Ark's Ark

So, I head into Norwich to do some Christmas shopping, and who should I meet?

It’s Santa! Not just any Santa, but Playmobil’s Santa! Doesn’t he look cheery as he shills for some other Santa’s grotto? To be honest, I think he looks a bit uncomfortable, but I suppose he has to pay for all those holidays in Tahiti somehow. Luckily I met him again after his shift.

There now, he’s much happier! Not only has he shed that horrible tinsel sandwich board, but he has spotted an advert for a new Scalextric set. Perhaps he’s going to put one of them in my stocking this year! Anyway, we chatted for a little while, to the disconcert of passers-by, then he gave me a cheery wave, and we parted company.

Santa was not the only Playmobil representative at large.

It’s that regular X-Entertainment calendar fixture, Mr Owl! I asked him for some news of our friends, but he just muttered something about not getting any lines this year, and scowled at me. I tried to have a word with his park ranger friend, but unfortunately my French isn’t terribly good, so we didn’t get very far.

Ostensibly, this chap seems to be some sort of pilot. But what is this? He is standing by the lego section, with a briefcase. That is no pilot, but a playmobil spy! I had caught him in the act, and he stood frozen in fear until I got bored and wandered off. I hold him personally responsible for what seems to be a Norwich-wide lego shortage. All I could find were large sets, with little variety. I was looking for some small ones to use as stocking-stuffers for the non-existent nephews and nieces I use to explain to cute shop assistants why I’m buying toys.

I did buy one small thing for myself in the end. I imagine it’ll make an appearance on these pages before too long at all. Little Al has been quite quiet and thoughtful the past few days, which usualy means something fell is afoot!

In other news, as I write I can hear on the radio that Dick Cheney’s ceremonial office is on fire. Opinions vary as to whether it was an accident with an industrial-strength document burning device, or whether his office is prematurely being dragged down to Hades.