A Hot Rod Christmas

Author Unknown

Twas the night before Christmas and out in the garage, There wasn’t a trace of a Ford, a Chevy, or a Dodge. The presents were wrapped and the lights were all lit, so I figured I’d mess with the ole hot rod a bit. I popped the release and I lifted the hood, When a deep voice behind me said “looks pretty good.” Well, as you can imagine, I turned mighty quick, and there, by the workbench, stood good ole Saint Nick!

We stood there a bit, not too sure what to say, and then he said “don’t suppose that you’d trade for my sleigh?” I said “no way, Santa” and started to grin, “but if you’ve got the time we could go for a spin!” His round little mouth all tied up like a bow turned into a smile and he said “Hey, let’s go!!”

So as not to disturb all the neighbors’ retreat. We pushed the ole hot rod quietly into the street. Then taking our places to drift down the hill, I turned on the key and I let the clutch spill. The sound that erupted took him by surprise, but he liked it a lot, by the look in his eyes. With the rear tires a’ crying and side pipes a glow, we headed on out where all the cruisers go.

And Santa’s grin widened approaching his ears, with every shift up as I went through the gears. Then he yelled, “Can’t recall when I’ve felt so alive!” So I backed off the gas and said “you wanna drive?” Ole Santa was stunned when I gave him the keys, when he walked past the headlights he shook at the knees!

Then the engine exploded with side exhaust sound! Santa let out the clutch and the tires shook the ground! Power shift into second, again into third! I sat there just watching, at loss for a word. Then I heard him exclaim as we blasted from sight, “Merry Christmas to all, it’s a very good night!”

Roadside Oddity: Oak Ridge, NJ

In the land of Oak Ridge, from the days of Fairy Tales gone by, lives on the remnants of well known tales of Little John and Friar Tuck, Rapunzel, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, Robin Hood and others. From the back seat of a 1960 Ford Ranch Wagon, Big John vividly remembers  visiting Fairy Tale Forest on Route 23 in New Jersey as a child. SR has not been able to learn what possessed Paul Woehle, Sr,. the German immigrant who built Fairy Tale Forest at the age of 40, to create this wonderland. We can only assume that none of us want to ever grow up.

Hot Diggity’s Fairy Tale Forest opened in 1957 with eight acres of land, where many of us in our youth strolled through the shade lined hilly pathways. Do any of you remember the 20 plus different miniature cottages that contained a fairy tale diorama, some of which included a few taxidermied animals? Favorite storybook tales were retold and relived by children of all ages along these pathways.