Believers for Life
By H. E. Dinsen
Just a good old yarn about Christmas and the people who make it happen. This is for all those children and not so young children at heart. If you don't believe in Santa Claus, you might get an unexpected visit someday you were not counting on from a guy known as Henry Claus better known as Santa Claus.
I.
Snow fell in light windblown sheets for the past hour across the Arctic. Santa Claus, better known among his contemporaries as Henry Claus stood by the large multi-paneled picture window of his private residence deep in thought as the last light of day disappeared behind the snow draped mountains.
He puffed absently on his ancient clay pipe as the large tankard of herbal and honey tea cooled before taking a sip of the stimulating drink. The snow had come early this year. That meant another dry December. He'd had that before. Less than a few hundred yards across the yard was one of several massive workshops and assembly halls; the small army of elves was working feverishly in four shifts to get toys of every sort together or in kits, depending on what was being ordered. Close by on his desk laid the lists of good children and bad children. This year the list of bad children seemed longer than years past. Small wonder.
Henry rubbed his six-pack abb stomach chuckling at the thought of people who still imagined him as that "jolly old elf". If they only knew. He had been on a diet for the last several years, thanks to an Air Force doctor who decided he needed to lose the excess fat. After all, he reasoned you can't get down and back up chimneys with that spare tire around the middle; especially these new ones, most of which were fake anyway.
A calendar on the desk showed the first week of December. Several neat stacks of "Thank you" cards had been made out already for all the men who filled in for him as "Santa" at shopping centers, malls, and community halls across the world. Among the clutter of messages and e-mail on the desk was a copy of a news account of a boy and girl being bullied and harassed by school mates because they believed in Santa.
A voice from behind him beckoned for his attention. He looked over his shoulder: "Yes, Bly?"
"The stable master wants to report Dasher and Vixen aren't too well, sir."
"Wonderful," Santa muttered. "What's next? Be there in a moment. Maybe I ought take that guy up on his offer and invest in a helicopter for next year."
Early the next day the sun shone milky white through the scudding clouds threatening more snow. Henry and his ground crew prepared the run way for a Navy C130 equipped with skis from Thule, Greenland to land and drop off the first batch of mail.
Dressed in an orange Air Force flight line parka, Henry scanned the sky through the binoculars.
Santa's head elf, Martin stood beside the Snow Cat that served as the ground control station with the hand mike to his mouth, the cable stretched between the radio and his mouth: "Roger Kilo zero-niner, Lima Charlie." He turned to Santa: "Plane is ten minutes out of base, sir."
"Got ya." He sometimes regretted having the Navy's tech people teach Martin how to use a radio set. Martin took to the whole idea with relish. Now he had a communications set up to rival NORAD.
He could hear the plane as it approached. "Fire flares," he ordered placing the binoculars back in the Snow Cat cab. The message was passed. Twelve flares on either side of the runway were fired the flames a blinding red and white glare.
Four Snow Cats with sled fitted trailers and a full track laying K-Lift truck waited to the side. The sound of the big Pratt and Whitney engines could be heard before the gray and white plane broke through the low cloud cover.
"Yeah," he mused, "it pays to have friends in the right places." Sometimes he
wondered how he did it all those other years before getting Navy and Air Force support back in the mid-fifties after Thule Air Base had been rebuilt by the Americans following World War II.
Henry often wondered how the Norwegian explorer Nansen and British Naval officer, Parry missed finding him. They missed finding him by two days walk. It was not until the late fifties that a team of scientists and US Naval people from Thule "tripped" on him that he was finally able to get the support he so solely needed. But they kept his "hide away" a better secret than the Air Force did with Site 54 in the U.S.
The pilot lined the plane up for its final approach dropping below the cloud cover, touched the snow and ice in a cloud of white crystals racing toward them, reversed engines finally coming to a stop. The pilot turned the plane 180 degrees facing out the way it came in; the rear ramp was lowered by the load master.
The petty officer and another with the flight chief, dressed in heavy blue artic parkas stepped off the ramp as the first pallet of mail was shoved toward the ramp. The elf with the K-Lift maneuvered it in to place to pick the pallet up as the first Snow Cat with trailers drew up to be loaded. Ground crew elves ran aboard the plane to help with the unloading and loading of the pallets.
"First load of the season," the chief said handing Santa the clip board with manifest. "Two hundred bags of mail."
"Thanks, Chief, appreciate the support every year. You guys have been a big help."
"It justifies maintaining the station these days."
They watched as the four pallets were loaded on to the trailers and taken to the support building to be sorted and Santa to review each one. Five minutes later the group shook hands, Santa assured there would be the outgoing mail in a couple days. He waved to his friends as they boarded the plane.
He got in the front of the Snow Cat, Martin jumped in the back to monitor the plane's
crew as they prepared for takeoff. The noise of the radio was lost on Santa as he thought about the girl and boy, and like so many others who still believed in him. For now he wasn't sure if the old method of just showing up at somebody's house would help make a detractor a believer this time.
II.
The trailers of mail were taken in to the mail room at the support building unloaded and the small army of elves sorted the mail by nationality, language and area it originated from. Henry sat on a stool reading over some of the mail, a special handpicked group of elves sat in front of a battery of word processers answering the letters. The mail would go out the same way: the US Navy C130 crew would be back in three days to bring in another load of mail and fly out the first load of mail to Thule, Greenland and the post office. This would continue through December until the fifteenth.
A couple days later Henry read a letter from another young girl as he stroked his long gray beard and shook his head. He did not miss the water stains from tears on the paper. He looked at the picture as if trying to memorize the images of the children.
"The girl, Henry?" Martin asked around a tooth pick in his mouth, leaning against the counter.
"Yes." Henry put the picture of the boy and girl back in the envelope and pulled his reading glasses off; folding them he placed them in a vest pocket. He got up from the stool he had been sitting on, folded the letter and stuffed it in a pocket. "Later."
Henry grabbed his hat and coat off a hook.
Martin looked after Santa as he walked out the side door in to the snowy weather toward the main house. He turned on his heel, hands clasped behind his back to walk down the long lines of sorting tables and mail slots. The other elves ignored him as others hurried back and forth with stacks of sorted mail to the word processors to answer the letters in Santa Clause's name.
Henry entered the house through the back door in to the kitchen unit where his wife Doris worked with two elf girls preparing the supper meal. She turned to the door as her husband entered the kitchen, wind and snow blowing in the open door. He pulled his hat and coat off handing them to one of the elf girls.
Doris stepped over to give him a kiss: "Busy day, dear?"
He gave her a kiss in return: "Yeah. Letters to answer – as usual, inspect the toy factory, check on the reindeer, the power plant – you know same old drill."
"I saw the plane when it came in a couple days ago. Gly said there wasn't as much mail this year."
He shrugged as he poured himself some tea and stuck it in the microwave. Punching the timer and start button, he leaned against the counter to wait for the tea to heat up. "Like a couple years before, it'll pickup around the tenth until the fifteenth."
Doris noticed her husband seemed to be troubled by something. He waited until the timer went off. He took the letter from its pocket handing it to Doris. "Here read this and tell me what you think."
The timer went off on the microwave as Doris unfolded the letter with the picture and fixed her reading glasses. She too noticed the tear stain marks on the letter. Henry watched her over the rim of the tea mug as he sipped the reheated tea.
"Oh my," Doris said softly with a slight gasp. "I can't believe this. This is too
much."
The girl elves glanced at the two from time to time as they worked. Henry watched his wife waiting for her reaction. She took a tissue from her apron pocket to wipe her eyes. She refolded the letter handing it back to him: "How can people be so cruel? What are you going to do?"
"Why do they have wars?" He was silent for a moment. He said with a soft tone: "I've got a couple ideas. One of them is to confront the other kids head on; the other thought is doing nothing."
"And if you confront these – people?" Doris asked as she turned to stir a pot of vegetables.
Henry was silent a moment swirling the tea around in the mug than said: "I suppose there are two ways I can do this: Just show up but they'll think I am some old coot with a screw loose or, and I can take a chance take Bly with me, two of the reindeer, and do it that way."
They looked at each other looking for a reply. The girl elves looked at the two expecting more to be said.
"Is that the only way?" Doris finally asked.
"Like I said that or do nothing." He drank down the rest of the tea, handed the mug to one of the girls he turned to head back to his study. "See what Thule Air Base can help with on this scheme."
He entered the study tossed the letter on to his desk reaching for the radio-phone on the side he sat down, pulled up the contacts list on the computer. He scrolled through the list until he found Thule Air Base and the number to the flight operations desk.
He dialed the number, there was a short pause before the phone at the other end was promptly answered by an airman. "Colonel Anderson, please Henry Claus from Claus Incorporated."
He could hear the airman tell the Colonel there was a phone call for him. The phone was picked up: "Colonel Anderson."
"Steve, Henry Claus, got a favor to ask…"
"Henry! How ya doing old man. Haven't heard from you for some time. Staying warm?"
The two small talked for a minute before getting down to Henry's reason for calling.
"Sure, no problem. The plane will be up on Wednesday. Four more pallets of mail for you anyway."
Henry cut the connection then looked at the letter with sadness. He reached for his ancient clay pipe, flicking a lighter he ignited the tobacco and puffed on the pipe thinking about what he was about to do.
III.
Two days later the taxi apron, if it could be called that was a bustle of activity as Snow Cat operators lined up with the sled trailers, the K-Lift truck was maneuvered in to position. Among all this activity, the Stable Master and Bly stood nearby with Comet and Dancer with special saddles that would be placed on the reindeer once they reached Stateside.
Doris sat in the cab of the lead Snow Cat watching all the activity as Martin, in his authoritative manner ran around assuring everything was in place. Santa stood to the side listening for the approach of the plane. They only had a two hour window on the weather before it changed and it was nearly a three and a half hour flight back to Thule. He placed the binoculars to his eyes scanning the sky.
Henry felt a bit uncertain about this whole thing. He sent an e-mail to the girl and her friend Robby that he would be there soon (soon depended on the weather and US Navy and Air Force). He had not developed a real plan other than show up and let the chips fall where they will.
Twelve year old Kathy Thompson lay across her bed; her school books lay on the floor. The only one open was her English Lit book which she had yet to read. In front of her was a copy of the e-mail Santa had sent her with her friend Robby Faro on the info line.
There was a light knock at the door which opened. A head peeked around the corner.
"Hi, Kathy," said Robby as he looked in. "Okay?"
Kathy nodded her head. "Hi. You got one too I see."
Robby walked in tossing his books on the bed. "Yeah. Think he'll be here?"
"I don't know." Kathy still felt let down by the whole incident.
Beside the bed was a book case with children's books on Christmas, the story, and the meaning of Christmas. One lay open to a picture of the jolly old man standing in a living room beside a brightly light and decorated tree, a boy and girl peering around a door watching as he placed their presents under the tree.
Robby sat on the bed beside Kathy as they stared at the e-mail which Kathy's father
had printed off for her yesterday evening.
The rest of the week Kathy and Robby avoided the older boys and a couple girls who would constantly ridicule them about believing in Santa Claus.
The next day as Kathy left the school grounds she noticed two men, one tall with shoulder length gray hair bearded man, the other short and clean shaven near the school. She chanced a look over her shoulder and they were gone. She looked around but did not see them.
Robby caught up with her after a few minutes not in a good mood. "Saw Bill again."
"And his usual self I suppose," said Kathy as they walked toward the next street together. "Gets his digs in and he's happy."
"I guess it's hard to believe in Santa when so many people say there is none."
Kathy nodded her head as they continued on. She missed seeing the same two men at a convenience store watching after her and Robby.
"That's them. Now who are the others?" Henry asked looking back along the side walk as another group of students, mostly boys with a couple girls following.
"What about this group, sir?" Bly asked pointing out the group.
One of the boys made some cutting remark about Christmas and Santa and elves.
"I wouldn't doubt it, Bly," Henry replied softly watching them go by.
"Now what?" Bly asked stuffing his hands deeper in to his pockets as the wind picked up blowing leaves along the walk.
"Time to make believers out of them."
They followed the group as they crossed the street to a parking lot and a large superstore with a sign advertising Santa Claus. Bly followed with the reindeer, their hooves clapping on the hard surface. Henry watched as the group of kids laughed at the sign. He smiled:
"This is going to be easier than I thought," Pointing out the sign flapping in the wind.
Near the front doors a man playing Santa stood by a red pot ringing a bell and thanking people for their donations. Henry tossed a couple bills in to the pot as he walked in to the store ahead of the kids. Bly waited patiently outside the store with the reindeer as customers entering stopped to "Oooo" and "Aaaah" over the great animals. Bly was a bit nervous as people petted the animals and took pictures with camera phones. Within minutes Henry found the photo mart and the set up for the man hired to play "Santa Claus". A sign on the big red velvet chair noted "Santa" was on break and would be back in fifteen minutes.
People with children waited to get their pictures taken with Santa. Henry smiled wondering what the kids, Kathy and Robby's detractors would think when he pulled off the ultimate surprise. He entered the back of the shop to find the man standing outside smoking a cigarette. He had the jacket off, the boots; fakes he noticed were fitted over a pair of
Reeboks. The pants sagged worse than the ones he had for Christmas Eve.
"Excuse me, but are you the one playing Santa Claus?"
The man turned to face Henry. Henry noticed the beard was as fake as the rest of the rig.
Henry shook his head in disgust. He reasoned: "No wonder those kids think I am all made up and don't exist."
"Yeah. Who are you?" the other asked in a surly tone flicking the cigarette butt across the parking lot.
"Santa – actually Henry Claus better known as Santa Claus."
"Really." The other's eyes made a quick sweep of Henry. "No joke. You're thinner than I am. How are you goina' be Santa Claus?"
"Been on a diet," Henry replied. "Here. Got some kids who don't think I exist. Where they got that idea from I don't know. But anyway, here's eighty dollars, go take another break. Permanently."
The man stared at the twenties less than a second then snatched them out of Henry's hand and took off. Henry walked back inside the photo mart. He paused to put on the rest of the costume and padding about his waist. He began to wish he'd brought his own suit with him. But then people would wonder at his wearing a one piece artic snow suit rather than the traditional two piece red and white velvet outfit.
He placed the red and white stocking hat on which felt uncomfortable. He looked at himself in a mirror a moment and about gagged. "And this is why we went to the one piece winter suits and parkas…"
"Oh, you're not Jesse," said a young woman's voice.
Henry turned to see a buxom young blonde woman in a micro-mini red and white outfit. His eyes traveled her full length and back to her surprised face. "No. I'm Henry, Henry Claus, better known as Santa Claus."
"Really. So what happened to Jesse? Get fired?"
"Um, no just had business elsewhere. Come on, time is almost up. We can't keep the customers waiting."
They took their places, the woman behind the format camera, Henry on the chair. Pretty soon the kids showed up. The kids got up on his lap to make their wishes known for a few minutes before the one called Bill made a comment: "Nice boots, bud."
Henry smiled inwardly. This was the moment he was waiting for: "Oh, yeah I know
you, Bill is the name. You're the one bothering Kathy and Robby because they …" he wagged his fingers in the air, "believe in me."
The looks on the kids' faces froze for a moment.
Bill finally said in a weak voice: "How do you know my name?"
"Military intelligence system," he said, regretting the comment right away but went on: "So what would it take for you to be a true believer?"
The lady customer in line with her children looked from one to the other wondering what all this was about and who the kid named Bill was.
Bill looked at his friends. They quickly whispered and snickered. Henry took out a worn note pad and pen. The boy said: "Okay bet."
"Bet. What is it? Name your price. If ya gotta ask, you can't afford it." Henry leaned on the arm of the chair looking at the youngster.
Knowing he was on the spot the other seemed to think then said: "Okay, a new Game Boy Player."
Henry jotted down the information: "You, young lady – Marie as I recall, Bill's girlfriend. What's yours?"
Marie's jaw dropped as Henry pointed the end of the pen at her. She looked nervously at Bill. "Um, gold necklace, bracelet, and earrings – and five ounce bottle of Chanel No. Five perfume."
Henry jotted down the information. He looked up: "And I believe your name is Tom. What about you?"
People were gathering around the photo mate listening to the exchange as Henry wrote the information.
Henry sat back ignoring the lady taking pictures look of incredulousness. At that point she didn't know what to do. Crossing one leg over the other Henry added: "Now, tell you what, I got two reindeer out front that fly, part of my herd. Will that help you believe?"
Bill trying to recover his composure in front of his friends said: "Fly – how? With a helicopter?"
The boy laughed, the others laughed then Henry smiled: "Jokes on you. Come on."
He stood and gestured for the other customers to follow too. The girl followed with the camera. She knew her boss could make some money off this situation. The group walked outside, people talking, children wondering what was going on. They walked to where Bly stood holding over a hundred dollars in his hand as parents took pictures of their children on the reindeer.
The kids realized the guy had now put them on the spot. Henry took Comet's reins from Bly and gestured to the boy: "Up ya go."
Comet looked over the other with caution. The deer thought: "Him? You kidding? "
Bill said as surly as he could, gathering his courage in front of all the adults and other kids: "I get hurt my father will sue ya."
Henry smiled. "Don't worry. Comet is one of my best."
The reindeer snorted as Bill, with shaking legs stepped over to the great animal's left
side, placed a foot in the stirrup and boosted himself into the saddle.
Henry assured the boy was set. "Don't lean back or to the side. It's like riding a horse."
Bill suddenly felt nervous as the reindeer shook its head, the antlers waving back and forth in front of him.
Henry stepped up to Comet: "Not too high, old boy, remember the Air Base is close by. Don't want to get into their air space."
Comet again shook his head. About that moment a pair of F16's thundered overhead.
The crowd parted as Comet walked a few feet toward the parking lot with Bill saying: "Whoa, boy – whoa! Hey man, I never did anything like this before. I was just kidding!"
Henry grinned feeling giddy as he watched with enjoyment Comet, with the boy on him step out into the open area in front of the store. Suddenly with a snort, Comet leaped in to the air and rose several feet above the store front. Bill let out a scream clutching the reins and saddle. The crowd suddenly gasped as the reindeer rose several feet above the store. Drivers on the nearby highway suddenly pulled off the road to watch as the reindeer circled the store and parking lot with a kid screaming above the noise.
"What the hell?" a voice behind Henry exclaimed the man's mouth agape.
Henry casually turned to see a man in a white shirt with the store logo embroidered on the shirt and a badge that said: Store Manager.
The Manager looked at Henry and realized it wasn't Jesse. "Who are you? And where's Jesse?"
"Gee, that's a popular question today. Henry Claus, better known as Santa Claus. And you?" Henry extended his hand to the other. "I gave Jesse the rest of the day off."
"Matt – and what is that? What do you mean, 'gave Jesse the rest of the day off?'"
"That's Comet up there and that's Dancer over there with Bly. He had something to do."
The Manager, Matt was suddenly popping nitrite pills in his mouth. "No kidding …"
Henry spotted Kathy and Robby among the crowd. The girl stood with her hands over her mouth jumping up and down; Robby's mouth hung open as the two watched Bill screaming as the reindeer circled the parking lot.
Henry put two fingers to his mouth to whistle. Comet descended back to the parking
lot just as two police cars entered the parking lot. The cars stopped short the officers jumped out of the cars looking up as the reindeer touched the pavement with a tap of its hooves.
One policeman had the hand mike to his mouth talking to the dispatcher describing
the scene and the chaos it had caused on the highway.
Bill's friends helped him from the reindeer; he collapsed in to their arms breathing hard walking away from Henry not saying a word.
Henry attempted to ignore the policemen as he walked over to Kathy and Robby.
"You're Kathy Thompson and Robert Faro. And Kathy, you're the one who wrote to me about a certain problem. I think I've taken care of it for you."
Kathy nodded her head up and down unable to speak as Henry showed them the picture Kathy sent with the letter.
Henry pressed on: "You two want to go visit the North Pole?"
Kathy looked at Robby for an answer. "Our parents…" Robby said weakly.
"I can fix that. You won't even be missed. For a few hours – got a way to get there."
"How?" Robby asked then Henry pointed skyward as another pair of F16's thundered overhead.
Henry grinned: "Got friends in high places. Very high places. We'll take Comet and Dancer to the Air Base. I'll show you how."
Kathy said with a sense of trepidation: "Okay. We're not supposed to, but … yeah."
"For good reason," he said with a grin. "Come…"
Henry led them over to the two reindeer. Matt, the store manager was talking to the police gesturing toward Henry. One of the police officers walked over to them as Henry boosted the boy and girl up to Dancer.
"Don't worry, you'll be alright. Just hang on to the reigns"
The policeman yelled: "Hey, where's your business license?"
Henry boldly pulled out a business card and handed it to the police officer. "Here.
Claus Incorporated." Then he said to Bly: "Come on, Bly let's get outta here before they get wise to us."
The officer was puzzled by the business card.
Bly looked at all the money in his hand and some stuffed in a pocket. "What do I do with all this money, sir?"
"Give it to that guy over there. Looks like he could use it."
Bly stepped over to the red pot and stuffed nearly one hundred and seventy five
dollars into it. The other looked aghast as Bly tipped his hat and walked back to Henry as he
mounted Comet, reached down to pull Bly up to the saddle.
"North Pole – Thule, Greenland?" the police officer exclaimed waving the card at Henry as the four started toward the open area of the parking lot. "What the hell is this – let me see some ID!"
"Yup, General Howard is commander of the base, know him personally." Henry clucked to the reindeer then with a wave of the hand the two reindeer lifted in to the late afternoon sky turning toward the air base and the waiting air crew. "Left it in my other pants…!"
Everyone at the shopping center watched spellbound as the reindeer with the four flew away from the store to the air base.
Bill leaned back against the wall near the front entrance watching them disappear in to the afternoon sky. "Don't tell anyone about this. Just deny it ever happened – I won't say another word about Santa Claus or nothing – ever again."
IV.
Robby and Kathy slept in each other's arms on the plane to Greenland as Henry sat up on the flight deck with the crew. Bly lay a top a pallet load sleeping.
The crew chief woke them up. The two awoke to find themselves over two thousand five hundred or more miles from home. "Almost to Greenland."
"I've never slept that long in my life," Robby said with a deep yawn as he stretched.
"What did he say?" Kathy asked with a yawn.
"Almost to Greenland," Robby repeated sleepily.
Henry climbed down from the flight deck as the chief resumed his position behind the pilot.
"Here ya go," Henry said handing them the parkas: "Got a couple artic parkas and
gloves for you. Might be a bit big, especially across the shoulders but it's the best I could do on short notice."
"Put them on when we land," said an airman. "Too warm right now. Don't want to sweat. You'll freeze."
The kids hung onto the parkas and gloves as Henry made a check of the reindeer near the back of the plane. The two lay down on straw provided for them for the trip.
The two children munched on some treats the crew had picked up at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey during a crew change and refueling stop.
The crew chief looked down from the flight deck; the kids noticed the plane angling down. "Thule in fifteen."
They put things away. Bly dropped back to the deck and a seat, quickly buckling the harness he said: "Almost home."
Kathy spoke up above the sound of the engines: "How far to the North Pole?"
"From Thule?" Bly said, "About another one hundred miles – altogether we're about seven hundred and fifty miles above the arctic circle."
Kathy twisted around in her seat to look out the small port window as the plane dropped through the low hanging clouds. The plane was less than a couple hundred feet above the arctic water approaching over Baffin Bay.
"Robby, look – ice flows, like Ms Waters talked about in school."
The boy was awestruck by the scene as the pilot lined up the plane for the air strip to make its final approach. They held their hands over their ears as the plane descended then a short time later the wheels touched the snow blown runway with a yelp of rubber on the asphalt strip rushing toward the end of the runway before turning around to taxi to the flight ops building.
"We there?" Kathy asked as the pilot made the slow taxi.
"I think so," said Robby looking out the window again. "Yeah."
The load master and crew chief climbed down from their positions on the flight deck. Henry followed standing close by as the two senior airmen walked to the back of the plane.
Henry smiled down at the two: "Not exactly first class but its better than walking."
Bly walked to the back where the reindeer were tethered. The two reindeer did not like flying but the "boss" needed help today. Robby and Kathy watched the activity around them as the crew made the preparations for the final approach to the flight ops building.
The two children knew this was a treat they would remember the rest of their lives.
The lights changed from red to yellow to green. The chief hit the power switch, with a whine of the electric motors and hydraulics the rear ramp began lowering to the tarmac.
"Okay, this is it," said Henry gesturing to the back of the plane.
Cold air suddenly filled the plane. Their breath fine clouds of steam about their faces. A K-Lift truck was driven up to the plane to pick up the pallets and back away. The air base stretched on toward the ice shelf that loomed above them over ten miles away but appeared to be less than that.
The two children stood awed by the extent of activity despite it being so cold. Vehicles moved about the yellow stripped road ways, planes taxied in to position preparing for takeoff, engines whining as the pilots waited for word to take off.
Henry noticed there were things going on despite the cold; he pointed to the flight ops building the wind tugging at his parka hood. "In there. Warmer. It's got to be minus two out here."
The crew followed Henry to the building everyone pushing through the air lock and inside where it was warm.
Colonel Anderson stepped out of his office in to the activity as another plane was ready to take off to England and then Germany.
The Major who had been in charge of the flight handed the log book and flight information papers to the sergeant in charge of closing out the flight.
"Hey, Henry, how's it going?" Anderson reached across the counter.
"Great, Steve. Got a couple friends here who want to visit my operation."
"Hi," the two said as they shook hands with the officer.
"The Navy C130 is about ready when you are, Henry."
"Good. Appears we'll be on a tight schedule as it is."
The two children stayed close to Henry as they waited for word the second plane was prepared for the final part of the trip north.
It was a half hour later the sergeant motioned to the door. "Ready, Mr. Claus."
The three put their coats back on and started out the door. They crossed the tarmac where Bly with the reindeer stood waiting to board the plane. Henry whispered in to their ears and the great animals shook their antlers then walked calmly up the ramp into the plane. In front of them set the pallets with the mail.
As they walked toward the front, Kathy asked: "What did you say to the deer?"
"Told them we were almost home. And extra oats and molasses for them tonight."
"Oh." She was disappointed thinking it was some magic words. She sat in the canvas jump seat, Robby beside her.
The ramp was closed as Henry and Bly each took a seat and buckled the harness rig.
The crew chief checked them then mounted the ladder to the flight deck. Within minutes the plane reached the end of the run way turned, the pilot revved the engines, released the brakes and the plane rushed down the runway. They were soon airborne banking to the north and the final trip to the North Pole.
The last part of the trip was the most exciting for them as the pilot flew low enough so the two could see the ground. Polar bears, penguins, and a few arctic foxes could be seen as they flew north toward Henry, or Santa's operation.
"Ten minutes, Henry," the crew chief called from the flight deck.
"Almost home," he said wistfully. "Not like Christmas Eve night but close enough."
Kathy and Robby hugged each other as the plane banked then straightened out on the final approach. Henry could only imagine the activity around the air field as his elves prepared for the plane's landing and pulling the pallets off; the outgoing mail loaded. He looked over at the children as they watched for "The North Pole" of Santa. He mused: What will they think when they see it's not as depicted in the story books. But a modern operation to rival even Union Pacific's North Platte rail yard, or Ford's Dearborn Plant; it was bigger than even Bethlehem Steel used to be.
Flares lined the runway as the Navy plane set down rushing up to where Martin had all the ground operations elves in place. The crew chief was standing by the ramp controls as the pilot spun the plane around.
The lights changed from red to yellow to green then the petty officer punched the switch and the ramp opened to the rush of frigid air. Henry held his arm out. Bly exited first with the reindeer, the Stable Master waiting at the foot of the ramp as the two animals walked down the ramp and then unexpectedly began cavorting around glad to be home.
Kathy and Robby were astounded as the K-Lift truck, driven by an elf was maneuvered in to place to pick up the pallets. Four elves ran on to the plane to help the load master and crew chief to move the pallets out to the truck.
The children were stunned watching the elves and the men work together to move the pallets off and on the plane. Henry gestured for the children to step out of the plane then the next K-Lift truck moved in to the first's place to drop the outgoing pallets of mail.
"That's the outgoing mail," said Henry above the wind. "We just brought in the mail
that'll be answered in the next couple days and same thing – the Navy will come in to pick up
the next batch, about two hundred bags of mail to go out."
The plane was not on the ground more then fifteen minutes. The crew chief waved to them then closed the ramp. The Lieutenant waved as he began to reeve the engines, the RPM's reached the pitch he wanted released the brakes and he raced down the runway and was soon airborne.
Kathy watched as the plane was quickly swallowed by the gathering cloud cover. She looked around a moment feeling both thrilled and a bit disappointed. She reasoned all this could have set in the middle of Dayton, Ohio and nobody would have noticed the difference.
"That's the mail building where the mail is broken down and sorted by language and region." Henry pointed out a long aluminum building with a row of overhead doors set at its end closest to them.
Kathy and Rob wondered how he found their letters among all that mail. Henry led
them to the Snow Cats waiting to the side. The two watched awed by the sight as the elf
drivers lined up to start across the area back to the support building.
The two quickly realized this was not what they thought the North Pole would be. It definitely was not what the various books would lead one to believe – this was a massive operation. Henry pointed out some of the buildings they could see. The complex seemed to
go on forever.
"Those buildings there that you can see from here are the assembly halls. Everything from bicycles to roller skates to cars and trucks are made in them. That's the foundry over there – but you wouldn't think so to look at it."
Robby asked: "Why's that?"
"Environment. We have to be careful with it even up here."
A very stately woman dressed in green climbed out of the lead snow cat walking up to Henry. "This is the boy and girl who wrote you?"
"Yes, Kathy Thompson and Robert Faro." He turned to his wife: "My wife – Doris Claus."
They shook hands. He said: "Come on, we'll use the Snow Cat to take you around the complex."
For the next two hours Henry escorted them around the buildings where toys were being made, clothes sewn, shoes, boots, and then bicycles, trucks, cars, dolls, just about everything one could imagine was made here. It was late when they eventually made their way back to the main house where the elf girls had hot chocolate and cookies for them.
"So what do you think of my shop now?" he asked with a smile as they dug in to the cookies.
Henry had a large mug of his special herbal tea and honey. The children looked around the study which was filled with all sorts of things and books – mementos that were old and priceless. On the wall above the fire place were pictures of Henry's predecessors all the way back to Saint Nicolas. Kathy noticed a shelf with several photos of men in uniform. She wanted a closer look but held back until later.
"Awesome," they said together.
"How do you keep up with it all?" Robby asked around a mouth full of chocolate chip cookie.
Henry chuckled. He tapped the top of the LED screen on his desk. "Modern technology. I can tap into any part of the operation out there to see what is going on any time I need to."
"But the reindeer? How do they fly?" Kathy asked concerned about the deer flying.
"Very special," Henry replied. "They normally do not fly but on Christmas Eve
night. The sun goes down here first then night spreads east to west – east becoming dark
first."
"But today first," Kathy interrupted. "How come they flew today?"
"Today was special. You needed help right?" The two nodded their heads. "And I showed Bill what can happen with – shall we say – magic?" Henry smiled as he looked at the two; they realized there was something here neither could see.
V.
Hours later they watched from the warm interior of the Snow Cat as the plane descended to the run way the skis sending up a shower of snow and ice as it sped down the run way, the pilot reversing the engines then spun the plane 180 degrees to face out the way he came in, the propellers slowly revolving as the pilot waited patiently for the children to make their good-byes.
Henry walked across to the plane with the children. "Between the US Navy and Air Force they'll get you home safely – don't you worry. Your parents will never know you were gone"
Kathy stood on her toes to give Henry a kiss. "Thank you. And thank you for the picture – Henry."
"My pleasure."
The two children walked up the ramp into the plane, the ramp closed and soon the engines revved to top RPM and the plane started down the runway.
Doris walked up to him slipping her gloved hands through his arm. "You have believers for life."
Night had fallen, a moonless night. The sound of the Wright-Paterson Air Force Base could be heard even from where Kathy lived. Kathy felt the plane rock, but it wasn't the plane.
She looked up drowsily at her Mother. Her father turned the bed room lights on.
"Come on, honey time for supper." Her Mother nudged Robby. "Come on Robby. You two fell asleep again. Want to stay for supper, Robby?"
"Thank you." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around the room as if expecting something else. "Gee, we're not at the North Pole after all."
"Probably just a dream," Kathy's mother said as she looked at the two children and a 4x8 photo. "You two have been sleeping since three o'clock. Rough day at school I suppose."
Kathy sat up smiling as she looked at the picture in her hand autographed by Henry
and Doris Claus, and some of the small army of elves who worked for him.
The two looked at the picture a minute. Kathy said: "You know what, Daddy. Santa's real name is Henry and he's not even fat."
"Says he's been on a diet thanks to an Air Force – what was that again?"
"Flight surgeon," Kathy replied puzzled as she showed her parents the picture.
"That's Santa?" her father said with doubt showing it to his wife.
"Yup."
Her mother found a thumb tack and stuck the picture on the wall by her bed. "There."
Christmas Eve night a light snow fell. It snowed off and on for the past couple days giving the night an old fashion Christmas feel. Lights on the nearby houses twinkled in the dark like colored jewels as the night lay over the city as a soft black velvet bejeweled shroud.
The clock ticked off eleven o'clock as Kathy huddled in the dark by her bed room window with her cell phone; Robby Faro was in his room watching out the window talking with Kathy, both kids watching the night sky expectantly to see Henry's sleigh. Robby had his laptop close by, a special site up which was supposed to monitor Santa's progress from the North Pole by way of NORAD.
Robby said in a hushed tone: "It says Santa's supposed to be over the Central States now like Illinois, Ohio…"
Kathy saw the C130 high up over the city. For a moment she thought it was from the air base until she saw the rear of the plane open and nine reindeer appear towing a large sleigh laden with gifts.
"I see it, Robby!" Kathy screamed, "I see it!"
Kathy's mother and father rushed in to the room thinking something was the matter. Kathy pointed to the disappearing plane and Santa in the sleigh with nine reindeer pulling it now airborne.
"Look! That's Santa – that's Henry!"
Her parents stared astounded as the reindeer and sleigh circled the neighborhood.
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