An angel of mercy came to our house each Christmas Eve or thereabout, when I was in high school. He had long locks that brushed halfway down his back. For years, he just showed up without warning, bearing gifts for our family.
[1st published on Facebook, December 24, 2014]
His name was Daniel Boone. Early on, he was dressed in his hip 70s attire to match his hairdo, in stark contrast to his famous namesake. He was a friend of my father’s from work. As it happens, his father was my school bus driver—mild-mannered, patient, loved by all the students. Daniel and his father’s family went to our church. Salt-of-the-earth sort of people they were. [And lest anyone wonder, I realize that theologically Daniel was not a Biblical angel. 🪽]
Left, My daddy, William "Leigh" Smith; right, Daniel Boone; the 2 of them are putting together toys for my younger siblings, in our house in Highland Springs
For whatever reason, Daniel liked to hang out with our family. Sometimes, he would bring a date or his brother along to our Christmas Eve get-togethers. Others, it would just be him. He would stay for just a few moments, drink some cocoa, eat a few treats, then perhaps show mercy on some other family.
Who knows where he got our gifts, though some may have come from a salvage company where he later worked. One year, I remember he brought us a “Shoot-the-Moon” game. You remember the toy. Sheer simplicity, with a rectangular wooden board gouged with shallow wells, each marked with a score value. Atop this swung 2 metal arms, onto which a large silver ball floated. The goal was to predictably drop the ball into the highest score value. This game smoked anything Atari produced at perfecting hand-eye coordination. My sisters and I spent hours trying to best that crazy toy.
Another year, there might be a basket filled with fruit or a nutcracker. Usually, there would also be a packet of Mrs. Boone’s famous peanut butter fudge. Imagine a cross between a peanut butter cookie and fudge. At some point, she shared the recipe with our family—strange, because it contained, of all ingredients, flour. And the recipe is seriously fool-proof, a much-appreciated attribute, since candy can be notoriously finicky to make.
Of course, I remember Daniel at other times of the year, too. Once, he brought a date to hang out with us at a park, while we all hiked up and down the hills of a famous battlefield. I can imagine him, long hair flying, skating at one of our church events. Years later, after I was in college, we joined him and his new in-laws, who had cooked up a stunning Christmas dinner straight out of a magazine. Another time, we prayed for months that his sweet wife would get a double-organ transplant—which finally transpired, to many people’s great relief. And not too many years later, after her time on earth ran its course, we were there to say goodbye to his wife’s memory, as Daniel became a single father.
We’ve lost touch through the years—he was really more my parents’ friend. Perhaps I should track his address down: I’m thinking my kids and I might have some payback to do. Or better yet, maybe we should pay that mission of mercy forward, to another family with lots of kids who’d appreciate some Christmas magic. I bet he’d appreciate that.
December 24, 2014 - Michael Mahone, "I see posts from Nancy Boone and her son Jeff Boone hopefully one of them can help you get in touch with him. By the way, I will never forget that yard sale we had for the transplant - I volunteered to stay out overnight to make sure no one messed with the tents of yard sale items. I never knew how really nice [Daniel] was until she [his late wife] passed. You have given me my first resolution for next year - to find a family to adopt next year. I really miss preparing for kids and seeing their smiles when they get the gifts - regardless of the cost. Thanks Karen!"
December 26, 2014 - Karen Smith-Will, "Got to pop by Daniel & Trudi Boone 's house tonight & left a small surprise. But here is the best part: it's across the street from 2@ Habitat for Humanity houses I worked on years ago, before I left Capital One. Was so excited to see them again...see lights on and realize people were enjoying their houses. #itsasmallworld.