A Christmas Lesson

Santa Claus emerged from out of the brightly, lit toyshop. He squinted at the snow falling all around him. The flakes, now larger fell faster to the ground. He sighed. A ball of frost escaped from his mouth as he stroked his long white beard. It had been a long morning. His back and neck were already so stiff and sore. All he wanted to do was get this done and go back home to the North Pole to have Mrs. Claus draw up a warm bath, but the night had just begun. Santa pulled down his furry red cap and reached inside the pocket of his fur red suit. He extracted a long piece of paper scroll, which curled on the snow between his legs. It was a long list of all the children in the world.

"A Barbie doll for Dolly," muttered Santa, consulting the list. "A train set for Michael."

"Hello Santa," a voice whispered.

Santa turned to find a pretty little girl with huge blue eyes and a crown of blond curls around her face. Dolly Adams, stood before Santa wearing her pink flannel nightdress and matching warm slipper boots pointing her big brother's long, range BB gun at him.

"Missing something Santa?" said Dolly. Her rose bud lips curled up into a sinister smile. Santa's bright friendly smile vanished. He straightened his back and sighed.

"How did you get here?" Santa asked.

"My parents dropped me off," She answered. "My father is very rich." And, I'm the one who'll ask the questions here!"

Santa nodded.

"Aren't you missing something?" Dolly asked.

"Missing what?" Santa asked.

"Like your sleigh, with all the toys, your elves and the reindeer?"

"My sleigh?" Santa asked. He looked over Dolly's shoulder for the loaded sleigh he had left earlier. All he found were two silver glittered sleigh bells laying half buried in the falling snow where the sleigh used to be.

"I have it." Dolly answered.

"The toys on the sleigh are for the children around the world," Santa answered.

"I DON'T CARE!" Dolly screamed.

Silence. Dolly raised the BB gun higher pointing it at Santa's heart. Santa looked at his watch. It was getting late. He had to get his sleigh back or all the children in the world would have nothing underneath their Christmas tree come tomorrow morning.

"Will you please give me back the sleigh?"

"NO!" Dolly screamed. "IT'S MINE NOW!"

"What if I give you something for the sleigh?"

"Like what?" Dolly's thin eyebrows lifted.

"How about the new XBox 360 and PS3."

"I told you," Dolly screamed. "My father is rich."

Santa sighed and scratched his beard. His eyes rose to the gray sky as his mind whirled thinking of how to get rid of this little girl.

"How about I give you the games scheduled to be released next year." Santa said.

Dolly's eyes squinted up at Santa.

"This year coming up?" Dolly asked.

"No, the next year, 2008."

Dolly's pouty ruby lips rose at the corners of her wide mouth as her round little face lit up.

"Really!" Dolly replied.

Santa shook his head.

"Give them to me now!" Dolly demanded. Santa smiled and lifted his hand. His white gloves made a soft hollow sound as he snapped his fingers. Twenty new games from various video game systems appeared beside Santa.

Dolly's face lit up and she lowered the gun.

"Behind the toyshop," she confessed. "That's how far I could drive it."

"Ok, thank you." Santa laughed. He stepped forward and patted little Dolly on top of her head. Dolly looked up to give Santa a satisfied huge smile. He walked around to the end of the toyshop where he felt a sting hit his buttocks.

He turned around.

"Just kidding, Santa." Dolly laughed as she ripped open the top of the first box.

He shook his head as he walked on behind his toyshop. It was just where she said she left it, parked on the other side of the toyshop. Roped and gagged on the huge sleigh the elves little faces lit up when they saw Santa coming from around the toyshop. Santa walked to the sleigh untied his elves and hopped on board. He swiped the long red satin sashes that lay beside him on the seat and slapped them upon the reindeers back. A voice was heard from the other side of the house as he felt the sleigh move underneath him.

"ALL THE BOXES ARE EMPTY!" Dolly screamed. Santa's lips stretched into a wide smile as he flicked the straps lightly onto the reindeers back. The smile remained behind Santa's beard as all eight reindeers raced up toward the bright full moon on its way to deliver presents to the children all around the world.