By Don Bradley
The night was cold. Christmas lights glowed along Main Street as a car pulled into the dark parking lot at Grandview City Hall.
It was a blue Prius. Santa Claus climbed out from the passenger seat.
“Hello, Santa,” someone called out as they got out of another car.
“Look, it’s Santa Claus,” another said.
As he made his way to the entrance, everybody in his path said hello. Someone held the door open for him.
“Hi, Santa,” they said when he passed inside.
A police officer looked up from serious paperwork and smiled.
“That’s Santa Claus,” he said.
Is there anybody on the planet more recognized and that people want to talk to more than this guy?
Stop thinking. No.
On this night, Santa was getting his due. The Grandview Board of Aldermen at its Dec. 12 meeting honored him for all the good work he had done for the city over the years, appearing at tree lightings, pancake breakfasts and other holiday events.
“For bringing the magic of Christmas and spreading joy to the city of Grandview,” Mayor Leonard Jones said as he presented Santa an official Certificate of Recognition
The Telegraph wanted to interview Santa, but, understandably, he keeps a pretty tight lid on his personal life.
So we settled for the alter ego he uses the rest of the year. “Bob Rockford.”
Right.
Actually, turns out Bob has a pretty good story. Not up on the rooftop good, but not bad.
He grew up in St. Louis, served in the Marine Corps, went to seminary, became a youth pastor, worked in theater design and met and married a girl he met while doing photography at Lake of the Ozarks.
One day eight years ago, his phone rang.
It was his daughter, Erin, an art teacher at Belvidere Elementary School.
“We need a Santa,” she told him.
Perfect timing. He had just retired.
“She gave me the opportunity to say yes to something I knew nothing about,” he said.
And he’s been doing it ever since.
Over the years, hundreds of kids have set on his lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas. He loves making the connections. Some requests were beyond his power and those he remembers most.
One stands out. A little girl left his lap and as she walked away, she turned back around and looked at him and slowly waved.
“That was a blessing and that’s why I’m going to keep doing this as long as I can walk,” he said.
He’s 74 now and lives in the Brookside area with his wife. They have two grandchildren.
After receiving his honor from Grandview the other night, Santa thanked the room and walked out of the building.
All the “Hi, Santas” became “Bye, Santas.”
Then it was back into the blue Prius and to all a good night.