Santa’s Sleigh

Travelin’ Rick was walking along the woods near his house, when he saw something shiny sticking out from behind a huge tree. He went over to investigate it and was shocked when he saw a sleigh just sitting there.

“That is strange,” said Travelin’ Rick, taking a good look at the sleigh. “And it looks rather familiar too.”

Travelin’ Rick went around to the front of the sleigh and saw some harnesses at the front of it. He counted the harnesses.

“Hmmmm,” said Travelin’ Rick. “Eight harnesses. I know of someone who owns a sleigh that would need eight harnesses. I wonder if this sleigh belongs to Santa Claus.”

Travelin’ Rick took out his cell phone and called Santa Claus.

“Gee Travelin’ Rick,” said Santa Claus, when he recognized the voice of his friend. “How are you doing?”

“I’m doing just fine Santa,” said Travelin’ Rick.

Travelin’ Rick told Santa Claus about the sleigh that he stumbled on.

“No it isn’t,” said Santa. “It isn’t mine. Mine is tucked away in the barn until Christmas Eve.”

“Okay,” said Travelin’ Rick. “It is just strange to find a sleigh in the middle of the woods.”

“Yes,” said Santa. “That is very strange.”

Santa Claus didn’t think anything more of that sleigh. Christmas Eve morning came along and Santa went to get his sleigh out of the barn so that his elves could start loading it with the presents that he was going to deliver that night, but there was no sleigh in the barn.

“Where is my sleigh?” asked Santa Claus to his elves when he went inside the workshop.

“In the barn,” said one of the elves.

“No it isn’t,” said Santa Claus. “I already looked.”

One little elf looked kind of sheepishly down at the floor when Santa looked over at him.

“Do you know where my sleigh is?” asked Santa.

“Yes,” said the elf, knowing he could not lie to Santa Claus. “It is in the woods out near Travelin’ Rick’s house.”

Santa took out his cell phone and immediately called Travelin’ Rick.

“Do you remember that sleigh you saw out in the woods near your house?” asked Santa Claus. “Is it still there?”

“Yes I remember the sleigh and no it is not here,” said Travelin’ Rick.

“Are you sure?” asked Santa Claus.

“I am sure,” said Travelin’ Rick. “The reason I know it is not there was because I did think it was your sleigh even after you said it wasn’t and I had it arranged to have it sent to your barn.”

“It isn’t in my barn,” said Santa.

Santa then remembered he signed for a large parcel a few months back and he remembered he told the delivery man to put it in his other barn. He had forgotten all about that parcel.

“Wait,” said Santa. “I know where it is.”

“You sure,” said Travelin’ Rick.

“Yes,” said Santa, walking over to his other barn. “I can see it right now.”

“Merry Christmas,” said Travelin’ Rick.

“You too,” said Santa Claus.

Santa Claus arranged to give Travelin’ Rick a very nice Christmas gift for his part in finding his sleigh and having it shipped to him.

“Thank you Santa,” said Travelin’ Rick on Christmas morning when he opened up his Christmas gift.

Santa got Travelin’ Rick a plane ticket to anywhere in the world that he wanted to go.

“I know just the place I am going to go too,” said Travelin’ Rick, packing his warm parka, boots and mittens. “I’m going to go to the North Pole to see Santa Claus.”