From Borderland Beat:
ADVENTURES IN MEXICO: THE DAY I ALMOST KILLED SANTA BEFORE THE EYES OF 1500 CHILDREN
by Chivis Martinez
Borderland Beat
December 24, 2012
So I embellished the title for a hook, but it is a true story none the less. In place of the usual greetings of Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays, I thought I would share a Christmas memory from the Chivis vault.
Each year for 9 years we [our family foundation] have a large Christmas Posada [Party] in one of the cities in Coahuila, bussing in children from 6 cities to the host city of that year. About 7 years ago I thought it would be incredibly awesome to have Santa arrive on top a camión de bomberos,[fire truck]. We were expecting 1500 disabled children from 7 cities from Saltillo to the north border.
The children were assembled in front waiting in great excitement, some were singing songs, others clapping and saying a little chant, the media was there in full force, teacher, directors, parents and a delegation from Saltillo headed by the Secretary of Education.
Santa was played by Carlos, a director of one of the CAM schools for the profoundly disabled. At the last minute I thought it would be special for the children along the route to the party hall to not only see Santa but that he could throw candy and trinkets to them from his red bag. The driving route through the main street of the city was only 2 miles to destination and a straight course except one turn from a street adjacent to the street in front of the hall.
Atop the fire truck is a tiny bench and two side handle bars, this is where Santa sat having a glorious time belting out “HO HO HO FELIZ NAVIDAD” and throwing goodies. Santa decided to take a page out of “Titanic” and stand proudly, albeit dangerously. He was just about to arrive before the waiting crowd….when it happened.
The fire truck turned the corner....and Santa half fell off the top!
The children were screaming and pointing, adults gasped and Santa had one leg dangling both hands gripping “something”. Adults were looking at one another not sure if it was part of an act, especially those knowing Prof Carlos, as he is prone to being silly for a good laugh from the children. But this was no act. Luck was on his side, as the tuck was only a half block after the turn to the hall.
The truck stopped, and the “bomberos” rushed to help Santa. Once upright, he adjusted his tousled wig and hat, grabbed his bell, and children laughed and squealed with delight thinking it was all for a great laugh. I was the first to speak to Santa and said I was so grateful that he is in such excellent physical condition and as he hugged me he said in my ear, Recuerda esto como el dia que la humanidad de los niños casi mata a santa claus" (“Remember this as the day, the humanitarian of children almost killed Santa Claus”).
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