption she would not receive a gift. Upon leaving the residence I drove to the store and purchased a doll and returned to the residence. I presented the doll to her and she hugged the doll and thanked me.

She made a special effort to contact me (at this past summer reunion dinner) after so many years elapsed since giving her the doll. When I turned to talk to her, we shook hands but it was so noisy I could barely hear her asking if I remembered giving her a doll for Christmas. I answered I was and asked her for her name. I couldn’t hear her response. She was wearing a white blouse, and I vaguely recall, she was wearing a black skirt or slacks. I told her I wanted to talk to her later. I continued to talk to classmates while waiting for a class picture. Immediately after the class picture was taken, I left the group and prior to the banquet dinner I looked for her, thinking she was a waitress for the country club.

The following day I returned to the country club and spoke to the owner. I explained the reason for my search, and the owner gave me a name and phone number of a waitress that may be the one I was looking for. A lady answered the phone and after explaining the purpose of my call, the lady replied she was not the person I was looking for. I talked to several area restaurant owners without success. A friend of mine provided me with approximately 10 class year-books that may help me recall her maiden name, and/or her class picture, in comparison to our brief meeting at the country club. This too proved unsuccessful.

I spent several days in Morrison talking to other waitresses, friends, and trying to locate her house so I could talk to neighbors that could possibly know the name of the girl. I’m sure she was disappointed we couldn’t talk and I’m afraid I may have appeared to have “brushed” her off. Each and every Christmas, I reminisce about the “little” girl telling me she would not receive a Christmas gift. If the “little girl” reads this, please call us at 217-529-0604, or e-mail us at hm1101@famvid.com

(I thought I had exhausted my sources of research until I read a “Letter To The Editor”, in a recent issue of the Whiteside News Sentinel, that identified a Morrison website“thecity1.com”, I called Bob Vaughn, and he suggested I write an article and send it to him. I spent more than two hours on this website and find it an excellent public media source, compatible with the publication of the Whiteside News Sentinel for current and former residents of Morrison and surrounding areas.)

Sincerely,

Howard D. Martin

301 East Kimble Street

Springfield, IL 62703

217-529-0604

by  Editor, theCity1.com
November 20, 2004