Santa's Flight Readiness

[sasha]

So it's Christmas Eve, and Santa is trudging out into the night to begin his long journey around the world. He is surprised to see a man with a clipboard and a shotgun waiting for him by the sleigh.

"Merry Christmas, young man," Santa calls. "What can I do for you?"

"Merry Christmas, Santa," the man says with a gesture to the clipboard. "I'm from the FAA, and you've been scheduled for a surprise in-flight inspection."

Santa shrugs. "Very well," he says. "Climb aboard."

The man does so and takes a seat, and as Santa climbs in after him, the man slips two shells into the shotgun and snaps it shut. Santa looks warily at the weapon. "Is that really necessary?" he asks.

"'Fraid so," the man replies, gesturing again to the clipboard. "Says here you're to lose two on takeoff."