Hey, it's Brian. Before we get started, just a quick note that this episode and the other five

in this special series discuss Santa Claus, but not in a way that younger listeners could appreciate.

If there are little ones within earshot, save this for later. Thanks.

There's that scene about three-quarters of the way through a movie, when the hero is down and out,

truly dejected, deflated, no fight left in him.

Whatever ups and downs had been along the road on the hero's journey, he or she had generally been able to manage.

But then, along comes a truly major setback, one that does some real

and lasting damage and seems insurmountable, and the hero is left reeling and ready to give up.

This is where we find John Gluck in 1922. Whatever good he may have set out to do with getting

children's letters to Santa Claus answered,

whatever contribution to the magic of Christmas he set out to make,

it's clear by now that there was something more to it for him.

It's like J.P. Morgan said.

A person has two reasons for doing anything.

A good reason and the real reason.

And John Gluck's real reason was very likely to make a name for himself, to be a somebody,

to become rich and famous.

And it was all working for a while.

Accolades in the press, wealthy and powerful people in his orbit, being half of what nowadays

we call a power couple.

And along the way, though we can't say for sure, but we can be reasonably certain, he

was patting his own bank account.

...