Flying Buffalo 🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻🎁🎁🎅🏻🎅🏻

The field of wheat existed among the rolling hills of North Dakota I remember as a child. The time period seemed abstract as I held the glass globe of a tall windmill next to a scarecrow. Inside the globe wasn’t miniature snowflakes but tiny strands of golden wheat. It was amber in color making it look sepia & old. Buying the object at an antique store I took it home to show my family. Setting it down on the table it seemed to tell a story.. Can someone help me! The tiny scarecrow cried out. A flock of crows too smart to be fooled by straw stuffed flay crake pecked away the straw leaving the scarecrow a lump of ragged clothes. There were other scarecrows in the field calling out to him their voices filtering through the wind. Tiny Tim! Tiny Tim, are you alright? It sounded like a mothers cry, then another plead from possibly the father. Tim, if you can hear us, let us know! I’m ok.. Just those pesky birds took away all my straw! It was obvious the farmers responsible for placing the straw dolls didn’t maintain them. The wind began to pick up as more straw blew in small whirlwinds. Suddenly there was a screeching thud where a sleigh fell out of the sky smashing the wheat that had been carefully plowed for winter harvest. The small scarecrow stood plastered to his board. His corncob eyes grew big at the sight. A old man scrambled out of the sleigh that looked as if it had been scorched from a solar flare.. He grabbed a large bag grumbling at the shock of loosing his vehicle. The boy scarecrow spoke up daring to speak to a stranger. Who are you? The elderly gentleman upon hearing the voice searched around to see who was there. I said, who are you Sir? I’m going mad or seeing things as I just saw a scarecrow talk! No you aren’t! I’m real just made of straw is all.. The man walked over to the icon of straw & examined him closely. More straw fell out his shirt as it made him cry in despair. Oh no, little fellow, please don’t cry as I can see your in need of repair.. Setting down his large bag he began to stuff the straw back yet his clothes needed a good sewing job. His old eyes fixed upon the bundle of ripped clothes while the wind blew open his dark trench coat revealing a bright red velvet suit with a fluffy white trim. The child scarecrow knew who he was right away. Why your Santa Clause! The kind man squinted his thick browed eyes at his words, laughing ever so jolly. Ho Ho Ho! So I am! His full white beard seemed to make his character glow. That bag you have must be a sack of toys! Im afraid so as the rural children was my last delivery. But now my sleigh has crashed with all eight of my reindeer running off! Oh boy, you have to find a way to deliver them, I can’t help you with being stuck to this board.. Santa looked around as the swirling wheat was being replaced with falling snow. We have to find shelter, or we will both cease to exist.. Old farmer Brown who made me & my family moved out years ago, his old shed is all that still stands. Mr Clause began to pry off the tattered talking scarecrow, scooping him up like a rag doll in his big hands. Placing him in his bag he asked if he had a name. Tim, I’m tiny Tim & my family is right over there. Tim pointed with his stick figure hand. Santa headed in his guided direction as snowflakes began to pile & cover the wheat. There buried in a few inches of flakes stood a man, woman & two younger girls & another small boy. Tim! We’ve been so worried! The mother scarecrow was talking with a apple doll face & wearing a burlap dress seven from a potato sack. Son! The wind carried you too far away! Who is your friend who gathered your straw? I’m just a time traveler who has lost my way.. Mr Clause grimaced at the cold wind that the scarecrow family was immune to. I wanted to show you he’s alright, yet his attire needs mending. Go now to the old shack where you can find warmth for the night is descending.. Not even an owl loomed in the field of barren trees. The father scarecrow pointed the way towards the shack as Santa told he would bring Tiny Tim back once he was back together. The walk to the shed took longer as it began to storm as the big man in the red suit lumbered slowly. Finding the shed unlocked he ambled in. A old lantern hung next to the door that he filled from gathering fireflies with his Santa hat. There was barely enough light to see as he bolted the door resting his tired limbs in more straw. Tim was talking from the bag telling about how the shed use to house buffalo while the farmhouse had burned down. An image of watching Mr Brown plow his field using buffalo was perplexing as oxen seemed more reasonable. The cold air blew as Santa fumbled in the dark finding an old rod iron stove that still contained coal. If I could just lite this pile of tender.. You might find some flint & steel on the window ledge. Tim was perched on top of a blue shiny package wrapped with a plaid ribbon. Santa fumbled at the ledge finding the flint & steel. How did you know it was there? I saw it when I was lying on the table while Mr Brown constructed me. How did your sleigh crash? Santa began striking the rock & steel piece to make a spark for the stove. As soon as there was a spark he set it against the coal where he placed a kindling of straw the helped ignite the fire. Satisfied at the flame his eyes fixated, he told his story. Something bright like a flare burst from the clouds breaking the axel as my deer separated from the reins. Dasher! Dancer! Prancer! Vixen! Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen! and my most beloved Rudolph.. All gone.. Santa’s eyes began to tear as he cried at his loss. It must have been a real Comet as they fall all the time around here.. How am I ever going to deliver these toys! I can help you if you put me back together! How can you help being a mere straw doll? The snow was flurrying across the window while the night sky shone illuminated green from so many comet particles. With your magic gone, we just need to make new magic with what Mother Nature has given us. There’s a mound of a asteroid nearby that folks tell tales about. It’s old so it cooled & stories circulate that witches use the fallout to power their brooms! You don’t say! Your telling me I can mix science with Halloween to make Christmas? Santa red eyes from crying dried as he sat in a chair by the table. We could shovel some of it into bottles then tie them to a belt to make you float! I might have a science kit for little Peter.. Santa reluctantly opened up a gift looking for a science kit. He found the science kit with a few glass vials along with embroidery patchwork for little Martha. Hey we can use that to mend my clothes! Santa threaded a needle & began patching up tiny Tim. There as good as new! Timmy tried to stand but fell down. Without my stick I can’t stand.. Tim looked sad as Santa felt his burden. If you say what’s true about the uranium, we can make a belt for you as well. That sounds like a plan. The two fell asleep as the firelight gave warmth until the sun had risen. The following morning Mr Clause was very hungry yet was grateful his canteen of “ Smoking Bishop “ was full to the brim. The storm had receded while Mr Clause set out to locate the site of a fallen asteroid. Finding it after following a plume of smoke that seemed to guide his way he wondered why so much space debris was falling. There was a strange feeling he felt being so close to the smoking metal. He tapped it with a shovel from the shed. It had hardened yet some areas were soft. He shoveled some in a bucket until it was full. The magnificence it made with magnetic gravity made him float while carrying it back. setting it down on the table he broke it into small pieces with a horseshoe found in the hay. Eerily the asteroid powder glowed a purple green silver hematite color. Finding a leather piece used for the buffalo’s reins, he tied the vials onto the belt. Trying it on, he floated high in the air twirling around while astonished by the craftsmanship of science. By jolly it works! Will you make one for me too? I could use one to fly away from those crows I can’t seem to scare away! I will construct a very small one that should take only one vial.. Tying on the belt, Tim floated without having to stand on his straw legs. This is great! I’m going back to my folks where I need not a board to hold me in place. I couldn’t be more honored to have your genius ideas manifest! I can deliver the toys, minus a few glass beakers & threads in time for Christmas.. The two clowned around for awhile flying around outside until a animal appeared from a gust of snow. Mooo it said although it was a buffalo.. Her hide was a soft brown as she snorted a fog of air. Why the animal came back! If only I had my sleigh I could use him to pull.. Try riding him without the sleigh.. I guess it would be more significant then just a levitating Clause. Tying the belt to the beast Santa climbed on. The image of a buffalo flying Santa thrilled little Tim tickling him to the core! With his sack full of presents he rose up into the sky as he waved Tiny Tim goodbye.. Riding high above the chimneys he dropped each gift until he rode the long ride back home to the North Pole. I shall miss that puppet like Moggy! The image of the glass globe faded as the Cratchit family had gathered around it. The family of Scarecrows had been fashioned from a real Cratchit family living nearby. If only the asteroid belt was real! Yes son, then you could float.. It does give us some hope. Mrs Cratchit said. Suddenly there was a thump inside the fireplace. Mr Cratchit walked over to the fireplace reaching for a wrapped gift with Tim’s name on it. I guess it’s for you. Mr Cratchit handed little Tim the strange gift. Untying the bow he found to his fascination a small belt with a attached miniature asteroid inside a vial. Trying it on, he floated up just as the scarecrow Tim had done. I think you got your Christmas wish.. Mr Cratchit sat down lighting his pipe while the family glowed in gratitude at a warm Christmas holiday. I won’t be needing that anymore. Tim motioned at his small crutch standing in the corner. Outside was a scene ever so supernatural as a merry clad figure riding a buffalo was ascending the night sky silhouetted by the full moon. Farewell to all, & to all a good night!