Review: "Reading A Christmas Story in July Is Wonderful!"
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2014
This is a short story, which will warm your heart and put a smile on your face.  The busiest shopping day of the year, the day after Thanksgiving, a volunteer Santa is dressed in his cheery garments with his bell and donation kettle.  This year his station is outside the Seattle Art Museum.  The Security guard checks his ID and can't believe Santa's name on his driver's license is Nicholas Claus.  Since he's early for his shift, he observes the many people passing by on the plaza ... most without smiles.  Then he sees a 17 or 18 year old boy jogging with a black and white Border Collie on a leash.  They were both smiling, one with a grin, the other with a wagging tail. The boy stops beside a building, takes off his backpack, and holds a sign, "Please help feed my dog and me."  This brought sadness to Nicholas.  Like Santa, the boy was not receiving many donations.  Times were hard these days, the economy poor.  But when a coin was dropped in the boy's can, he would sing a cappella, without an instrument, of a Christmas song.  When a fair donation was made, he would sing "Amazing Grace."  Soon they meet, talk a bit, and become acquainted. The boy is Dean and his loyal companion is Sam.  Sam also was entertaining by dancing on his hind legs when a donation was dropped in the can, and soon they would draw many spectators, but not many donations.  Nicholas treats Dean to dinner and they become more talkative.  Nick learns much about Dean, and his heart is broken.  But when Dean calls him on his phone one day, in deep grief, Nick races to help him out.  This is a tender story which will warm your heart.  It's very well written and is very touching as only Leland Dirk knows how to write.  Love and compassion thrives in this author's heart.  Read all his stories.