Chapter #5Letter to Santa by: shadow   The North Pole is perhaps the world’s most busy postal address, especially around the Christmas season. It never ceases to amaze the elves how many different ways people send in their Christmas lists; email, text message, social media, and letters. Yes, even in this digital age, some people, children included, still like to send their lists the old fashion way. Around the holiday seasons, letters come by the truckloads from all over the world, and they all end up in one place; The wish list department, apart from the coal mines, is perhaps the least jolly place in the North Pole. The department consists of hundreds of elves reading wish lists of every kind and sending the information to the naughty or nice center for confirmation. Day in and day out, these elves read longer and longer lists for hours before going home from their tedious work. However, an elf will often find a particular letter, a glint of true Christmas spirit in the darkness. This story starts with one such letter. The letter didn’t stand out at first, but genuinely amazing things rarely do. The letter came to a desk and was read like any other, but the reaction wasn’t like any other. The elf who first read the letter was named Sprinkles, and after reading the letter, he got up from his desk with the letter in hand.
Sprinkles took the letter to his manager’s office, “Sir?” he called in.
“What?” A voice called back.
“I have a letter, Mr. Frost,” Sprinkles explained, “It’s… a very interesting request, sir.”
“What?” Frost inquired, “Another kid who wants a pet alien or a gun?”
“No, sir,” Sprinkles corrected, “This comes from a little girl, and she… well, please just read it.”
Frost took the letter with annoyance before his expression softened as he read the letter, “Take this to N and N and tell Carol that I’m calling in a favor."
Sprinkles took the letter back, “Yes, sir!” Sprinkles stopped with his hand on the doorknob, “Sir, do you think this wish will be granted?”
“We both know who’s choice that will be after you have the kid checked out,” Frost remarked.
Sprinkles made his way across town to the Naughty and Nice center. The Naughty and Nice center is where the deeds of every child in the world are kept and recorded as either naughty or nice. Sprinkles walked through the elves busy on their computers and went to the head elf’s office, “Carol?”
“Come in!” A female voice called, “And who are you?”
“Sprinkles, ma’am,” Sprinkles answered, “I work in letters; Frost sent me saying that he wants to call in a favor.”
Carol sighed, “Gets me a good deal on a snowmobile, and he thinks he owns me; what does he want?”
Sprinkles presented the letter to Carol, “He wants you to read this letter and check out the kid.”
Carol looked over the letter before smiling slightly and typing some information into her computer, “What do we have on this kid?” A picture of a smiling redheaded little girl came onto the screen.
Name: Cynthia (Cindy) Marylyn Sutherland
Age: 8
Address: 1617 Lipan Street, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
Nicknames: Little Red (various), Cherry Pie (father, mother), Goody two shoes (brother, classmates)
Dental: No cavities, lost tooth falling off a swing at the playground (age 6), has never falsely lost a tooth.
Grades: B to A range
Chore completion range: 80%
Christmas Spirit range: 85%
Believer Status: Positive
Last Naughty Deed: Neglected to use a napkin at lunch (8 hours prior)
Last Nice Deed: Gave last dollar to Salvation Army while grocery shopping (3 hours earlier)
Notable Nice Deeds:
Lets smaller children go in front of her on the playground.
Gives holiday cookies to teachers
“So,” Sprinkles read over Carol’s shoulder, “She’s a good kid?”
“Never been on the naughty list in her life,” Carol remarks, “Not even the check twice list.”
“What about the brother?” Sprinkles asked.
Carol typed more information into her computer. This time a dirty blonde-haired teenager came onto the screen, giving the photographer the bird.
“Give it a minute,” Carol tells Sprinkles when no other information comes up, “Unless we request it, the information stops updating in the official records when they stop believing; there we go.”
Name: Harry Allen Sutherland
Age: 14
Address: 1617 Lipan Street, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
Nicknames: Hare Bear (Parents and Sister)
Dental: 3 cavities, damage due to smoking, attempted to give false teeth to the tooth fairy.
Grades: D to F range
Chore completion range: 20%
Christmas Spirit range: 10%
Believer Status: Negative
Last Naughty Deed: Stole money out of mother’s purse for cigarettes (2 hours ago)
Last Nice Deed: Replaced soap in the bathroom (12 hours ago)
Notable Nice Deeds:
No Record
“So,” Sprinkles asked nervously, “What do you think.”
“I think that the wish is within reason from the standpoint of their naughty and nice records,” Carol explained before stamping the letter and returning it to Sprinkles, “Take it to Big Red.”
Sprinkles nodded and took off; the elf ran through the workshop district of the north pole and headed to the housing district where row upon row of houses decorated the streets, and his destination was the biggest yet still modest house. The place looked almost like a holiday gingerbread house, and the beautiful smells helped the illusion. When Sprinkles knocked on the door, it was answered by a kindly elderly woman dressed in red holding a tray of cookies, “Hello Sprinkles,” Mrs. Claus welcomed before calling over her shoulder, “Dear, Sprinkles is here.”
“Come in,” said a deep, kind voice.
Sprinkles walked through the house and tried to sneak a cookie, but Mrs. Claus cleared her throat as she turned back to her oven, and he withdrew his hand. Santa was sitting at the dinner table painting a toy dog, “Hello Sprinkles,” he greeted, “How are things in the letter department?”
“They’re fine, sir,” Sprinkles remarked.
“I understand that congratulations are in order,” Santa noted, “Your sister is expecting, correct?”
“Yes,” Sprinkles smiled, “She says that she has a hunch that it’s a girl.”
“How wonderful,” Mrs. Claus smiled.
“Now,” Santa spoke as he finished his painting, “Is there any particular reason for this visit?”
“Not that we don’t love the company,” Mrs. Claus noted.
“Of course,” Santa agreed.
“Well,” Sprinkles admitted, “I have a reason.” The elf gave the letter to Santa.
“What does it say, dear?” Mrs. Claus inquired as she looked over Santa’s shoulder.
“Let’s see,” Santa said as he began to read the letter, “Ah, it’s from that girl in Denver,” he noted.
“Is she the one who always makes that adorable little care package and puts it on your tray?” Mrs. Claus inquired.
“The very same,” Santa remarked, “Cookies for me, carrots for the reindeer, a card for you, Sweetie.”
“And a box of bite-sized cookies for the elves,” Mrs. Claus finished.
Once more, Sprinkles tried to take a cookie, but Mrs. Claus cleared her throat, and he put the cookie back.
Dear Santa, how are you? How is everyone at the North Pole? My name is Cindy, and I want to make a wish for my big brother Harry. Back when I was little, Harry and I were best friends, and he used to make me laugh all the time. When Harry got older, he started getting in trouble at school, and now I’ve seen him smoking and taking things from our neighbors. I told Harry to write to you for help, but he says that you don’t exist, but I know that you do so I’m writing to you for him. Merry Christmas from your friend Cindy.
The rest of the letter was in a different color, almost like she had decided to add the rest later.
P.S. There’s something else; my best friend in the world is moving away, and I won’t have anyone else to play with, so could you maybe help me make a friend? But, if you can’t do both, please help my brother.
Santa chuckled, “Even when faced with being alone, she’d rather help someone else.”
“She truly incorporates the season’s spirit,” Mrs. Claus agreed.
“So Santa,” Sprinkles asked, “Will you help the brother or assist her in making a friend?”
“I have an idea of how to do both,” Santa smiled, “Harry needs a good spirit to guide him through life, and I know just the person though he may not like his gift at first.”
“What about making a friend?” Mrs. Claus inquired as she cleared her throat for the third time as Sprinkles was thwarted again.
“My idea will achieve that as well,” Santa assured his wife.
  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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