Saint Nicholas hiding at the Thrift Shop

Saint Nicholas is a tricky old soul.  I found him last month at the Thrift Shop taking a long winter's nap before his busy season.  He had convinced the senior ladies there that he would be safe from exposure if they put a price tag on him and hung him from the wall.

Well there are some super sleuths in the world and I happen to be one of the lucky individuals that was gifted with super keen discernment.  I discerned $40.00 was way too much money even though he was divinely stitched and elegantly framed.  The frame has a few dings in it which I will try to cover up.  I held my breath and waited for Saint Nicholas to go on sale.  Friday, November 17th was half price day.  The shop opens at 9:00a.m. and I had to be at work at 9:30a.m.

I ran a reconnaissance mission Thursday afternoon and the Saint was still undiscovered hanging up, although his snores should have awakened the dead.  At 8:45a.m on Friday I slowly drove up to the target scoping out the parking lot, no one was there.  I skillfully backed my car into the nearest parking spot for a quick get away.  At 0850 another car pulled into the lot so I covertly slid out of the car and casually sidled up to the front door.  Moments later, no more then 10 ladies lined up behind me.  I slyly sized each of them up and decided I had at least 150 pounds over each of them.  I could easily push and bump any of them out of my way should the need arise.

At 0855 I spotted a lady inside the shop dragging a 50% sale sign up to the front doors.  As she unlocked the doors and was pulling it out and I asked if the shop was now open.  Her response had a steely edge to it, "oh why not?"  In I charged, faded to the right 4 feet and with blinding speed and skill snatched the unawares old man off the wall and made a quick jog to the check out, handed the elderly lady at the register a crisp twenty dollar bill and exited the door before anyone was even aware of what had just happened!

I flew to my car and slid Saint Nicholas into the front seat and triumphantly glided the vehicle out of the parking lot and got all the way to work without raising a single eye brow.  Saint Nicholas is hanging on my front room wall, blissfully unawares and still sleeping.  Won't he be shocked on December 24th he opens his eyes and he isn't where he thought he was?

So here is Saint Nicholas, designed by Stoney Creek from their Classics Collection published in 1995.  I would like to thank Eva Rideout on Stitch Maynia for helping me identify this beautifully stitched and framed treasure.  I wish I know who had stitched him.