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7
It would only be a matter of time before Pim was discovered. With each stop the mound of presents that concealed him dwindled and he had to duck lower and lower to keep out of sight. Rather than wait until Santa grabbed him instead of a bag, he decided to turn himself in to Dabbledee. Maybe she would plead on his behalf.
But he expected the worst.
What if Santa kicks me out of Borealis? he fretted. What if he tells me to walk back home?
The likelihood of being banished scared him. Others might judge the place cold and desolate, but to a northern elf Borealis is home. The only possible home, even for a would-be wanderer like Pim.
Of course Santa knew he carried a stowaway and had guessed at the young elf’s dilemma. He could hardly keep from laughing outright at the pickle his favourite had got himself into. Several times he had only just managed to disguise his amusement from Dabbledee by feigning a sudden fit of coughing.
‘You seem to have a serious cold, sir,’ she said gravely. ‘Do you think Christmas is in jeopardy?’
‘No, my dear,’ he answered, in an equally serious tone. ‘As long as no bandits come along to hijack our sleigh, I think Christmas will go smoothly enough.’
Then he coughed so violently the whole sleigh shook.
The reindeer, too, were aware of their uninvited passenger. But Rudolph, under strict instructions from Santa, had told the others not to glance back or utter a sound. ‘Do nothing that will tip our hand,’ Rudolph warned. ‘Before this Christmas night is done, we are going to have a very good laugh, if I am not mistaken. Just follow my lead when the time comes.’
The others agreed, but Vixen couldn’t help glncing back from time to time, and Donner complained that all Pim’s bouncing and diving was making it difficult to steer a straight course.
On and on they flew. Bumping onto rooftops, then taking flight again – rather like a bumble bee visiting flowers in a meadow. At last, Pim determined to do what he must. At the very next house, I will reveal myself to Dabbledee, he decided, crouching behind the sack closest to her.
How slowly the seconds ticked by until the sleigh dipped toward the next chimney and landed. Pim could have sworn Santa had glanced at him reaching for the next to last sack of presents, and the young elf froze, expecting a startled shout from his chief. But Santa must have mistaken him for an oversized, stuffed doll, because he turned without a word and trudged off along the peak of the roof. ‘I’ll be longer than usual this stop Dee,’ he called back, squeezing himself into the chimney. ‘You keep Rudolph and the others company, my dear.’ With that he winked then ducked out of sight.
Pim’s moment of truth had come but still, he hesitated. Twice he reached to tap Dabbledee on the shoulder; twice he withdrew his hand. This might mean the end of our friendship, he feared, for he knew she would be extremely cross and accuse him of being very foolish.
She sat quietly, gazing at the stars and watching the steaming backs of the reindeer. After a while though, she fidgeted like the child in class who has something urgent to say. At last, she could hold in her thoughts no longer. ‘You are a wonderful team,’ she sighed. ‘And I am grateful for having been chosen. This has been a night like no other. Oh, it has been such a wondrous night. But…’
Her voice trailed off into silence.
But what? Pim wanted to know. Once more he reached up to tap her on the shoulder, but before he could Dabbledee sighed and started speaking to the reindeer again.
‘But,’ she faltered, ‘I do wish Pim was with us. He’s such a wonderful elf, if only the others could see it.’
Me! Wonderful? Pim almost laughed out loud. Why, I’m the clumsiest, stupidest elf I know. And it appears I’m a sneak and an eavesdropper, to boot!
‘He doesn’t even know himself what a good elf he really is, our Pim,’ Dabbledee continued. ‘That Fanafroo is so mean, I’m sure he’s convinced Pim that he’s a ne’er-do-well. But Fanafroo is wrong. He’s wrong!’ she stamped her foot, and folded her arms stubbornly, as if the foreman were actually there in front of her. ‘Pim is different, that’s all,’ she said. ‘He’s a dreamer and his dreams might entertain us all if only we would encourage him. Pim should be a teller of stories, a painter of pictures. He should be a maker of games, a dancer, an acrobat, a clown. He should be all those things wrapped into one. But Fanafroo wants to turn him into a something Pim’s not.’
That’s true, Pim thought, tapping his chin. I never looked at it that way, but she’s right.
‘Me, I’m just a painter’s apprentice. Not much imagination in that job, is there?’
Now hold on! Pim bridled.
‘Anybody could do what I do – paint bobbits and grommets and boxes and any little bits and pieces that come my way. Swish, swish, swish and the job’s done. Why it takes hardly any imagination at all…’
That’s not fair! Pim just managed to hold his tongue. You don’t know how well you paint. You don’t know how much devotion and care you put into every stroke – I saw it last night in the sled room. You don’t know how happy you make everyone around you, and what a friend you are… That’s why Santa picked you, you ninny! I’m the stowaway!
‘I’ll never amount to anything much, but Pim! Pim! You could be a magician… anything you want…’
‘I could never be as thoughtful, and wonderful, and generous as you!’ he burst.
‘Eeee!’ Dabbledee shrieked, twisting round in her seat.
‘Yaaa!’ Pim hollered, stumbling and falling into the back of the sleigh.
Dabbledee scrambled back up, red as a tomato, and glared. ‘What on earth are you doing here?’ she yelled.
‘Well, I, er…’ Pim sputtered.
‘And where were you when the Christmas Eve Ceremony was going on?
‘I, uh…’
‘Oh, you are such an impossible elf, Pim!’ she raged. ‘Stowing away in Santa’s sleigh. Then listening in on a person’s private thoughts. I do believe Fanafroo is right after all – you must be the most scurrilous scoundrel in all Borealis. You, sir, are a sneak and a lay-about!’
‘But Dabbledee! Let me explain, please,’ Pim pleaded. ‘I’m sorry. I did try to get out before Santa took off, but all the presents, you see, they were heaped on top of me… an avalanche of presents, I could hardly breath.’
Her eyes still blazed.
‘And I was going to tap you on the shoulder, honest, but I couldn’t quite think how to do it, you see, because I like you so much, Dabbledee, and Santa too…’ He paused, unable to speak for wretchedness. ‘I didn’t want to ruin your opinion of me,’ he explained, then lapsed into dismal silence.
‘Oh Pim!’ Dabbledee sighed in a voice both angry and sad.
‘I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I?’ he groaned. ‘Dabbledee, I like you so much and I feel like such a fool. If only I could have you as a friend, I would give up any notions at all about traveling places, or looking for adventures. If you will just be my friend, that will be enough.’
‘You are impossible,’ she fumed. ‘Leave me alone, and let me think. I don’t know what we’ll say to Santa when he returns. He will be so disappointed!’
‘Do you think he’ll make me walk home?’ Pim asked glumly.
She laughed. ‘Oh Pim, you are ridiculous. I do love you, but you’re a hazard, and that’s the truth. Walk to the North Pole? From here? Santa is an elf not an ogre. He loves you dearly, you ninny.’ She sighed and looked serious, then. ‘Still, we do have to think of what to say. We need to explain how you ended up in his sleigh.’
‘But I’ve already told you…’
‘And we shall tell him the exact truth,’ she said sternly. ‘No waffling or gabbling.’
‘No, none at all,’ he promised.
‘Good.’ she approved. ‘Then I’m going to get off this sleigh and leave you to tell the story. I’ll tell Santa you’re here when he comes up the chimney; you explain how you got here – and you better keep to the truth, Master Pim, for I most certainly will.’
Having admonished her friend, Dabbledee jumped down and trudged over to the chimney Santa had dropped into such a long time ago. ‘I do wonder what he’s doing,’ she peered into the dark flue. ‘I wonder if he’s dozed off.’
Santa wasn’t dozing, though. Not for a second. The wise old elf knew exactly what was going on. ‘Pim,’ he chortled, munching the last bit of biscuit that had been left for him on the coffee table and washing it down with a glass of milk. ‘You are a marvel, my lad. And Dabbledee, you are indeed an inspiration.’ He put his feet up and waited, for Santa knew the best part of the story was yet to come.