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Associated Press: August 20, 2003

Children, parents love Mr. Little Guy

Three-year-old Nicole Dunn of Minneapolis drops off a card for Mr. Little Guy.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Four-year-old Shira Rabkin wanted to ask just the right questions, so she thought long and hard.

''Dear Mr. Little Guy,'' she finally scrawled in big letters across a sheet of paper. ''Do you like mints?'' After some more pondering, she added, ''and going to Camp Snoopy? Love, Shira.''

Mr. Little Guy was nowhere in sight this early August evening, so Shira stuffed her letter behind his door at the base of a hollowed out ash tree. It's always open and always full.

The elusive elf has enchanted Twin Citians ever since the 6-inch wooden door appeared eight years ago, just off a walking path around popular Lake Harriet. Double takes led to messages and messages to answers.