“Yes, sir, Mr. Russell, I’ll get right on it.”
Charlie was used to the chaos of the early morning hours before the Santa Parade. He scanned the gathered participants and couldn’t see the main attraction.
“Hey, Billy,” Charlie shouted. “Where’s Santa?”
Billy stopped and looked up. “What do you mean, where’s Santa?”
“I mean, where’s Santa? He’s not in his sleigh.”
Billy walked towards the sleigh and saw the elves, the stack of beautifully wrapped presents, the huge throne like chair where Santa was supposed to be sitting, but no Santa.
“Jane,” called Billy, “Where’s Santa?”
Jane looked up from the last minute adjustments to the float. “What do you mean, where’s Santa?”
“I mean, where’s Santa?” Billy shouted.
“Well, I thought he was here but I don’t see him.”
“We need to find Santa before Mr. Russell finds out. What is a Santa Parade without a Santa!”
Jane laughed and then realized it wasn't funny.
Billy began calling out to the other volunteers, "Have you seen Santa?"
No one seemed to have seen Santa. He looked inside the sleigh, but no Santa. He looked by the coffee truck but no Santa.
The clock was ticking and the parade was due to begin in only 10 minutes but there was still no Santa.
Billy ran back towards Charlie and reported in.
“We still haven’t found Santa.”
“What do you mean, you haven’t found Santa?” Charlie responded. “Wait until Mr. Russell finds out.”
“Mr. Russell, I have looked all over and have not found Santa. What are we going to do? We don’t have a Santa!”
“What do you mean, we don’t have a Santa?” asked Mr. Russell.
Mr. Russell stormed over to the sleigh and looked inside. No Santa. He climbed into the sleigh and sat down on the throne.
Suddenly, with a whirl of wind and a sudden flash of light, he was wearing a bright red Santa suit, complete with white beard and Santa hat.
“We found Santa,” shouted Charlie and the parade began.