This is a little story that I hope will make you smile. It is a scene in Santa's village between one of the elves that is in charge of all things technical (like computers and cyber space) and Santa. The most challenging thing about the story was trying to fit it under 1000 words. _______________________________ “Cyber-Elf11, what’s this Render … rendero … oh, come look here, I can’t figure it out.†“Renderosity? I’ve never heard of it. Why do you ask Santa?†Cyber-Elf11 looked at the notes he’d spent all morning printing because Santa still refused to use a computer. Why were old people so afraid of anything new? “These are all requests for gift vouchers for Renda – oh that name you just said - for Christmas.†“It looks that way, Santa.†“Can you find out what this Rendo-strosity place is?†Santa shoved all the printed notes to one side with a sigh. Whatever happened to the pretty pieces of paper people used to send him; those with little bells and trees pasted on and smelling of chocolate? Why didn’t he get those anymore? “It’s a website!†Cyber-Elf11 exclaimed beaming. “What’s a website?†Santa frowned at Cyber-Elf11. Why was he back here? Didn’t he just send him out on an errand? “Renderosity; those wishes; what you asked me about.†Cyber-Elf11 stood there proudly. It hadn’t taken him more than five minutes to discover it either. “A website? What do they sell there? Food, toys, music?†“Sort of virtual objects in 2d and 3d, seems to be a lot of human-like characters with a few elves and fairies. I even saw you there; a virtual you of course.†“Me? Well I never. What do they do with these objects?†“I’m not really sure, Santa.†“Then go look!†Santa stared at the fleeing elf. These cyber-elves hadn’t been in his village for long, not even a full thirty years. They still required a lot of training. “Uh, Santa, about these characters?†Santa smiled as he looked at the Elf. That had been quick. Perhaps this Elf was going to be a fast-learner after all. “Uh, the people sort of play with them,†Cyber-Elf11 continued. “Play?†Santa studied the stammering elf’s face. “How exactly do they play with them to make you blush like that?†“Uh, the characters are not really dressed.†“The virtual characters have no clothes?†Santa shook his head. The elves knew he only had time for wholesome family fun things. “Uh, some of them have clothes on; only it’s a tad skimpy.†“So they want gift vouchers to dress the characters properly?†“No, I don’t think so; they appear to like the skimpy bits. There are some proper clothes but they aren’t as popular.†“Do their parents know what they’re up to?†Santa stared hard at the Elf, exactly where in cyber-space had he gone browsing? “In most cases, Santa, these are the parents.†Cyber-Elf11 cringed. Why was it always the Cyber-elves that got the awkward conversations with Santa? “And what do they do with these skimpily dressed characters?†“Well, uh … it’s a little hard to figure out.†“How is that Cyber-Elf11?†“Most of what they buy just stays on their computers untouched but some of them use it in different projects.†“You’re not making a lot of sense Elf.†“It’s not me, Santa, it’s the website. The people create art with these objects instead of using paint and paper and they tell stories and put them in games and animations. But mostly they just leave the stuff on their computer.†“Okay, I think I’ve heard enough,†Santa shook his head. Why couldn’t he get decent help anymore? “What do the people want gift vouchers for then?†“They want to buy more characters, clothes and props.†“More? You said they’re not even using most of what they already own!†“It looked that way,†Cyber-Elf11 flinched again. It wasn’t his fault, he was just the messenger. “How am I meant to wrap a gift voucher for a website and leave it under the tree? What about my milk and cookies?†Santa stamped his foot remembering. “If more of those jokers leave milk and cookies on their computer screens …then, well … I might just leave them reindeer droppings instead of gifts.†“You can e-mail the gift vouchers, Santa. It’s quick and easy. No reindeer required.†“Can you generate these from your computer, Cyber-Elf11?†“I’m afraid not Santa. It would be fraud.†“But these are just cyber-characters? You don’t mean to say they use real-world money to purchase them?†“They do. Also the website is run by real people and they go to work all day and sit in front of their computers and get paid.†“So how do we grant their wishes?†Santa frowned again; he was frowning a lot lately. Hadn’t he once been a jolly character? “We’d have to buy the gift vouchers with real money.†“Real Money? To buy cyber goodies? BAH HUMBUG! I’m not granting the wishes. What’s next?†“Uh Santa, they do adore the cyber goodies and the website. They love spending money there. The people who make the things really need the money and they do make beautiful art. It’s quite a community.†“You want me to grant those wishes?†Santa fought the urge to frown again. Why did the elves always try to talk him into crazy ideas? “I truly believe the people will appreciate it,†Cyber-Elf11 edged closer to the door. “But Elf, we can only gift things we can make here. How must we afford gift vouchers?†“We could rob a bank?†“CYBER-ELF11!†“Sorry, but I’m sure you’ll make a plan Santa. You’re so clever.†“You say this website is owned by real people?†“Well it’s run by real people…†“Can we persuade them to send all their customers gift vouchers for Christmas?†“We could try. I’m not sure they can afford it.†“Why not? People always make the most money out of the most ridiculous ideas.†“They have overheads like rent, salaries and all those computers. You won’t believe all their expenses and then there’s that dreadful economy.†Santa stroked his beard. Didn’t people realise he had no actual money? “Cyber-Elf11, tell the Magic-elves to get their fairy-dust out. Let’s see if we can give the Renderosity community a holiday to remember.†*** 998 words