Pic

My name is Archibald Frederick Augustus Geoffrey Edgar Carver. There is a problem with having a name as long as mine, it’s that no one, with the possible exception of my mother, can remember even a portion of it. I guess a good thing is that I have been able to try out different names from time to time throughout my life. I have been Archie, Baldy, Arch, Rick, Prick, Fred, Freddie, Ferd, Auggie, Fry, Gus, Ed, Eddie, Gary and Beaver at some point during my life.

Since no one can remember any of my names, I have become Pic. I think it started when I was in school and when the teacher asked me what I wanted to be called, I would just say “It doesn’t matter to me, just take your pick.” The teachers would find their favourite name or variation of my name, but the kids just started to call me Pic and it stuck. Interesting enough, whether because of my name or just an accident of birth, I have the ability to somehow know what is right in any given situation.

I know for instance that when I come to a fork in a road which fork to take. I know instinctively if I should go to work or just stay home and avoid whatever catastrophe life has in store for me that day. I know the right thing to say when people are sad. I can, with just a few words make people forget their problems for a little while. I know which people will be true and lifelong friends. I know how to do this for myself and for others as well. I suppose that I could pick a winning lottery number, but I’ve picked a pretty good life for myself and it doesn’t involve being an instant millionaire.

I’ve been doing the same job for a number of years, and it’s the one thing in my life that I didn’t pick. I was picked for this job. Not surprisingly, the job I do involves picking just the right gift at the right time for the right person. A number of years ago, my boss was getting swamped with requests for gifts that just wouldn’t be right. It’s been my experience that people seldom know what it is that they truly need, but they have far more wants than they can deal with.

You’ve probably guessed that I work for Santa. I’m the one sitting next to him when he reads those five page letters asking for everything from an elephant to a space shuttle. What that little boy needed was a wagon. He had the imagination to make it into an elephant or a space shuttle all by himself. Sometimes kids have everything that they need. Sometimes we can’t give them what they need; love has to come from elsewhere.

We do our best and our best is better than you can imagine. When you write your letter this year, know that Pic will be there with Santa getting everything ready for you.

In case you were wondering, Ken decided not to write a blog tonight, something about being too tired and sick. Rest is what he needs. Well, it’s what I picked for him; he wanted six numbers between 1 and 49.