Chapter 1-Outsource?
Owl perched near the top of the tree, just a twig away from Little Angel, cleared his throat and anoounced, "I've received word that Santa needs help. He is outsourcing. Furthermore, he is sending Jasper, his chief employment elf, out to interview at our house tonight."
"Here?" Pig snorted.
The tree began crackling like crisp ice. All the tree ornaments, usually very still and well-behaved, began chattering.
What was happening? I had just been placed on the mantel that morning, my sleigh filled, and the whole family-Ned, Sarah, and Cory-had decorated the tree this very evening. Little Angel looked extra special this year. Sarah had starched her wings and given her a new halo of gold beads.
But Owl's message put a new twist on Christmas!
"Outsourcing? What's that?" Mouse asked, peering from her thimble.
Owl ruffled his feathers and leaned down, his beak just a breath from little mouse. "Santa will be employing some of us-- the qualified ones," he hissed.
"Is Santa getting old?" Tom, the cyclist, asked, juggling a bundle of gifts as he wheeled down to a branch where Betty was twirling three batons all at once.
"Quite to the contrary," Owl replied, "he is just getting up to date with the boys and girls and all their gadgets."
The floppy-eared rabbit thumped out, "But what could we possibly do?"
"Yeah," growled the Teddy bear, "I've already got my place on the tree." He had hung a sign over his pine needle nest, Do not disturb until Christmas Eve.
"And I'm happy right here," yawned Kitty Kat, stretching out of her knit sock.
Owl looked up at Little Angel. "What am I going to do? I've been told to have a list of candidates when Jasper gets here."
Little Angel fluttered her wings gently. "Maybe we can all do more than just make Cory's tree brighter.
Owl nodded. "Little Angel is right. Now is our chance to do more than strike a good pose and stare glassy-eyed."
The tree trims gazed at each other. I could tell they were confused, and I was, too. But Cardinal twittered, "I do have a wonderful whistle to make someone happy."
And Puppy barked, "I'm tired of just hanging around being polite with bells ringing in my head and lights flashing in my eyes," and Puppy ripped off his big red bow! Then, everyone began jumping and dancing, trying to find something they could do.
Christmas was unraveling right before my eyes!
At midnight Jasper appeared. He stood at the base of the tree in the midst of the flashing red lights. He wore a thick, white shirt with a bright, red badge of Santa over his heart. His pants were very baggy and his laced boots came up to his knees. He pulled off his stocking cap, and his curly, black hair bloomed around his thin face. If I hadn't felt so anxious, I would have laughed.
Rattling a silver bell, Jasper shouted, "Time for interviews. I have just ten minutes." He checked the time on his black watch and pulled out a digital pad from a leather bag slung over his shoulder. "Santa needs transportation helpers." He thumped his pencil on the pad and gazed up and down the tree, "Who's first?"
"Me," Tom shouted as he bicycled downward from a limb.
"No, no,"Jasper said, shaking his hand. "Let me make myself clear. We need deer, reindeer."
Little Angel sighed, "But, Jasper, we don't have deer in this household."
"What? No deer! What kind of a Christmas do you run around here?"
Little Angel, Owl and all the tree trims turned and pointed at me. "We have Little Horse!"
I gulped. "But my sleigh is full. I already have a hard time carrying everything Cory keeps piling on."
Jasper tugged at his whiskers. "Without deer, without transportation, no Christmas here. My recommendation will be to cancel Christmas!" and he shoved his pad back into his bag.
The tree trims moaned.
"But we cannot cancel Christmas," Toy Soldier protested. "I won't let you do it," and he charged toward Jasper. But as he jumped across a branch, he stumbled and yanked a gold rope that made the tree twirl like a top. His hat and rifle flew. He flipped and somersaulted to the floor. Betty was knocked off balance and her batons whirled wildly. Bang! Crash! Big balls and bells shattered and glass of all colors rained to the floor.
"Oh, Christmas is ruined," Pig snorted as he held tight onto his pen teetering on its limb.