My new phone rang, and it was Mike Haynes at Reliable Auto Service LLC down the street. The sleigh had been towed into the shop and he heard that we had the non-stock sleigh runner part. With his reputation for honest quality work, Mike the mechanic always has a steady stream of customers needing repairs on their cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, but he would definitely make room in his busy schedule for Santa and the children around the world. “Just bring in the part and we’ll get going on it! The work won’t be done in time for the Christmas in Cle Elum Parade of Lights, but don’t worry! I talked to my friends on the Cle Elum Volunteer Fire Department, and they said they would be happy to have you ride on their fire truck if you would do them the honor, Santa.” Santa pulled out his tablet, the 21st century version of his famous List, opened the custom NaughtyNice app, and tapped a bunch of “nice” column checkboxes. He was doing that a lot on this trip.
We dropped off the sleigh runner at the repair shop and the Santa pictures chair at the Christmas store, and were wondering where to turn next, when my phone rang again. It was Mintycane! I quickly answered, “Mindy, where are you?” But it was Laura at Second Time Around, the consignment shop where Mintycane had found her Christmas sweater (I just couldn’t bring myself to call anything that Mindy picked out to wear “ugly”.) “Hi, your friend left her phone here when she was shopping, and it’s been ringing off the hook!” I was disappointed of course, but I tried not to let it show as I thanked Laura for letting us know. “Oh, and I’m still holding that gown and accessories she picked out for the ball,” Laura added, “She said she was really looking forward to wearing it when she danced with you.” Mindy wanted to dance with me? My heart started beating faster than a toy drum on Christmas morning and it was difficult to concentrate, but I was more determined than ever to find that special elfette! Maybe there was a clue on her phone. When I got to the shop, I went ahead and had Laura ring up Mintycane’s items, and asked her to help me pick out a nice piece of jewelry to go with it.
When I got back to the truck and set Mindy’s phone in the center console next to the yarn, her phone suddenly lit up and a message flashed on the screen. “If you’re reading this, then it means that I’ve become separated from you and my phone. This app is automatically activated if one of the locator beacons comes in close proximity. Below is a list of all the active locations within a 25 mile radius, please tap the beacon you have found.” I tapped the box next to the listing “R/G yarn skein”. An instruction panel opened up.
“This skein of yarn has been linked to the essence of a specific target elf. When you get within approximately 100 yards of the target, the Magic No. 9 Coal Dust spun into the fibers will react by visibly glowing without any devices. When this happens, find the end and unwind twelve to eighteen inches. Just as Santa calls out each reindeer by name to activate the levitation properties in the magic dust, calling out the name of the target elf will cause the yarn to levitate about four feet off the ground. Let go of the end, and it will be drawn towards the target. Now simply follow the floating yarn to locate the linked elf.”
Sounded simple enough. But how to get close enough to set off the locator? Wait, I got the gps coordinates of where the mine timbers were delivered. That’s a place to start!
By now the remainder of the elves from the crash site had arrived in the rental car provided courtesy of the insurance policy, so I waved my arm out for them to follow me. My new gps device guided us to a wooded area off Bullfrog Road. However, a stack of timbers were all that indicated that there was a mine entrance anywhere nearby. A brilliant glow suddenly erupted from the enchanted yarn. We were closing in!
