Take-off was seconds away.
From the runway red, gold, green, and blue fireworks lit the North Pole sky
with fantastic patterns.
Two elves at the front of the sleigh blew a trumpet fanfare.
Tah-tah tah tah-tah tah tah. Tah-tah.
Boomer sprinkled Santa's reindeer from his bag of magic sparkles. The
sparkles gave them the power to fly.
Chip and Number One looked on with frowns.
Everyone was nervous except for
the reindeer.
"I'm all set, chief," said Dasher, and pawed at the ground.
"Me too," said Dancer, and shook his bells.
"Let's go, Santa," said Comet.
From the front of Santa's team came a red glow and a giggle.
The reindeer loved Christmas Eve.
Santa didn't have the heart to tell them
thousands of children would be given a miss on this one.
He slumped in his sleigh. Even his beard seemed to droop.
Olive watched from a rise.
Although she wanted to forget about the Big Trip, she just couldn't help
coming to see the show.
She especially loved the fireworks.
She heard the reindeer's excited voices. Oh, how she wished she could be
one of them.
But I'll always be the other reindeer who stays behind, she thought.
Olive turned away.
She'd seen enough. A tear trickled down her cheek.
Suddenly there were cries of alarm.
And...
BANG!
The sleigh had crashed.
Santa Claus was tossed into a snowbank.
The reindeer sprawled on the runway.
Boxes of presents were scattered everywhere.
Olive galloped to the overturned sleigh. Boomer stood near it.
"Oh, no! This is awful!" Olive cried. "What happened, Boomer?"
Boomer grinned. "I overloaded the sleigh when nobody was looking. I put a
set of barbells across the back of the runners.
"What! But why?"
"You want to go with them, don't you?"
"Shh! Of course I want to go, but -"
"Well, if the team can't get airborne then you're in. You're in!"
"But - but -"
"Oh-oh!" Boomer clasped his mouth. "Look who's coming."
Number One marched towards them. His face was red with anger.
"I heard all that, Boomer.
Oh, Santa! Santa!" he called. "I think there
is something you should know."
Santa struggled to his feet and brushed snow off himself.
"What's going on here?" Santa said.
"Tell Santa Claus the disgraceful thing you did, Boomer," Number One
ordered.
"Go on."
Boomer hung his head.
"I overloaded the sleigh with some barbells. I'm
sorry, Santa, I really am. But please forget what I did and give Olive a
chance to go with you. That's why I did it. Olive is as fast as greased
lightning."
Santa shook his head. The accident had confused him.
"Olive?" he said. "Olive?"
Then it dawned. "Yes, Olive! I was just
talking to you.
So you want to help deliver the presents, do you, Olive?"
"Oh, yes, Santa. That's really why I came to see you."
Boomer gave Olive a surprised look. "Huh? You did?"
Santa stroked his beard. "So that was it! But why didn't you say so? Oh,
never mind. We've got no time to lose. Come along, Olive."
But Olive didn't move.
"I'd love to, Santa, but I don't think it would be
fair to go after this.
If not for Boomer, you'd all be in the sky by now."
Boomer clenched his teeth. "Olive, you're going to blow it."
"Hmm, I see," Santa said. "I see."
For a while no one knew what to say.
Finally Number One spoke up. He'd cooled off.
"Santa, may I say something?" he said. "Although I do not approve of such a
deed, I think Boomer is a good fellow. He has served us well for many
years. Perhaps we can overlook what he did."
Santa nodded. "I agree, Number One. We'll give Boomer a second chance.
So, Olive? Do you want to come? Yes or no?"
Olive could hardly believe it. Was her dream about to come true?
"Whoopee!" she shouted. "You'll see I'm really fast and strong, Santa."
Santa's eyes twinkled.
He patted Olive on the head.
"Don't worry, Olive," Santa said. "I've had my eyes on you and I know how
fast and strong you are. You were going to be on the team sooner or later.
So as of now, you're officially hired."
Chip joined them. He was studying his calculator and he didn't look happy.
"I hate to be a party pooper, Santa, but this won't change much," he said.
"With the help of this other reindeer - pardon, Olive - we can make Los
Angeles just before sun up. But many other places will still get left out."
Santa sighed. "I know, I know, I hadn't forgotten, Chip. How could I? All
those children will be heart-broken. They'll never forgive me. But - but
there's nothing we can do."
At that moment they heard a whistle in the distance. It came from Mrs.
Claus.
She wore a red-and-white Santa outfit. And she was driving a team made up
of the eight spare reindeer.
"Hee-hah! Giddy-up, my honeys!" Mrs. Claus urged.
The spare reindeer looked as fit as ever. They came at full steam.
Snow
swirled around their pounding hooves.
Santa's mouth fell open as Mrs. Claus pulled up beside him.
"Mrs. Claus! Goodness! What a surprise!" Santa said. "What are you doing
here?"
"Well, dear, I heard you had a problem," Mrs. Claus said.
"We do, we do. A whopper. But I thought all the spare reindeer were in the
hospital."
Mrs. Claus smiled. "They were. Flat on their backs until Dr. Winters came
up with a - cure, you might say. And then I did a little wheeling and
dealing about giving their stable a new paint job. You really should see
it, Santa."
"We can talk about that later, my dear. But right now I'd like to know why
you're here."
"Well, I thought we could load up my sleigh and I'll - go with you. If you
don't mind."
Santa clapped his hands. "Mind? Why should I mind? That's a terrific
idea! You really want to go, don't you, my dear?"
"It would be a hoot. A real hoot."
"All these years and you've never once said anything."
"Well, wouldn't a passenger have made the sleigh too heavy?" Mrs. Claus
said. "So, dear? What do you say?"
Santa turned to Boomer. "Quick, Boomer! Hitch up Olive to Mrs. Claus's
team. That will give us nine reindeer each."
Boomer saluted. "Right away, Santa!"
Boomer hitched Olive in the lead.
A dozen elves gathered up the scattered toys. Another dozen brought the
ones left over in the toy factory.
The sleighs were quickly loaded.
Boomer sprinkled Mrs. Claus's reindeer with the magic sparkles.
For a moment the reindeer rose and floated on air. Mrs. Claus's team was
now ready to fly.
"Up and at 'em, Olive!" whooped Mrs. Claus. "Ho-ho! Ho-ho!"
Santa winked. "You've got the words, my dear, but, well, the tune needs
some work."
Then with a merry "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and a "Ho-ho! Ho-ho!" Santa and Mrs.
Claus whooshed off into the twinkling stars and over the moon.
The elves jumped up and down and cheered the two sleighs in the sky.
"Yippee! Yippee!"
A few toasted each other with mugs of hot chocolate.
As she led Mrs. Claus's team, Olive held her head up high.
All the boys and girls got their presents on time and they were delighted.
So was Olive. And she did such a super job that from then on she made the
Big Trip with Mrs. Claus every Christmas Eve.
Now everyone knows Olive, the other reindeer.
THE END
