Story Write Compilations Volume I Stories 15

 Elf and Santa

 

Author's Note:

Not many people appreciate the Elves except maybe old man Santa. But he does not talk about it every time we meet except that one year. He told me of this tale to share with you on the people behind the scene.

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We all know of the elves who helped the shoemaker in his workshop or the ones who pack the Christmas presents for Santa. Or do we only know of the green one in the mall helping bring out the presents during pre-Christmas? Well, this story is about one elf.......

 

So our story began.

 

The elf limped into the back alley where the single bulb light lits the doorway with the sign ‘Employees’ Only’. She stood there on one left leg and the right one across her left knee.

 

‘Oh, it hurts.’ She took her green pointed shoes off her right foot. She brought it nearer to the lighting so she can see what is causing her pain.

 

It's not the bunion on her toe ( she got that removed last week ) and it's not the blistering at the back of her ankle ( she got the soothing ointment for that two days ago ) but her uncomfortable shoes. Its soles are worn off and the threading on the seams is coming off. If she would wriggle her toes, she is sure the front flap will come off like the crocodile mouth. Once her cousin has one of her older shoes with that front flap exposed; he went around holding it like the crocodile on Captain Hook’s adventures.

 

‘Tick Tock! Here I come. Oh! Run the Captain from my jaw. Tick Tock!’

 

It may be amusing for the kids and the elderly but not to her. These are her working shoes and she needs them on her eight-hour shift of running to the back to get the correct presents and passing them on to the bearded man in the Santa suit. She wondered which is bad; his laughs or his impatience for the presents.

 

She really can't blame him but he’s got strings of kids lining up to see him and confess they are of good behavior to him. Half of those brats will lie anything to get their presents.

 

And getting four dollars an hour does not help me much but it's money for the coming festivals.

 

I wished they would supply us new uniforms with shoes each year but the management said; come with your own and these are the specs and color code.

 

But I can't afford a new pair of shoes let alone a new uniform set.

 

She sighs in despair to hours of painful heels.

 

‘Let me see them. I can help you repair them.’

 

She looked at the fat bearded old man wearing three layers of ragged tatters on his body, but he carries a cobbler box. She hands him the shoe, and then decided to ask him; ‘how much?’

 

‘Oh, a piece of kindness will do.’

 

‘Hey, hold on there. I am a decent elf and not one of those you see late at night.’ I snatched back my shoe but the old man smiled.

 

‘Nor am I any cobbler but the Cobbler. I don’t do all shoes but only elves shoes. My kindness is a cup of hot chocolate or coffee will do fine, my dear.’

 

So the elf passed back her shoe to him and she walked in the back through the door to the pantry. She closed the door on the old cobbler outside to the falling snows and cold air. She saw in the pantry the ingredient of the hot chocolate drink, and she proceeded to make a cup for the cobbler.

 

She took the hot cup of chocolate to the alley and saw her shoe at the doorway with a note. It's not a perfect fix but it's wearable.

 

‘Elf, your shoe is done. It just needed some threads and a needle and your skills. If you ever want to come back to the workshop, just wait for me at the top of the Charity House and looked north. I will be passing by there on Christmas Eve. Love, Santa.’

 

And below the message is also written this line; ‘ P.S. I am not as good as you in repairing the shoe, but I learned from your mum. We all need you back to help with backlogs of repairs of elves' shoes. She has forgiven you for leaving her last Christmas. She still loves you. And I apologize to you as I did not mean to blame you for the broken toys. It was only later I found out it's the Imp who did it. It was one of my bad days, and I just lost it. It's not like me to be that, and I sincerely want you back. Please do consider. ’

 

The little nimble green elf picked up her shoe and her eyes were close to tears. She loved her job as the shoemaker for elves, and not as a present packer.

 

‘Hey, Elf. Your break time is over. The kids are waiting.....’

 

‘Coming... Santa.’ She put on her shoes and turned to go into the store. But before she went in, she said to herself; ‘ I will be back soon, mum. And I forgive you, Santa. Love you both.’

 

Somewhere up there on the northern skies, a fat man smiles at himself. He feels joyous again that his favorite elf is coming home. He has got her a present; the cobbler box he carried when he went to see her that evening. He made himself a new resolution; never to jump the ‘sleigh’ when it comes to blaming others.