Rock, Paper, Scissors, and Small Memories
It was early June, and I was working as a chimney sweep as I do most of the year. When I'm working, my beard isn’t white like it is at Christmas. This way, people don’t recognize me as Santa all year long. Instead, I blend in as just another bearded ginger.
It was the last week of school here in Southeastern Pennsylvania, and I had a few chimney sweeping appointments that day. Before I could get to my first stop, I got stuck behind a school bus. You know how school buses can hold you up, stopping every few blocks. But no worries, I’m pretty patient behind the steering wheel.
The bus got in front of my white chimney truck, and I could see two boys at the back, looking out the window. They pointed at the ladders on top of my truck, then their gaze came down, and they were looking at me, eye to eye. The two boys waved, and I smiled and waved back. As we traveled down the road, I kept my eyes on them, curious about who they were.
Each boy took a side of the bus and started playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. I had a clear view of their hands through the window. I quickly conjured up names for them, wanting to have a rooting interest in their match. On the left, we had Timmy, and on the right, Andre.
Round one went to Timmy, who crushed scissors with rock. In round two, Andre made the right choice and stayed with scissors, slicing through paper. Round three began with the rhythmic chant, “Rock, Paper, Scissors, shoot!” Andre rightly played the winning hand, covering Timmy’s fist with paper. It was all in good fun. The boys kept playing as the bus got farther away until I could no longer see their hands. But I knew they were still enjoying the game.
For me, it’s these small moments, these simple interactions, that have so much meaning. I know playing Rock, Paper, Scissors on the back of the school bus at the end of the school year will be a good memory for these kids. When it comes time to review the list this year, I’m going to look up these two boys, find out their names, and give them a few more games to play.
As I continued on my way, I thought about how such a simple game could bring joy. It's not always about the big presents or the grand gestures, but sometimes, it's the little moments that can leave an impact or a memory.
When I arrived at my first stop that day, I couldn't help but continue to think about these two boys just playing a game. I realized that being Santa isn't just about delivering gifts once a year. It's about spreading joy and kindness every day, even in the smallest ways.
Whether it's through a smile, a wave, or a simple game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, we all have the power to make someone's day a little brighter.
