Marvelous Innocence

[Hanno Spoelstra]

It was the day AFTER Christmas at a church in San Francisco . The Pastor of the church was looking at the manger scene, when he noticed that the baby Jesus figure was missing from the cradle. He immediately turned and went outside and saw a little boy with a red wagon walking down the Street. and in the wagon, was the figure of the infant Jesus. So he walked up to the boy! and said, "Son, where did you get that little baby Jesus that's in your wagon?" The little boy replied, "I got him from the church. "And why did you take him?" asked the pastor. The little boy replied, "Well, about a week before Christmas, I prayed and I told Jesus if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride in it!"


"Merry Christmas to all"

[Bill Miller]

Merry Christmas Hanno,

Where did you get that little "news" item?? That is actually the plot of an episode of the crime drama "Dragnet". Late at night they still play old radio shows (in some AM markets), I happened to hear this particular Christmas episode of Dragnet from 1953 last week when I was driving home late from the office. It's called the "Big Little Jesus".

I found a link to download the whole show if you want to listen to it:
http://www.orble.com/dragnet-radio-show/

OR:
http://www.archive.org/details/Dragnet_OTR
It's episode #227 (#209 in the list of all available Dragnet Radio episodes )

It's a good story, and supposedly the ONLY completely fictional story. Dragnet was based on real case files from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Apparently, it was so popular an episode that it was remade for the TV version of Dragnet in 1953 and again for the "New" Dragnet in 1967.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.”

Hanno, love the story! I always enjoy stories about kids like that, showing the spirit and inncocence, no artifice or hidden agendas. Honest and pure ... and a little child shall lead them ...

BILL ... a late MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours! I didn't make it to Calgary or I would have called you from there to meet up for a Christmas toast Hope you had a good one!!!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Bill Miller
Merry Christmas Hanno,

Where did you get that little "news" item?? That is actually the plot of an episode of the crime drama "Dragnet".

And a belated Merry Christmas to you, Bill!

The item is one of many X-mas related e-mails I found in my mailbox, had no idea the plot was lifted from someplace else. Actually, it crossed my mind to alter it along the following lines before posting it here:

It was the day AFTER Christmas at a church in Toronto. The Pastor of the church was looking at the manger scene, when he noticed that the baby Jesus figure was missing from the cradle. He immediately turned and went outside and saw a guy in a rusty old army truck driving down the Street. And in the 2C1 cargo body of the rusty old army truck, was the figure of the infant Jesus. So he ran up to the guy and said, "Son, where did you get that little baby Jesus that's in your rusty old army truck?" The guy replied, "I got him from the church". "And why did you take him?" asked the pastor. The guy replied, "Well, about a week before Christmas, I prayed and I told Jesus if he would bring me CMP for Christmas, I would give him a ride in it!"

EXCELLENT REWRITE!!!!!!!