BLOOMINGTON, MN — With Thanksgiving nearly here, local man Chad Erickson was reportedly eager to get back to his true passion as a mall Santa Claus and has already begun preparing for the gig by cutting off his ankle monitor.
"Can't let the kids see this," Erickson said as he took a pair of scissors to the strap around his ankle. "Nothing is going to stop me from making it to my shift as a mall Santa. I made a commitment, parole violation or no parole violation."
According to law enforcement sources, Erickson was placed on house arrest following two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol pending a trial to determine if he should face prison time. But Erickson had sworn that no threat of reincarceration would keep him from spreading goodwill and cheer to little boys and girls.
A Mall of America representative responsible for re-hiring Erickson as the mall's Santa was reportedly aware of his trouble with the law, but maintained that Erickson was a good pick because he's not a violent criminal like all the other applicants.
"Chad has been with us for three years; he's a great mall Santa," said Mall of America spokesperson Ruth Stein. "I just tell him to cover up the tattoos and any ankle bracelets he might have acquired during the off-season. They don't have those at the North Pole."
At publishing time, Chad Erickson had been pulled over and arrested on his way to his first shift at the mall.
Heartwarming!
