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It is the perishing out here at the North Pole and I am only in my nightclothes. But it is amazing that I am not feeling the brutal chill of the place. I am feeling very comfortable. And here comes Santa , the King of the North Pole. "HO HO HO…… Welcome my child to the North Pole." (Though I am not a child from worldly standards, yet Santa addresses me so, because, even a person of 100 years will only be a child for him)
I beam seeing him and leap to hug him. For so many years, I have been yearning to meet this white-bearded person. The warmth of the hug has semblance of the care of a father and love of a mother. I don’t want to get out of this embrace.
But just then he shakes me and says: “Ho Ho Ho…. Come child, I will give you a tour around this place on my Reindeer Cart.” And good lord! What speed it has! Even the Ferrari will feel ashamed before it.
In a jiffy, I reach a garden full of X-mas trees that are emitting glow of different hues and are decorated with red stockings, chocolates, and toys. There are tables and chairs placed very neatly around the garden.
“Sit my child” offers Santa, indicating towards a table.
And within a minute, two elves come with decorated plates having chocolate coffee (that is steaming hot) and fruit cake. Smiling they serve these things to me and Santa.
“So, tell my child how are you feeling here?” Asked Santa
“It is just great, fabulous and dreamy! I am really thankful to you Santa that you brought me here.”
“You have been praying for so long to visit this place that is why I thought why not bring you here on this Christmas Eve. So, you want your wishes? Ask what you want?”
“After meeting you and visiting this place I don’t feel like asking for anything. It seems strange but it is true.”
"Ho Ho Ho…. But since you have come to this place you must tell me some of your wishes."
“Umm… if they have got to be told, then Santa please give some sanity to people in India who run Hospitals, so that no sick person has to be engulfed in an inferno again; infants in my country die of mismanagement of the hospitals Santa, please erase mismanagement from the psyche of the administrative staffs of the hospitals , girl child in my country is still considered a burden Santa, please give sanity to my countrymen who abort girl child and to the society that creates the pressure on parents to abort; my country is victim of terrorist attacks that claim several innocent lives every year, please make my country free of such attacks; and nowadays , the world is in the clutch of a slowdown again, save the world from this crisis and save the jobs of millions and create new jobs around the globe as well Santa.” I said all this at one go and stopped panting.
“Your wish is my command!”
“What!” I asked with my mouth in agape.
“Yes what you asked will be given, after all I am Santa who fulfils wishes, have faith in me my child!”
“No no… It is not like that Santa, negativity of everyday has obliterated all hopes in me, that is why when you said that my wishes will be fulfilled, I felt staggered.”
“Keep your hopes alive my child, things are there to change and will change for good."
“You are right Santa, the hopes must be kept alive.” I say while looking around me.
“What are you looking at?” Asks Santa.
“Nothing… it is just that…”
“What? Tell me”
“No, what I was thinking was that you must be getting so many prayers around the world for a visit to this place, but how come only I am here at this time with no other human being in sight. Do you have any lottery system? And it is just that my lottery came out today.”
“Ho Ho Ho….. So, this is bothering you. Look around you once again.”
And, when I turned my eyes around, I let out: My Gosh!
Because, there were many Santas, on many tables listening and talking to children, adults, and elderly people. Suddenly, the tranquility of the place filled with the guffaw and chatter of so many people.
“How do you do this?”
“And you thought that only your C.K.Prahalads & Peter Druckers know everything about management.” Said Santa, with a wink." I give everyone a personalized treatment here. It is only when someone wants to mingle with other humans, I allow this to happen. I have other arrangements too."
“Such as?”
“Such as: Lovers’ park and Chocolate Park. In Lovers’ Park, couples of all age can have the privacy, it might be full of other lovers but they will feel as if they are alone. And in the Chocolate Park, mostly come the diabetics of all ages (but the children, without the ailment, are also my prime visitors).they come and have chocolate Jacuzzi and other different dishes of chocolates.” Explains Santa.
“Wow! I would also like to visit these parks.”
“Why not! But since you don’t have your beloved at this time, you can come with me to the Chocolate Park and I will also give you a tour to the toy factory. I am sure you will enjoy the tour.”
“Woohoo!!!!!”
And he makes me sit onto his cart again and we are off to the chocolaty Chocolate Park.
Hey! What you people are thinking? Shaking me off this dream, don’t dare do that and on the contrary, why not join me on the dreamy ride, now we are going to the Chocolate Park!