Mission On Christmas Eve

Even before Christmas comes around Santa is a very busy person. There are so many letters to read, toys to make, lists to check twice, new addresses and new people too. In fact one day he decided to pass on some of his jobs to other people, which allowed Santa more time to make toys and get things ready for Christmas morning.

He called a meeting at the Tinsel town community hall and asked for some help . The people were very happy to be of assistance to Santa and were all given different jobs to do before Christmas time .

Santa placed a list of jobs for any one who was willing and able to do them . The jobs of feeding the reindeers was done by Mrs and Mrs Brown who owned the farmhouse just out of town and the elves laundry was done by Mr and Mrs Green who had the biggest washing machine around .
Mr and Mrs White did all Santa's housework and Mr and Mrs Black brought the lunch orders into the Toyland factory during the busy Christmas season .
Every household were given one day each and each member of the community had a responsibility to add some colour or hanging ornament around Santa's home . Wrapping presents was another big job that was done by the able-bodied patients and staff at the Tinsel town hospital . The Postman's son Joseph took on the job of Christmas messenger .
Every single job was very important and there are so many different stories I could tell you about the peopler who did them all , but the story I would like to share with you deals with Joseph the messenger boy .

It was getting close to Christmas and all the post offices around the world had bags and bags of letters for Santa . This year there were more than ever before and Joseph had a big job to do collecting them and delivering them to Santa . Each day Joseph went to a different post office . Each day he spent a little more time talking to people . Joseph was a friendly lad and always gave the time of day to anyone who wanted to have a little chat . In fact that is the reason why he was falling behind time with his Christmas messages . It was Christmas Eve and there was still one post office left for him to collect from .
It was very late and there was only one bus left out of Tinsel town before Christmas . With no return bus or way back to Joseph didn't know how he was going to get back with the last sack of letters .
He tried not to worry and hoped and prayed that the goodwill of Christmas would get him home . He was the last passenger on the last bus to leave Tinsel Town that night .

When the bus arrived at its destination Joseph asked the driver to let him off outside the post office . He did as he was asked .
Joseph wished him a happy Christmas and the driver waved and closed the door . Joseph walked over and knocked the door of the post office .
The postmaster opened the door and said ,

"Well hello Joseph . I thought you weren't coming . Its almost Christmas."

"Sorry Mr Eden but it has been a very busy Christmas this year . The snow has been heavier than usual and my watch has stopped more than once with the cold . I had two dogs bite me and three buses break down and delay me .
I had four trees fall and block the road to Tinsel town and five drivers who took at least six wrong turns . Seven times I had no dinner and eight times I've helped old people across the road and nine times out of ten those people wanted to talk to me and tell me their life story ."

"Ok Joseph . I get the picture ."
Replied Mr Eden .

"Have you got all Santa's letters ?"
Joseph asked .

"I'll get them for you 
Mr Eden replied .

He returned with the biggest sack you could ever imagine . Letters were bursting from the sack and Joseph's eyes nearly popped out at the sight of them . He took the sack from Mr Eden and said .
Wow that is a huge bag of letters all right ."

"Can you carry it ok "
Mr Eden asked .

"Sure I'll manage Mr Eden . I'd better go its very late and have a happy Christmas ."

"The same to you Joseph 
Came the reply .

Joseph walked out of the post office and down the street . The snow started to fall and it lay heavy on the ground . Joseph started to feel the heavy bag of letters cut into his shoulder and with no idea of how he was going to get home he sat down in the doorway of a toyshop .
He looked up at the clock in the town square . After the clock struck ten it played out a Christmas Carol chime . Alone in the silent night Joseph said aloud to no one .
"What am I ever going to do now ?"

Suddenly a large crowd of Carol singers passed by . Joseph watched them as they walked over to the town clock and started singing . He got up and went over to join them . After the carols were finished the choirmaster came over and spoke to Joseph . He took Joseph away from the choir and spend some time talking to him .Joseph told him of his situation .

"Ok then Joseph . You can have a bus ride with us ."
The choir leader said and then he told the entire choir the evening had come to an end . The last carol had been sung and Joseph followed the choir through the streets of Hellertown to a bus that was parked beside the prison walls .
The bus was covered in snow . A prison guard gave the choir a wave and the prison warden came out to thank them for the carols earlier on in the evening . Finally everyone got on the bus and took a seat . Joseph placed his large sack of letters in the luggage section . As he sat down in the back of the bus some of the choir started to talk to him .

"Hi Joseph . I'm Peter . So what has you out so late on the streets of Hellertown on Christmas Eve ?"
He said .

Joseph replied
"Well Peter . I'm on a mission ."

"So Joseph . You're on a mission then ?
I'm Christine .

"Yes a very important one Christine ."

"Hi Joseph I'm Jack . What's in the sack "

"Well Jack. I'll tell you .
But just as Joseph was going to tell them all about the letters to Santa the bus came to a sudden stop.

"OK everyone off the bus "
Said the choirmaster .

A huge pine tree heavily laded with snow had fallen down and blocked the road ahead . The choirmaster looked at Joseph and said ,
"I'm really sorry but this is as far as we can take you Joseph . "

Suddenly Joseph heard a trains whistle on the track about a mile away . He asked the choir if they would try and wave the train down while he grabbed the sack of letters from the bus . The entire choir sprung into action and took their candles and Christmas lanterns up to the train track . As the train approached the all started waving to signal the driver to stop . The train driver hit the brakes hard and slowly and surely the train eventually pulled up to a stop .

As the driver jumped off the train he saw the broken track on the line and ran over to the choir members .

" Its a miracle all right . You may have just saved my life . Thank you all so much but tell me how did you know the line was broken ?
The train driver asked .

"We didn't 
Came the reply .

"Well then why did you wave me down ?"
The train driver asked .

"Well this young lad needs to get to Tinsel town before midnight and we were going to take him there . But a tree has fallen and blocked the road . That's when we heard your train whistle .

"But my train has no whistle ?
The train driver said .

"It must have been the wind then ."
Said Joseph who stood there with the sack of letters over his shoulder .

"So you need to get to Tinsel town then lad ?"
The driver asked .

"Can you help me ?
Joseph replied .

"I have a pilot friend who owns a small plane . If my memory serves me right I think there is a line back down the track that will bring us to the airport . So as we can't go forward then I guess the only way is to go back . Climb on board people we're going to the airport .

Joseph and the Christmas choir boarded the train and the train driver switched over to his other engine at the back of the track . A white stash of smoke threw itself from the trains spout and the big wheels began to click clack back on the track . At a junction the train driver manually changed over onto another line . As the huge steam train slowly rolled into the airport the stationmaster rushed out from his office . With a serious fixed look on his face he said to the train driver.

"John what's going on . It's ten minutes to midnight on Christmas Eve ."

The train driver replied .
"Captain Jack the line to Tinsel town is broken and were it not for these people who waved me down I would have been killed . There is a young lad here called Joseph needs to get to Tinsel town before midnight . Could you do me a favour Jack and fly him there on that old crop duster of yours ?

Quick as a flash came the reply .
"You're on John . Give me a moment to get my boots and beret on ."

He was back in a second with his bomber jacket and boots and beret .

"Crop duster indeed . This plane is the hound of the heights and I am its master . I am the one and only Captain Jack feared leader of the pack . "
He smiled and winked to Joseph and continued .

"This mission to Tinsel town requires more than skill , more than bravery . It requires the right man for the flight and as I am the best pilot in the entire known universe then I guess I can fly you there with my eyes shut . So what are we waiting for . Lets fly and leave a message in the sky for everyone to see this Christmas "

Joseph got into the set beside Captain Jack and placed the sack of letters on the floor of the plane . As the snow plummeted down the little plane lifted off and did a few loups in the sky . Smoke poured from the back of the plane and the words that were written by the plane spelt out a message that said Happy Christmas Everyone . In about five minutes Captain Jack landed at Tinsel town right beside a runway where a huge red sleigh was being loaded up with sacks . Joseph thanks Captain Jack who wasted no time getting off the ground in the heavy snow that was falling .
Santa rushed over to greet Joseph who passed on the very last sack of letters ti him . Santa smiled and said .

"Thank you Joseph . I am running very late now . So Joe you will have to come with me on the sleigh and read the letters out as we fly through the snow . Hurry up and get in ."

"Wow thank you Santa ."
Joseph got in the sleigh and started to read the letters out one by one .
The next morning came and it was Christmas and the job had been done .
There were screams of excitement from all the boys and girls around the world who woke up to open their presents Santa had left them unde the tree and around their homes .
In one of those homes a little boy called Joseph opened up his presents Santa had left . That Christmas he received a toy bus , a large toy train and a beautiful silver toy aeroplane . There was a little card with the gifts that read .
"Happy Christmas Joseph . Thank you for getting all the messages through .
From Santa ."

The End

By Paul Mc Cann