One Year Later

A little boy whose blond hair grows in streaks and patches emerged from his private room in Chicago's University of Illinois Hospital last week and joined other children in the ward. Though he is 27 months old, he had never seen Santa Claus. Awakened from an afternoon nap for the party, he did not know what to make of it. The hospital Santa knew better than to pat this boy on the head: he was Rodney Brodie, survivor of the skull-joined twins who were separated a year ago (TIME, Dec. 29).

When he got the sleep out of his eyes, Rodney was soon busy dialing the toy telephone that Santa gave him. He was looking better than ever, for he is filling out nicely and no longer needs a cap or bandage to cover his head. Surgeons have made his head more normal in appearance. Rodney's speech is improving (he soon addressed Santa as "Caus"), and he is expected to be walking soon.

This week, the doctors let Rodney's parents drive him 265 miles to their farm home at Ferris, Ill for Christmas with his two brothers, two sisters.

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