A Clambert Christmas Adventure!

12/11/2020

It was a beautiful, crisp December morning in Tulsa. The sun was shining brightly as it rose above the neighborhood tree line. Birds chirped holiday jingles with surprising accuracy, almost jolly at the incoming Christmas holiday. Even Gruffy was in a good mood that morning!

Clambert had gotten up SUPER early to get practice riding his electric scooter. His dad, Gruffy, had gotten it for him as a birthday present a couple months ago...and Clambert couldn’t stop zipping around all day, every day!

This day, Clambert decided to try the scooter inside the house. Why not! It worked perfectly fine outside on the cracked driveway and bumpy yard. Obviously, it would be a MUCH smoother ride inside the house.

But he knew he had to get up REALLY EARLY to practice, and that he had to be super careful to avoid his parents - and his beloved brother Toeman, who might tattle!

So Clambert was awake before the sun had risen, his eyes watching his brother still fast asleep and his ears perked for any Gruffy-like sounds: the coffee machine on and grumbling, boots shuffling across the concrete kitchen floor and the slam of the garage door as Gruffy left for work.

Slam! And there was Clambert’s opening...better get to scootin’!

The smart little Bubbers that he was, Clambert had already brought his scooter into his room to charge and hide it under his bed. He checked to be sure Toeman was still snoring, slowly and carefully pulled the scooter from under his bed, tip-toed with scooter in hand to his bedroom door, and peeked out to be sure no one else (like his mom, Bopsy) was around.

Let’s do this! Clambert thought to himself. I may not get another chance!

Clambert set the scooter down, turned it on, pointed it down the hallway and WHOOOSH! He was off down the hallway on his way to the kitchen, gleeful laugh ready to emerge from his open, bubbery mouth.

“CLAMBERT BUBBERS!!! Are you scootin’ inside the house?!”

All of a sudden, Biopsy appeared from around the corner, planted herself in front of Clambert and his scooter, and held up her hand like a traffic officer pulling over a speeding car.

“Excuse you, mister! You better hustle that thing outside or you’re in big trouble.”

Clambert saw no choice….so he zipped through Bopsy’s legs, down a couple hallway steps going a bit too fast. He careened into an end table, and pulled a hard left: right into the Christmas tree Bopsy had spent so much time putting up the day before.

Oh no! I’m gonna crash into the treeeeeeeeee! Clambert thought, right before impact. He tried desperately to brake and steer away, but that tree was coming up fast and it was too late. Clambert closed his eyes and prepared for impact.

Clambert felt a mysterious tingle as he collided with the tree. He opened his eyes...and found himself staring at a penguin in a tuxedo. It was snowing white cotton candy all around him. And he was suddenly so cold!

“Excuse me, little elf. Are you lost?” the classy penguin asked as he adjusted his bowtie and checked his pocket watch. “Everyone else is working in the shop, why are you out here scootin’ around?”

“Excuse YOU! I’m not an elf. I’m a little Oklahoma boy. And my name is Clambert Bubbers!”

“Well, Clambert, nice to meet such a tiny, bold human like yourself. And from Oklahoma, I’ve heard great things.”

The penguin paused to wipe his spectacles. “I’m on my way to Santa’s shop for a meeting. Want to join me?”

Clambert’s mouth dropped, his eyes grew wide and he tripped over his words so excited was he to meet Santa. Santa! The man, the myth, the legend. The guy responsible for ALL the Christmas presents in the world every year. The most important CEO of the most important company, ever. Clambert started drooling and talking gibberish...he was SO excited!

“ZOMG! Please, please, please! I’ve ALWAYS wanted to meet Santa.”

“Well great, it’s settled.” said the penguin. “Let’s scoot on over. By the way, my name is Arty. Arty the Arctic Penguin. I run Santa’s workshop.”

-----------------

Clambert nearly jumped out of his pajama pants. A PENGUIN runs Santa’s WORKSHOP? Clambert recovered his shock and made room on the scooter for Arty. Arty pointed forward, and they took off towards the workshop, weaving around trees and animals of all kinds on their way North.

The scenery around him turned whiter and colder as they moved towards what seemed like a beautiful, hazy hue. Arty kept checking his watch; clearly he wanted to make sure he was on time to something. Clambert was so excited to arrive that even though his face was frozen like a popsicle, he didn’t feel cold at all!

Arty suddenly tapped Clambert on his shoulder and pointed straight again. This time, Clambert could see something on the horizon, something big and wide and bright with lights. 

OMG, OMG, OMG! Clambert was freaking out. TOEMAN IS NOT GOING TO BELIEVE ME! I’m gonna get to see Santa, ZOMG!

They were so close now, Clambert could see a tall, iron gate at the end of the road. On either side stood two, VERY tall, robot guards decked out in full holiday gear, red glowing eyes watching the road and everything else around them.

Clambert’s excitement flickered: why did Santa need guards and a gate?

As if reading his mind, Arty chimed in: “Because someone robbed the workshop last night and took all the presents, Clambert. And this meeting we are going to is to try and figure out how to get them back before Christmas. Are you ready?”

Clambert’s mind exploded with fireworks and emotions. WHAT KIND OF MONSTER WOULD STEAL PRESENTS FROM SANTA?

Enraged as only a good, little boy who might not get any presents for Christmas could be, Clambert revved the scooter faster and sped towards the gate. The robot guards turned to greet the odd, scooter couple with hands raised in a “STOP” signal, and a thin but audible warning siren.

“IDENTIFY YOURSELVES.”

Arty hopped off the scooter into a barrel roll, quite athletically for a penguin in formalwear. He rolled right up to the guards with ID in hand, pointing to CLambert while talking rapidly to the robots. Clambert had stopped a few yards away out of earshot, body tense with the seriousness of the situation. He kept his eyes on Arty, little Christmas heart pounding a fast and furious rhythm. What were they TALKING about? WE HAVE TO SAVE CHRISTMAS!!

Arty and the guards stopped talking and turned in his direction. Apparently, that last thought was out loud!

“That is exactly what we are going to do, young Clambert. Come with me.”

Arty motioned past the guards for Clambert to join him, and Clambert quickly caught up to his new penguin partner, keeping eyes on the robots just to be sure. They kept their cold, glimmering eyes forward, focused once again on guard duty. Clambert nodded his head in approval as he ended up side by side with Arty, who was walking at a very brisk pace. This part of the road was bumpy and full of obstacles, so Clambert had to walk his scooter. Arty noticed and stopped for a brief moment.

“Let me help with that, we will move faster.”

Arty touched the scooter and it shrunk in size until it became a tiny, little toy scooter. Arty tucked it into Clambert’s front shirt pocket with a satisfied grunt, turned back up the path and continued walking quickly up towards the bright lights of the workshop. Clambert was forced to catch up, mouth again wide open at the Christmas magic he had just witnessed. He patted his front pocket just to make sure there was something there, and fell in step with Arty as they moved closer to their destination.