Now I do not know for certain that these tales are “tall” I only know that when they are told to us they are told with a twinkle in his eye and a smile in his voice. I cannot claim these tales to be his exclusively, or if they’re recycles from his dad or brothers…but my dad sure has a few doozies!

Did you know Santa Claus drowns every year? I remember feeling devastated when he first told me this. A week or so before Christmas he’ll be all in the spirit of Christmas and silliness, walk in and make an announcement that hes just heard – Santa Claus has drowned in the Big Mill Pond, and he will deliver it with the very same intensity as if it were real…year after year.

Mind you, this is the same fella that told me the storm of 1962 (I think) caused so much flooding that the Chincoteague Baptist Church floated all the way from Chincoteague to New Church which is where the church sits today! For those confused, New Church is a little town on the Va/Md state line and its at least 25 mins by car from Chincoteague Island…

Perhaps the church was built there and named that for a reason- I don’t know- but I surely haven’t ever been told any other thing that tops my dads reason so…

Also he told us to never, ever run over a snake! He said John Marshall saw a snake in the road one time and he slowed down a little bit in his ford falcon and rolled his window down and kinda leaned his head out to make sure he squished the snake and the snake flung up from his tire and landed right around his neck and nearly strangled him to death!

He told us a snake could hold on to your tire too and you can bring them home. I wont run over one to this day…not going to strangulate me! I mean…it could be true? I will never know for certain how much truth was involved, I only know that he captivated me with his stories and antics long ago, and today I watch as he captivates the grand kids.

And I thank my lucky stars I still have him.

♥