40
Ah – finally! It’s Santa’s room. And there he is: sitting in his big chair, with little seats either side for kids. Is it… a bit smoky in here? Really?
“Alright.” Cough. Cough. “What do you lot want?”
“A lion!” laughs Isobel.
Bad beard that doesn’t fit
“Sorry. I can’t do that.” Cough.
“Why not?”
“Okay. Show me your Zoo license.”
“I haven’t got one of those.”
“Thought not! Next?”
“What? Is that it? After all this?”
“Yup. Move along. See you next year, maybe.” Cough. Cough. “If I’m still around.”
But… that’s not… you’re not even jolly!”
“I’m sorry if you’re disappointed… what can I do?”
“Can you just give us a present, so we can leave?”
“Sorry – the presents are with Max, at the end… you know… that’s why you’re collecting the tokens…?”
“So, maybe you could give us a token?”
“Okay. I guess so…? Will you leave me be if I do?” Cough. Cough. “Here you are.”
A nice token, at least.
Not the best Santa ever, is he? What do you want to do about it?