Why don't I believe in Santa Claus any more?

           I know it is not Christmas season, but somehow my friend and I ended up talking about whether Santa Claus was real or not. And I guess July always reminded me about Christmas because four years ago when I was in Boston, I accidentally wore a shirt saying Holiday Seasons and on that day, the Boston radio played Christmas songs in July. Well, everything about Boston is always special to me. Okay, so why don't I believe in Santa. When I was young, I used to look forward to presents from Santa Claus on Christmas. I used to write him letters every year. I used to look up at the sky to find a glimpse of snow sleigh with a fat jolly man in it. Just like other kids, I did believe in Santa. Then what happened?

            When I was in third grade, I saw an ad about meeting Santa Claus. I came home and insisted on meeting Santa Claus. Little did I know that my parents had to pay for that "service." Well my wish was granted and I got to see Santa! I waited and waited. My mind filled with all the imaginations a child could have with Santa. I imagined him coming to my house in a snow sleigh even though it never snowed in Vietnam. I imagined to touch his white hair and give him a kiss on his red cheek. I imagined he would run his fingers through my hair and give me my present. No. None of those things happened. What happened was just like holding a mirror and smashing it on the floor. All my images about Santa was blown away in a second. Well, the "Santa" came, but he was not on a snow sleigh. He was on a motorbike! Oh, oh, and he was skinny! Oh, oh, and he was an Asian guy wearing a fake beard. Oh, oh, and he gave me cookies instead of what I want! It was a very awkward silence talking to him because my young mind had figured out that he was not the real Santa... And the worst part was my parent had to pay for him! Sigh. That was it. But when I have kids, I'll still tell them that Santa is real because well, I don't know. The kids deserve a childhood filled with fairy tales I guess. 

      

Uhm this is not my Santa...