Quest for the Magical Crystal Pad (Part 3)

When we last left Peajaye, he was in the Apple Tree, about to be led through the "process" of purchasing a magical Crystal Pad.

So a fine and jolly round helper elf walked Peajaye over to the table where there were some magical Crystal Pads on display. "Now what you need to do," continued the jolly round elf, "is to type your name into this magical Crystal Pad, and then you are put on a list. And then, when the next helper elf becomes available, he or she will come and help you – just like magic! But you need to stay in this area so that the helper elf will be able to find you!"

So even though Peajaye wondered why this elf couldn't simply hand him the Pad so that he could buy it, the good fairy typed his name onto the list. His was the fourth name on it, even though there was only one other creature waiting for help near the table. Peajaye wondered darkly what had become of the other two creatures who had been waiting.

But soon, a helper elf came by and helped the creature who had been waiting before Peajaye. And then Peajaye waited. And waited some more, even though many Entitled and Confused customers marched into the store and were helped by other helper elves.

Finally, a friendly and rotund girl elf wandered up to the table and, like one of Santa's elves, check the list twice. She looked around, and seeing only Peajaye, asked, "Did you need help with the magical Crystal Pad?"

"Yes," Peajaye replied. And then he rattled off the exact Crystal Pad he wanted, complete with the specifications.

"My, my," laughed the elf girl. "It looks like someone has done his homework! Just let me go in back and get you that Pad, and then we'll set you up, and you then you can be on your way!"

"Yay!" cried Peajaye. And off the elf girl went. And then Peajaye waited. And then waited some more. He then spotted the girl elf, holding a box with a new magical Crystal Pad, walking and talking with another customer.

So Peajaye walked up to the elf girl and reminded her about his magical Crystal Pad that she was carrying around. And good thing he did, for the elf girl shook her head, as if out of an enchantment! She then pointed the other customer to someone else, took Peajaye's gold, and then handed him off to another helper elf. This one would "set up" the magical Crystal Pad for Peajaye.

This latest helper elf was a pleasantly nerdish but befuddled elf, as many of the Entitled and Important customers clamored for his attention. Luckily, "setting up" the magical Crystal Pad was not Brain Surgery, so Peajaye was able to do most of it on his own.

And soon Peajaye was back on the road again, glad to be away from the Apple Tree. Yet in a sense, Peajaye could still feel the branches of that Apple Tree; they were like tentacles that kept him attached through the magical Crystal Pad. And Peajaye wondered, just what kind of magic it was inside that Crystal Pad. 

THE END?