Sleigh Bells

Santa's Workshop

“I hear them, I hear them!”
The list was still being written.
“The naughty, the nice, and Billy-Bob.”
Santa read through the list again and again.
“Why isn’t Billy-Bob listed as either naughty or nice? Every year, it’s the same thing.
Billy-Bob needs to learn a lesson. Elf?”
The elf rushed in.
“No present for Billy-Bob.”
The elf nodded.
“We are late!” Santa ran out the door and hurried away.
After an exhausting trip throughout the world, Santa was surprised to see Billy-Bob standing at his door, arms crossed and looking even more crossed than his arms.
“Santa, where is my present?”
"Billy-Bob, don’t be insolent, there’s no present for you this year.”
“Why?”
“You don’t behave for the first six months of the year. Then you behave like an angel. I never know whether to list you as naughty or as nice.”

“Nice, of course.”

“Every single year, Billy-Bob, every single year.”

Billy-Bob frowned, clutching his arms closer to his chest.

“I want my present.”

“No. Go home and behave. Perhaps next year you’ll receive a present, IF you’re nice.”

Billy-Bob walked away, not before knocking down the snowman’s hat and kicking the sleigh, making its bells chuckle, amused by the scene.

“I’m taking a note of that, Billy-Bob,” yelled Santa.
  

The next year, as he was preparing for Christmas, Santa saw a box at his doorstep. He opened it. Inside, there was nothing but a card. It said “Dear Santa, you’re taking the year off. No Christmas. I have the list, I have the sleigh, and I have the bells. I took the elves too. Signed, Billy-Bob”

Santa was furious. He trotted down from the Pole straight to Billy-Bob’s house.

“Open this door immediately. From now on, you’re on the naughty list, do you hear me?”

Billy-Bob looked through the window and waved defiantly.

Santa was livid. He kicked the door in and grabbed the kid by the arm, dragging him outside. With the elves rushing out behind them. They had never seen Santa angry. Billy-Bob’s parents couldn’t believe their eyes either.

And Billy-Bob’s smug face anticipated the long overdue revenge. “Even you are a bit naughty sometimes, aren’t you, Santa?”

Santa froze, waking up from a stupor of rage. He let go of the kid and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Elves, let’s go home.”

Santa did manage to give each child in the world a present in time, even Billy-Bob. His gift was a note. It said “Dear Billy-Bob, you’re taking another year off. No Christmas. I have the list, I have the sleigh, and I have the bells. I took the elves too. See you next year. Signed, Santa”

And this was how a long-lasting war between a kid and Santa started, a war that would inevitably teach each one of them a few things!

Writer's Dash