Page 177 - 1989

S®as©imsiH Ssmfta woft@s “Right now, I have some stories
written, but I have a lot of outlines.”
Morrissey wanted his book to be
from b eh in d the beard around 150-200 pages.
“I’m adding a chapter in at the end
on how to prepare parents in bring­
From out “Behind the Beard” Eng­ book after playing Santa for three ing their kids to see Santa,” he said.
lish Teach John Morrissey tells it like it years. ‘There’s a story behind each “I get real irritated with parents
is from Santa’s point of view. experience,” he said. One sad story sometimes,” Morrissey said. “One
Morrissey worked on his book, Morrissey experienced was when a time, I had this little boy, Jimmy,
“Behind the Beard” for several years. “I little boy told him that he wanted his come up to me. His mom started in
wanted it done a couple of years ago, dad out of the hospital for Christmas. real loud about telling Santa what he
but I kept putting it off,’1' he said. The boy’s mother was standing be­ does. Come to find out the boy wets
Morrissey said he was shooting for hind him and Morrissey learned that his bed, and when the mother an­
publication around Christmas time of his father was in an accident and in nounced this, everyone around
1989. “I hope to work on it over the intensive care. “I knew that it was a heard.” The little boy became very
summer, and finish it,” he said. Morris­ real bad situation and that the dad withdrawn, he said.
sey didn’t have a publisher, but planned wouldn’t be coming home,” Morris­ Morrissey is gearing toward a
on finding one when his book is com­ sey said. Morrissey tried to get the variety of age groups readinghis book.
pleted. “It takes a long time to find little boy to say what else he liked “I would like to include pictures of
one,” he said. and he said still said he wanted his myself, but that gets expensive.” The
“Behind the Beard” is a series of dad. pictures would appeal to younger
short stories based on Santa Claus. “I Morrissey’s stories all start out kids, as well as adults.
played Santa at the Crossroads for five true, “But since I don’t know how Morrissey’s book also includes
years,” Morrissey said. “Now I go to they end, I add my own endings.” funny stories as well as sad. Al­
homes and to parties.” The stories in Morrissey used some of his stories in though Morrissey has had suckers
his book are real incidents that he had his classes, but didn’t tell them he stuck in his beard, has been wet one
experienced playing Santa. wrote them. “I think the class en­ and spit on, “Never in 10 years has
Morrissey first decided to write the joyed them,” he said. anyone pulled my beard.”