"Finally,
I’ve saved one of the best devices to demonstrate for you. This one will reduce
your workload of answering letters and requests worldwide to a matter of
seconds." The tall man pushed the screen button icon in the shape of a
lightning bolt. Immediately Santa’s list of unanswered letters was displayed
across the screen. Santa looked at the letters and thought to himself. “I know
answering all of these letters takes up a lot of my time, but I enjoy answering
them the old-fashioned way with pen and paper, then mailing them through the
postal system. It seems so personal.” Santa’s thoughts were interrupted as the
aircraft banked sharply to the right and headed back to Santa’s workshop. When
they arrived back inside the living room, the elves were busy wrapping toys and
other gifts to be delivered on Christmas Eve. The whole assembly process of
making the toys, putting them together, and wrapping them with colorful paper
tied with ribbon of different colors was a time-consuming ordeal. “Santa,” said
the stranger, “we have an automated system that we can install in your shop
that would eliminate the elves. It would manufacture the toys, package them,
and wrap them in multicolored paper already labeled with an address to coincide
with the light-beam delivery system.”
Santa
considered the stranger’s proposal while thinking to himself, “What would
happen to all of my elf helpers if they were suddenly put out of work by this
automated process? How would they find work to provide for their families?
Where would they live? These elves have been a part of my working staff for
centuries. I can’t just let them go and send them out into the cold. In the
spirit of Christmas, these elves have been very faithful, often working
overtime to get the job done! They have dedicated themselves and their families
to accomplish our major goal of making millions of children happy throughout
the world on Christmas Day. And for all of their efforts, goodwill, and
standing by me throughout the years, am I to reward the elves by dismissing
them like outdated commodities? I know technology is the future, but people are
a living, breathing resource in our society, and they deserve to be cared for,
respected, and honored in their old age. You don’t just throw away friends and
others who have been good to you all your life. I must talk to my wife and ask
her what she thinks of the situation.”
“Well,
Santa, what do you think of my proposal?” Santa thought for a moment before he
spoke. “Before I make my decision, I will take these schematics and go over
them with my wife, Valada. There are a lot of people and factors to think about
before I can make a conscientious decision. I have to take into consideration
their feelings and the effect on their livelihood. Of course, there are the
feelings of children throughout the world to consider also.
“As
you know, Santa, Christmas will be here in a few more days. It will take time
to change over to your new system and install the programs that need to be
downloaded into the system. I will wait for your decision after you talk it
over with your wife. Please consider my proposal as a solution to the many problems
you would otherwise face in the future as the population of earthlings grows
throughout the world.”
Santa
held the schematics in his hand and the new proposal tucked in his pocket. A
contract was attached to the schematics for Santa to sign if he agreed upon
utilizing the new technology. He glanced over the contract with a sad heart as
he read it out loud to himself. “We, the party of the first part, agree to all
changes of this contract as stated by the proposal to provide the necessary
services of an automated supply system...” Santa’s heart was heavy as a tear
ran down his rosy cheek.
(Story by George F. Kohn, author
of Holiday Favorites series.
To be continued.)
Image courtesy of Eventbrite.com
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