24

Ah, finally – this is it!  Santa’s big chair!  But… where is he?     

“Sorry.”  It’s Alex the overworked elf.  “Last night was the Twelve Days Dance… all those leaping lords caused all manner of problems!  So, it’s just me today.”

Looks like we’ll have to deal with the elf instead of Santa.

“My pointed little ears are still ringing from all those bloomin’ drummers,” he goes on.

I hope he didn’t have a little accident….  

“What?” gasps Isobel.  “I need to know if Santa wears a seatbelt?”

“Eh?  Of course he does!”

“So, he hasn’t had an accident then?” she asks.

“Not in that sense… just… not feeling too well, this morning.”

Well, that’s a shame… but, look, it’s getting late… can you just let us have a token, so that we can move on and get to the end?

“Sorry… but I can’t let you have a token,” Alex sighs.

“Why not?”

“Well, I haven’t got any.  You’ll just have to move on.”

What a disappointment.

 

Before we go… do you mind if… I reach for my phone?

“Don’t do it,” the tall Elf[*] warns.

…If we take a little….

“Please. Please don’t.”

…an ‘Elfie’ with you?

“Oh, Dad!  Come on, let’s go before you embarrass us any further.”

“Yes please,” sighs Alex.  “Leave through that door.  I have to go and deliver this parcel.”

[*] He’s about 6’ 2”, you know.