The village is buzzing with excitement. All regular chores and work are put on hold because tonight is our big night! The sleigh families especially are glowing with pride in anticipation of our most important job of the year. All except me, that is. It seems I can’t glow at all, and that’s why I’m sitting alone instead of enjoying all the fun. The others are whispering about me, and I know what they are saying. Most kids only get teased when they are different than everyone else. Most kids would be happy to be ordinary like me. But most kids do not have Rudolph as their dad. I guess technically I am Rudolph too – the firstborn in sleigh families are always named after the parent, otherwise what would they do about the song! The responsibilities are passed from one generation to the next with flawless precision, and we have always made Santa proud. I even heard Santa once say that my dad is the finest Rudolph since the very first one! Oh how I wish my dad had not gotten hurt! It was three weeks ago on a practice run when he fell into a hunter’s snare. We rescued him and he will recover, but what about this year? Christmas is tomorrow and my dad still can’t walk, let alone fly! This shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, I am of age, and I aced my flying exam just last spring. I should be able to step up and take my dad’s place. And I could – if only my stupid, boring, ordinary nose would glow. Sometimes I stare in the mirror for hours, just hoping to see a glimmer, but so far it hasn’t happened. My parents keep telling me to be patient, think happy thoughts, and it will happen. It’s hard to think happy thoughts when everyone always points at me, laughing and saying “There is Rudy Junior – the REGULAR nosed Reindeer!†Nobody laughs at my little brother Randolph. His nose started glowing two years ago, and he is always picked first for all the reindeer games. Even my dad tried to convince Santa to choose my brother instead. After the accident I heard them talking. “Rudy is a great young lad,†my dad said “and I know he will make us very proud one day, but he has always been a late bloomer. He should have had years to get his nose glowing, if only I hadn’t had this terrible accident! Maybe you should just take Randy this year. By next year I will be good as new, and we can give poor Rudy all the time he needs to take his rightful spot.†“Sorry old buddy,†Santa replied “but the rules are quite specific. Only the firstborn can pull the sleigh on our most important day.†He smiled kindly and added “Don’t worry though. These things have a way of working themselves out.†So here I sit at the Christmas Eve Feast, knowing everyone is talking about me. They all keep checking the weather App on the newest I-Pad, our gifts from the elves this year. I keep hearing people say how lucky we are that it isn’t really snowing anywhere this year due to something called “global warming.†I don’t know what that means, but I am hoping and praying that they really don’t need my nose to glow. Time zoomed by, and before I even realized the feast was over I was being put into my harness in the lead position of the sleigh. Everyone clapped and cheered as we took off, just as they always do, but I could see the worry in some of their eyes. They were all thinking I was going to bring shame to them this night, and I can’t blame them because I was thinking it too. For a long time things actually went well. I was the best flyer in my grade, and I always got top marks in geography, so I did a great job navigating in all the fair climates. Soon, though, we stopped at a house where someone had left the TV on. I heard the news anchor talking about “yet another Storm of the Century†happening in New England. I didn’t even have time to wonder how on earth there could be more than one “Storm of the Century†before it was snowing so hard we couldn’t even see the antlers above our heads. Things went from bad to worse as the snow just kept falling, and somewhere near Buffalo, New York Santa called a halt. He unhooked me from the harness and took me for a walk. “Do you know why you’re here today Rudy?†Santa asked me. “I am here because my dad is injured and you are stuck with me†I replied miserably. “And I am ruining everything!†“Stuck with you?!†Santa exclaimed. “Whatever made you think I am stuck with you?†“I heard you tell my dad that you couldn’t take Randy because the rules state it has to be a firstborn to pull the sleigh on Christmas.†“Ah†said Santa with a twinkle in his eye “that is what the rules state. However I AM the boss around here, and I make the rules! I could have made an exception to use Randy. You are here because I believe in you. I know you have the makings of the best Rudolph ever inside that nose of yours, and I want you to lead my sleigh.†At Santa’s words I started to feel a little warmth in my heart. I didn’t know what it was at first, but as it grew and filled my whole body, I realized what it was – I was proud of myself! And suddenly my nose started to glow so brightly that Santa said we better take off again before we were spotted! We finished the night in record time, and Santa said it was the best Christmas yet! My inspiration for this story was that I have always loved fairy tales, especially when they are re-told in our modern times, so I thought I would give it a try myself. The word count is 995.