[Episode 2]
"What's next
dreams?" asked
WT Sharpe. He was sitting on one end of the couch trying to restring his ukulele. They were going caroling tonight, and he had volunteered to accompany the singers.
"I'm going to string up our Christmas cards over the mantel" replied
dreams. "We've gotten so many from our members that I'm going to have to use some heavy wire to hold them up.
WT Sharpe, can I borrow some of your ukulele wire?"
"Sure - help yourself. Do you need me to cut it for you?"
"No, I have my heavy duty scissors handy. They'll cut through most anything."
dreams replied.
"Hey,
dreams, who sent that big card?" asked
HarryT. He had been sitting quietly all night on the couch, proofreading his own edition of
Dickens' Christmas Books. After the caroling,
Harry would read
A Christmas Carol aloud to the gathered moderators right before bedtime -- a cherished MobileRead tradition.
"It's from
Kovid! It's a
calibre Christmas card. When you open it, it organizes all the other cards you've received. Then it auto-generates a mailing list you can use next year!"
dreams explained. "How practical! And beautiful!"
"Oh look! How sweet. So many signed it and, oh my, no wonder this card was so big, I think everyone from the
E-Book Software forum signed it!"
"What's the matter
Harry? You're frowning?" asked
dreams.
"Drat! I think I found some typos in this copy of
A Christmas Carol. I'll have to fix them before I read to you tonight."
"Don't worry. You'll have time to run up to the
Patricia Clark Memorial Library after
Alex gets here. There's plenty of time before your reading" soothed
dreams.
Harry look! We have a card from everyone in our new
Foro Espaņol! How nice of them. Could you help me put these new cards up, please?
CRASH
All eyes turned to
DaleDe, who had been quietly playing with his
Wiki-Blocks on the hearth rug. His carefully constructed Towers of Knowledge had fallen over, waking everyone up.
"Sorry guys. These old
Wiki-Blocks don't fit together well any more. I've asked Santa to bring me a new set" he apologized. "Then I'll be able to build more complex structures that will hold more knowledge!"
"Well, just be sure to put your
Wiki-Blocks away when you're done. A person could step on one and have a bad fall! We don't want to have any accidents tonight, of all nights!" warned
dreams.
Nate the great turned back to his desk. He was finishing his letter to Santa. He was late this year, but had waited to ask for a brand new gadget.
"Dear Santa ... I've been very good this year, and think that I deserve to receive a
PocketBook front-lit color eInk ereader. I have enclosed some references to help your elves build one. I'm leaving out extra cookies with your milk to repay you for your effort. Thank you.
Nate"
Nate remembered to shout across the room: "Thanks again
dreams for baking those cookies for Santa." (
WT Sharpe's ukulele was rather loud)
dreams smiled and replied "I hope you noticed I put extra special sprinkles on them. I know how much you're counting on Santa to fill your stocking -- and I figured adding a little sugar on top couldn't hurt!"
Nate sealed his letter into an air-mail envelope and put on his coat. "I wish Santa had email" he grumbled. "It would save me a trip to the mail-box. It's cold outside tonight!"
"Just think how cold
pilotbob must be, stringing up all those lights. He's been up on the roof for a long time. I hope he's all right." worried
dreams. "
Nate, while you're outside, check on
pilotbob and see if he needs any help. OK? And look out for
Alex -- he's late again tonight, but promised to join us."
"Will do. Anyone want to stretch their legs before dinner? It's only a couple of blocks to the mail-box. No one? OK, I'll be back in a few minutes."
Nate slammed the door behind him, but not before a frosty draft rushed into the cozy room.
poohbear_nc ran to the fireplace, shivering and complaining bitterly about inconsiderate people.
"Be careful
pooh" warned
dreams. "Don't stand too close or else a spark might land on you!"
pdurrant leaned over and whispered to
WT Sharpe "If
pilotbob were here, he'd be sure to make a wise crack about the chicken cooking himself."
pooh glared at the giggling pair and ran out of the room. It was now so quiet you could hear
pooh slam and lock his door upstairs!
"SHAME ON YOU! It's Christmas -- and all you can do is make fun of others and hurt their feelings!"
dreams was furious.
"But
dreams -- you were laughing too" protested
pdurrant.
"Go upstairs right now and apologize! Both of you! And don't come down unless
poohbear comes with you!"
dreams watched the guilty duo slink out of the room and sighed deeply. "Really! Is it so hard to be kind and peaceful for just one night out of the year? Is it?"
Everyone in the room looked down at the floor and muttered "No ma'am."
"Well --
I'm going to have a Merry Christmas tonight -- even if I have to kill everybody in this room!" declared
dreams dramatically, as she returned to opening another Christmas card. "Now where are my scissors? They were here on the mantel just a minute ago?"
When out on the street, there arose such a clatter,
dreams sprang from the hearth to see what was the matter,
Away to the window she flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
"Now what" she screamed!
[End of Episode 2]