First Christmas Memory

Its a dream that holds a nebulous marker in my memory.  I don't know if it really happened.

My Uncle Bob leaned into the back seat of the car to wake me.  He carried me in his arms to the Christmas Parade route with my cousin Dave toddling along side. Uncle Bob's younger brother Babe reached down to scoop Dave up and put him up his shoulders.

Uncle Bob and Babe stood on a street corner in front of a red brick building with cement block keystones.  Dave was perched on his Uncle Babe's Shoulders and I rode above the crowd on Uncle Bob's shoulders, sleeping.  He shook me awake when Santa and his reindeers came by on his snowy float. Snow flakes drifted down from the night sky.

Uncle Bob is the first memory of a male figure in my life.  My eyes become misty when I think of how important he was in my life, from my first memories and today, sixty years later.  I think I told him how much I loved him once or twice but I don't know for sure.  I think he knew because even though it was just his nature, Uncle Bob gathered loved ones as he sowed his love in everyone he met.  I dont' remember him asking for anything in return.