Secret Santa Shopping For Lyn
(With A Little Help From Buck)

Lyn's Hillbilly Santa Buddy

Ella came walking into the Pony Express Station and her and the young riders exchanged greetings.

Ella: Buck would you like to go shopping with me?

Buck was totally taken by surprise because usually Ella asks Cody to go places with her unless by chance Cody isn’t here but Cody was here right now.

Buck: You want me to go shopping with you?

Ella: Yeah! See some of my friends drew names for Secret Santas. I received Lyn’s name, so I’m to buy her a Christmas present or presents. Our limit is $15.00. Since you’re her favorite young rider, I thought we could work together and get her some wonderful Christmas presents. I already have a couple of ideas.

Cody: If you already know what you want to get her then why do you need Buck?

Ella: Because Buck is her favorite and we can work together and make and choose some great Christmas presents for her. I would appreciate Buck’s help.

Buck came down off the porch banister and joined Ella.

Buck: Ella it would be my pleasure to help you out.

Jimmy: Well, at least Buck won’t be bored today.

Ella: Are you bored Jimmy?

Jimmy: Well, we haven’t had many mail runs lately.

Ella: I’m sorry about that. I try my best to stir up activity with my friends but with housework and work on the job it’s hard to keep things up. I do have the RPG starting soon, so hopefully that will make more work for you guys. Well, Jimmy why don’t you come along, too? I can always use the extra help.

Jimmy stood up from the porch rocking chair and agreed to accompany us.

Cody: Oh sure, you’ll go shopping with Buck and Jimmy and leave me behind.

Ella: Cody is that your way of saying that you would like to come, too?

Ella smiled at her favorite young rider and he grinned back

Cody: I thought you’d never ask.

As they were about to leave Ella noticed that Ike was looking kind of bored too, so she motioned for Ike to come along too. Ike grinned and came to join us.

While riding in Ella’s Honda they discussed possible ideas about Christmas presents.

Buck: Where are we going to begin?

Ella: I just thought we would go some places and something might catch our eyes.

So Buck, Jimmy, Cody, Ike and Ella went shopping together. The first place they went was Office Depot because Ella was looking for something for her web site but unfortunately she didn’t find what she wanted. Cody and Jimmy saw some Winnie-The-Pooh organizers and suggested that for Lyn, but Ella told them that they were thinking of the wrong Lyn. They were shopping for Lyn Abels not Lynn Pooh. She told them that Lyn likes Native American things. Unfortunately, Ella couldn’t think of anything Native American to give her unless Buck wanted to be hers.

Jimmy and Cody tried to help Ella convince Buck to go and live with Lyn but all the incentives they thought of just didn’t persuade him. Ike just stood back and smirked at our persistency.

After finding nothing at Office Depot, we went to Michael’s, a craft store, to pick me up a couple of ceramic shops for my Christmas village. Nothing jumped out at Ella for Lyn there either.

Ella told the fellas that she just didn’t know much about Lyn to know what she likes. Ella knew Lyn had said she wanted something native to where her Secret Santa lives. Ella told them she had thought about getting Lyn a braves T-shirt or cap, but Ella didn’t know what size Lyn would take or if she would wear caps. So Ella decided she would have to write a Secret Santa letter to tell her Secret Santa what she likes and include her T-shirt size and tell her that she doesn’t wear caps much. Then maybe Lyn will write a letter and Ella would find out if she likes caps and what size T-shirt she wears.

Ella told them that Lyn wanted something native to Georgia and that she would tell them about one of her ideas for that when they got back to her house. Another idea was that she had a new Georgia quarter at home for Lyn and that she wanted to get a coin holder for it.

So their next stop was Books-A-Million in Macon. The guys separated to look around and Ella quickly found a coin holder for Lyn. Ella also bought herself a booklet coin holder to collect all the new coins in. Then she went in search of the fellas.

She found Cody in the magazines. He was enthralled by a football magazine. He couldn’t understand why the fellas hats looked so weird. While I was trying to explain to Cody, Jimmy walked up and started laughing at the pictures.

Jimmy: Those guys must be sissy’s wearing all that stuff.

Cody: I don’t know Jimmy. They might be smart to wear that if they play a sport where a bunch of guys tackle one person. But I still don’t get the funky hats.

Jimmy frowned at Cody and walked away. Ella gave up trying to explain the helmet to Cody. Cody replaced the magazine and then Ella and Cody with Jimmy following went to find Buck. We found Buck scrutinizing the animal figures. Ella guessed he was studying them for their craftsmanship.

Next we went to the Macon mall and Ella kept a tight leash on all three of them because the mall is big and very crowded. She didn’t want to lose them. Nothing jumped out at Ella that said buy me for Lyn it’s just what she wants.

They went to Ella’s house next and while Cody and Jimmy played Pac Man on the Sega Genesis, Buck and Ella worked on a Georgia fact sheet for Lyn. Basically they found some facts and pictures and debated on what should go on it. Sometimes Ella likes to try and cram too much in when less will look better which Buck had to remind her.

Buck had wanted to know why Ella wanted to put a picture of him on it when he’s not from Georgia. Ella convinced Buck that she was sure Lyn would like it if his picture and hers were on it. Ella thought the pictures would be a special touch and that Lyn would remember whom her Secret Santa’s were if we put our picture on it. Well Buck and Ella didn’t get their project finished but they would get together another day and work some more on it.

A week later Ella and Buck went to the travel center to check out the Georgia souvenirs but Ella couldn’t decide on what to get. She would think on it and then decide. She had wanted to get Lyn a Georgia T-shirt but was afraid of getting the wrong size.

One evening Buck was over and Ella had a box of stuff that she had ordered from an ABC catalog. She was all excited and shoved a new catalog into Buck’s hands.

Ella: This would be great for Lyn. I think she would really like it. And it’s in our money limit. What do you think Buck?

But before Buck could answer Ella continued.

Ella: This little fellow could keep Lyn company when you’re not visiting her.

Ella eagerly awaited Buck’s reply. Buck studied the doll in the catalog and since Ella was thrilled in the prospect of finding such a great present for Lyn there was no way he was going to bust her bubble, so he smiled and said.

Buck: I’m sure Lyn will love it.

So Ella ordered two, one for her and one for Lyn. Although Ella might have to find something else to replace it if it doesn’t come in on time. But Ella kept hoping that it would come in. And every time an ABC box would come she would eagerly search through them in hopes that the dolls would be in there.

Well, it took a few weeks but the doll finally came. Ella eagerly opened hers up and stuck a few batteries in it and watched as it sang and danced. It was so cute. She just hoped Lyn would like hers. Of course she showed Buck and he thought that Lyn would like the little fella.

Sunday, Nov. 21^th Ella went with Buck back to the travel center and bought one of those Hillbilly Banks to go along with the other things she had bought and made for her friend. They also worked on the Georgia sheet again, deciding on song lyrics instead of facts.

There was a connection to each of the presents, she told Buck as they wrapped them that night, Monday, Nov. 22^th. First, Lyn said she wanted something to do with where I live, so that’s the Georgia picture with the song lyrics. Next, the Georgia quarter connects to the Georgia picture because they both have to do with Georgia. Next is the Hillbilly Bank, in which you could put the quarter in. The Hillbilly Santa is connected to the bank because of the Hillbilly part. And then to complete the circle, the Hillbilly Santa is a cowboy, which Buck is, and he’s in the Georgia picture. Buck was astounded by Ella’s logic, but after a few minutes, he did understand it a little.

Ella told Buck to make sure that Lyn received her presents in time for the Secret Santa Christmas Party, and Buck promised that he would. Ella was very excited about the Secret Santa project, and she just couldn’t wait to their Christmas party to see if her friend would like the presents that Buck and she had picked for her.

THE END!

A Young Rider-ish Look At The State Of Georgia