Finally, we can get some work done!

"Yes, I know it sounds unrealistic, but Suzie says she did see an elf yesterday, and she wasn't the only one there." "She doesn't know how long he will be in town,so if you want to meet him you better get to the Airport Bar before Christmas next week." "I'll have to check it out, then I can bring my kids to see for themselves."

"You can't take your kids, silly, it's a bar. It'll be past their bedtimes. Besides...."
The talk continued, the employees weren't at their desks, they were all listening to the talk about some elf.

"Mary!" Betty called. Mary was oblivious to the commotion on the other side of the room. Only a few days to go before the final Christmas rush, she had a lot to accomplish. Looking up, she finally noticed everyone standing around talking to Suzie. That was odd. Suzie was the shyest one in the bunch. She never talked much to anyone. What did she have up her craw, Mary wondered?

"Mary", Betty called once more. "We need to talk."

"That sounds like a good idea", Mary said. "Why is everyone gathered around Suzie? I've never seen such a sight. It's good that she's finally talking, but not today, not here, we have too much to accomplish."

"She's telling them about some elf person she met in the Airport Bar, on Airport Rd. She claims she and her friends and family were at the bar last week when the elf walked in. Isn't that the silliest thing you ever heard?"

"I've tried more than once to get them back to work. They have tried, but it's almost like Suzie is a magnet drawing them to her side. I don't understand why. Their grownups for goodness sake."

"Mary!" "Mary! are you listening to me? We need to take action. Our productivity is way down, we need to do something about it."

"What can we do, Betty?"

"I think we need to check it out", Betty said.

"What do you mean? If you have eyes to see, you can see their not doing anything but standing around talking."

"No, I mean go down to the bar and see what's really going on. Then maybe we can get them back to work at least for the remainder of the week. What do you think about sending them home early?"

"Now? Betty are you crazy, we have so much work to do."

"Yes, Mary, now. They aren't working anyways, might as well save some money."

"Okay, Betty. Send them home. I'll stay here and get more done, you can go to the bar if you really want to."

"Sorry, Mary, I already have plans. Besides Larry told me last night I better not be late anymore this week as I've not made it home yet when I've said I would. You spent time last night with your kids, do you mind going?"

"I suppose. I'll stay here and get more work done, you go home to your family. I'll talk to you tomorrow:"

Mary locked up and continued to work. Finally she looked up at the clock and saw it was already 9pm. "Goodness" she thought, "am I hungry." "Since I have to go to the bar anyway, I may as well get their famous burger and fries."  The more she thought about it, the more hungry she got. She hadn't had their food since her college days.

As Mary entered the bar, she noticed something different. Weird, no one was smoking. As she walked towards the bar she noticed a group of people standing around a table, talking. But she was so famished, she decided to eat before checking it out. How embarrasing it would be if her stomach kept growling in front of people she didn't know.

At the bar, she asked for the hamburger and fries meal. The bartender asked if she wanted a beer with the meal. She said, "No, I have an interview to do later, and I'll need to drive myself home."

"Interview?" He asked. "It's kind of late for an interview isn't it?"

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Ken", the bartender replied.

"Ken, this food is awesome. I had forgotten how good it was. Ken, what are all those people doing over there, and oh, yes, why is no one smoking?"

"I don't really want to say"

"Come on, Ken. I can't be all that bad."

"Well it's not. But everytime I tell someone, they go over there and I'm getting tired of not having anyone to visit with. I've had regulars for years and years and once they go to that table, they don't return, for some dumb reason. Oh, what the...
Over at that table is an elf...I mean dwarf."

"What's a dwarf doing here at this time of year. We have a few families living in the area, but they keep to themselves and don't cause a stir. Dwarves are people, same as us, just smaller."

"Ken, I'll tell you what. I do need to go over there and check out the situation. But, I'll come back sometime with friends. This food is great. I don't want to go another 30 years before having more."

Mary, went toward the table to check out the dwarf.

"No way," she thought. "It is an elf," she exclaimed a bit louder than she planned, as she put a hand to her mouth. He looked like a sad, wise old little man. Old, old man. Oh, my, his ears are pointy.

"What are you doing here?", she couldn't help but asking.

"I'm tired of being taken for granted. I've worked with Santa for more years than you can count, I'm tired and depressed. I want to play the games that we make, like Wii."

"Well, I feel bad about that. But you must go back to your home. You have your work to do, and we have ours.

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