DEAR VIRGINIA: Yes, there is a Santa Claus - that is what you would have me to write, is it not? If there is not and was not a Santa Claus, well, you would still revel in the story, would you not? But you would have me answer the question, would you not? Well, my young lady, this is an important lesson that you will learn now or later, and the answer to your question is as follows: hope does not die. In my own personal affairs, I have tried to kill it before it grows, attempted to spurn all love and joy that continues to bleed me (for grown-ups, hope often means everlasting misery and disappointment), but no matter how hard I myself have tried to kill that which kills me, hope won't die. You yourself might be able to kill it - I don't have this killing-of-hope to a science - but even hoping to kill hope is a distorted hope.

I will not answer your enquiry regarding Santa Claus; I will leave that for you and your papa to discuss. Hope lives, and he lives for a thousand years.

F.P. Church (remix)