(464) Joke / Christmas

(464) Joke / Christmas

(Macy’s wooden escalator)

  Despite the best effort of child psychiatrists, there are still a lot of kids of four or five --- even in sophisticated New York --- who believe in Santa Claus.
  One of them was taken by his mother to the toy department in Macy’s on a December morning last year and was dully propped up on Santa’s lap.
  “What do you want for Christmas, my lad?” asked Santa Claus dutifully.
  “Better write it down,” said the lad, “or you’ll forget.”
  “Trust me," urged Santa. “My memory never fails.”
The lad was dubious, but catalogued his demands.
  The same afternoon, mother and son arrived at Gimbel’s and the lad found himself on Santa’s lap for a second time. The Gimbel Santa asked the usual question.
  “What do you want for Christmas?” The lad slipped off his lap, kicked him lustily in the shin, and yelled, “You numskull, I knew you’d forget!”

psychiatrists [saikáiətrist]: 精神分析医
Macy’s: Macy's department store

dully: 退屈するように
be propped up: (transitive, usually with "up") To position the feet while sitting or reclining so that the knees are elevated at a higher level.
lad [lˈæd]: 少年、坊や
urge: 〔人に～するよう強く〕促す、要請する、勧める
My memory never fails.: 私は忘れたことなんかないんだよ。
dubious [djúːbiəs]: being in doubt〔人が物事を〕疑わしく思う、半信半疑の
catalogue [kǽtəlɔ̀ɡ]: 目録を作る
Gimbel’s [ɡɪ́mbəl-]: Macy's and Gimbel's were popular
department stores located within two blocks of one another in Midtown Manhattan in New York City; the latter store is now defunct.

for a second time: 二度目
lustily [lʌ́stili]: 元気いっぱいに、力強く
numskull [nʌ́mskʌ̀l]: ばか者
*