Good For Nothing

When I first found out the truth about Santa, my mother asked me not to tell my sister who is around four years younger than me, so I didn't, but I think she found out from another source shortly thereafter. We didn't get fewer presents after that, we just knew where they were coming from. I can't speak for my sister, but I was never good just to get presents, it was just my nature to be good. Uncle Ken has heard this story, but Old Dog has not, and we never get tired of these old classics.

My grandfather was in the habit of giving us kids money after asking us if we had been good since his last visit. I felt kind of weird about it, but my mom said that it gave grandpa pleasure, and we shouldn't deny him that. This little interchange happened spontaneously the first time, and then it became a family tradition:
Grandpa: Are you a good boy?
Me (proudly): Yes I am.
Grandpa: Yeah, I know your kind, you're good for a nickel.
Me (indignantly): No I'm not!
Grandpa: Are you good for a dime?
Me: No, I'm just good, that's all.
Grandpa: Then you must be good for a quarter.
Me: No, Grandpa, I'm good for nothing!

It now appears that Old Dog introduced the Santa theme as a way to segue into a discussion about theology. Cool! Uncle Ken is kind of an atheist or agnostic, and I am a self styled Deist, which is somebody who believes in God but not religion.

"So now I must ask, are human beings born insane, and the belief in imaginary things makes us sane enough to function?" An interesting question, I don't believe I've ever looked at it that way. Let me think about it for awhile and I'll get back to you.

Don't worry about grades, Old Dog, this is not school and nobody is paying us to do this. We do this for our own satisfaction so, as long as you're having fun, you're doing all right.