INT. LOCAL HOSPITAL - DAY
OFFICER DIBBLE: OVERWEIGHT, CAUCASIAN, DARK HAIR MOUSTACHE, 44, FIVE FEET TEN INCHES, IN UNIFORM
OFFICER DIBBLE: Mr Kringle, my name is Officer Dibble. I have to ask you a few routine questions. Nothing out of the ordinary.
MR KRINGLE: Yes officer
OFFICER DIBBLE: How did you break your leg?
MR KRINGLE: I fell off the roof
OFFICER DIBBLE: What were you doing on the roof at the time?
MR KRINGLE: I was delivering presents
OFFICER DIBBLE: Mr Kringle, who delivers christmas presents in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, in slippery conditions?
MR KRINGLE: Santa Claus of course
OFFICER DIBBLE: Are you claiming to be Santa Claus
MR KRINGLE: Would you rather I lied?
OFFICER DIBBLE: Now, I’ve heard them all. I’ve heard a lot of bad excuses in my time Mr Kringle, but this just about beats the lot. Just last week a bank robber claimed he was doing it for his unborn child. He didn’t even have a girlfriend. Now, from the top. What were you doing on the roof?
MR KRINGLE: I already told you Laurence?
OFFICER DIBBLE: How did you know my name was Laurence?
MR KRINGLE: You were a child once too you know
OFFICER DIBBLE: What happened to your sleigh full of presents and your reindeer wise guy?
MR KRINGLE: Most likely they got a fright and are probably scattered around the area
OFFICER DIBBLE: Well maybe I’ll put out an APB for several missing animals. And the sleigh with all the presents. Do you want me to put out a report for that too? Does the sleigh have a mind of its own too?
MR KRINGLE: Do your children believe in Santa Claus?
OFFICER DIBBLE: No sir, they don’t
MR KRINGLE: Little George is only seven and he doesn’t believe. It’s such a shame for someone so young.
OFFICER DIBBLE: How did you know his name was George?
MR KRINGLE: It comes with the territory Laurence.
OFFICER DIBBLE: Stop calling me Laurence or as well as attempted robbery, failure to co-operate with a police investigation amongst other things I’ll have you up for stalking as well.
INT. PUBLIC HOUSE IN THE CITY - DAY
Sofia Castle is seated in a public house opposite a man in his thirties.
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: You’re looking well Sofia
SOFIA CASTLE: I’m not here to flirt. What have you got for me?
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: It’s about Tyrell Hughes.
SOFIA CASTLE: The modern day saint who helps people on the streets?
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: The same guy. Word on the street is that there is someone in his charity organisation on the take.
SOFIA CASTLE: Not Tyrell himself.
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: Not according to the source. Are you still interested?
SOFIA CASTLE: Tell me more.
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: The source is an office worker who wants a payment for the story. He says that every time the culprit counts the takings he takes twenty percent off the top. Every time. He also thinks that the same guy has siphoned money off into one of his own accounts.
SOFIA CASTLE: Can I meet this source.
DOMINIC TCHAIKOVSKY: He doesn’t want to lose his job
SOFIA CASTLE: If this is true probably everyone in the organisation will be out of a job.
INT. LOCAL TV NEWSROOM - EVENING
Two news readers discuss a topical event on air.
KELLY FAY: 34, Red hair, Attractive, blue eyes, slim, well dressed, Five Feet seven inches tall
NATHANIEL FROST: Dark Hair, Brown Eyes, Six Feet One Inch tall, 36
KELLY FAY: News is just reaching us, that a man on the south side of the city fell off a roof on Christmas Eve, broke his leg and claims to be Santa Claus. The Hadley family did not want to be questioned and Police are investigating.
NATHANIEL FROST:He was probably trying to steal presents not give them. I understand that all one of the children ended up with was a block of wood.
KELLY FAY: It’s cruel what some people will do to young children.
Christopher turns off the tv
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: Nobody has anything nice to say about Mr Kringle.
DUNCAN HADLEY: What do you expect Christopher? He tells a lot of tall tales.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: Don’t you believe in Santa Claus Dad?
INT. OFFICE OF HARDECKER & CO - MORNING
MR HARDECKER: 40, Dark, thinning hair, Five Feet Ten Inches tall, slim build, blue eyes, clean shaven, wearing a shirt, tie and formal trousers.
Mr Hardecker calls Duncan Hadley into his office.
MR HARDECKER: Hadley, what do we do here?
DUNCAN HADLEY: We make widgets sir
MR HARDECKER: For over a hundred years, Hadley, the Hardeckers have made widgets and done a damn fine job at that. Our business is based on hard work, efficiency and a lot of discipline. Hadley, last night on the news programme I saw that your young son was helping a man who fell off your roof and broke his leg. This man claimed to be Santa Claus.
DUNCAN HADLEY: Unfortunately, that is correct sir.
MR HARDECKER: Hadley, I will repeat the three main characteristics of our business. Hard work, efficiency and discipline. I don’t think you should show any sympathy to this hobo who fell off the roof of your home. Everyone knows that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. He never did anything for me. Are we clear?
DUNCAN HADLEY: But sir, young Christopher treats him like he is Santa Claus and like he believes in him. It would..
MR HARDECKER: Hard work, efficiency, discipline. There is no place in this world for people who dream of fairies and leprechauns and Santa Claus. Are we clear Hadley?
DUNCAN HADLEY: Yes sir.
MR HARDECKER: This impostor needs to be taught a lesson. There are only so many lies you can tell in this world of ours. Eventually you will be caught out. There are plenty of foremen out there who will abide by the principles of this company from the top down. And that includes their children. Dreams and fantasies don’t wash.
DUNCAN HADLEY: Yes sir
MR HARDECKER: Now, go out there Hadley and make this company the finest widgets anyone ever set eyes upon.
INT. HADLEY FAMILY HOME - EVENING
Mr Kringle is seated in the living room of the Hadley residence and Christopher Hadley approaches him.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: Tell me another one of your stories Mr Kringle, only please make it better than the last one.
MR KRINGLE: Well, I’ll try. There once was a girl named Clarisa who all her life worked for her cantankerous and demanding father. He told her she was worthless and lazy and would never amount to anything. Sometimes she would lay in bed dreaming of a happier existence. One day a handsome Prince came to the locality. All the girls in the area congregated around him and wanted him to fall for them. He spotted Clarisa and asked her to meet him in the palace, but first he would have his aide ensure that she was washed and dressed appropriately.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: Did the Prince have a large unbreakable sword and the fastest horse in the land?
MR KRINGLE: No Christopher. The aide’s name was Halstad. He told her that she looked beautiful and would grace any palace. All the other women envied her. She met the Prince in the castle and was beautiful and radiant. They danced and talked. He told her that if she was lucky he might marry her, but Clarisa didn’t want to marry him. She found him shallow and was afraid he would turn out like her father.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: But in all good stories, Mr Kringle the Prince is the hero.
MR KRINGLE: But not in reality Christopher. Not everything turns out as in your dreams. Clarisa spoke to the aide once more, who told her that she was the most beautiful woman he had laid eyes upon both inside and outside. His faith in her made her feel on top of the world. She turned to him and told him that it was Halstad who she wanted to marry and not a shallow prince. Halstad told her that he did not have any wealth to speak of and if the prince found out about them, he might dispense with Halstad. That doesn’t matter Halstad, she said. You can buy me the most important thing of all, happiness. If someone believes in you Christopher, it can make you feel ten foot tall, but if they don’t life can be difficult. Not everyone is blessed to have people around them who believe in them. If you believe in yourself for long enough eventually someone might come along with enough faith in you to make you a giant of a man.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: That’s not your best story Mr Kringle but it’s better than the last one.
INT. LOCAL TV NEWSROOM - EVENING
Kelly Fay presents a segment of a news programme. Seated beside her are a college professor and an eight year old girl.
Professor Hoffenhuff: Grey hair, round glasses, light blue eyes, wearing a tweed suit, slim build, six feet two inches tall, wrinkled complexion.
Rosalie Frampton: Eight years old. Fair hair, light brown eyes, four feet tall, slim, wearing a red and blue flower patterned dress.
KELLY FAY: Returning to that story that just won’t go away. Yes. You’ve guessed it, the man claiming to be Santa Claus. This evening we are joined by Professor Hoffenhuff of Stradley University. Professor Hoffenhuff is a Historian and has written such books as: Santa Claus the Myth and the Fraud. The night before doomsday and No more White Christmas. Welcome to the show, Professor.
PROFESSOR HOFFENHUFF: Thank you for having me Kelly
KELLY FAY: We are also joined by eight year old Rosalie Frampton, who has written her first book, Why I believe in Santa Claus. It runs to eight pages and she has also included her own lovely artwork. If I could turn to you Professor Hoffenhuff. What is your opinion of this “Santa Claus” who fell off a roof?
PROFESSOR HOFFENHUFF: Well Kelly, we can safely say that this impostor is not the real Santa Claus. The real Santa Claus was born in Seattle in 1836 and died in 1907. He was white, with rosy cheeks and wore a red and white suit that every one is familiar with. He most certainly was not black
ROSALIE FRAMPTON: That is a lie. Everyone knows that Santa Claus exists. Some people just don’t want to admit it. Saint Nicholas was born in 270AD in Turkey. He was the very first Santa Claus and the tradition has been handed down from generation to generation. Being from Turkey he most certainly did not have rosy cheeks but some of his successors may have. Santa Claus has been white washed in the same way that Jesus was whitewashed by western society.
PROFESSOR HOFFENHUFF: What would an eight year old know about Santa Claus? Honestly what am I doing arguing with an eight year old?
ROSALIE FRAMPTON: Eight year olds are the best experts on Santa Claus because they aren’t afraid to believe.
KELLY FAY: I’m afraid that we’re going to have to leave it there, but staying with the same story, a number of other men and several women have come forward to say that they are Santa Claus. Take a look at this.
CUT TO:
EXT. LOCAL STREET - DAY
A MAN WITH A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY IN ONE HAND AND WEARING A RED AND WHITE OUTFIT SPEAKS TO THE CAMERA
SANTA CLAUS IMPOSTER ONE: I’m Santa Claus. I’m just on a break at the moment
CUT TO:
INT. CONFERENCE HALL - EVENING
Woman being interviewed by reporter
SANTA CLAUS IMPOSTER TWO: Female, 32, African American, Five Feet eleven inches, broad frame, relatively slim, blue eyes, attractive, shoulder length black hair
SANTA CLAUS IMPOSTER TWO: I’m the real Santa Claus
REPORTER ONE: What do you say to our viewers who think you don’t look like Santa Claus.
SANTA CLAUS IMPOSTER TWO: Is this because I’m black? Has it really come to this?
REPORTER ONE: I mean, because you’re a woman.
SANTA CLAUS IMPOSTER TWO: Because I’m a woman eh? Are you saying that women can’t do things as well as men? Just because I’m born a woman I am at a disadvantage. Is that right? Women can do anything that they want. If I say I’m Santa Claus, you’d better believe it.
INT. HADLEY FAMILY HOME - EVENING
The Hadley family including Mr Kringle are seated around the kitchen table.
MELANIE HADLEY: So, Mr Kringle, what do you think of my roast lamb.
MR KRINGLE: It reminds me of Mrs Kringle’s home cooking and I mean that in a good way.
DUNCAN HADLEY: Mr Kringle, have you ever thought of seeing a Psychologist?
MR KRINGLE: Well Mr Hadley, for a man of my age, my brain functions quite well.
DUNCAN HADLEY: I was just thinking that there might be a cure for the way you are.
MELANIE HADLEY: Duncan. Mr Hadley doesn’t need to see a psychologist.
DUNCAN HADLEY: Well a friend of mine is a psychologist and he thinks he might be able to cure you. If you were cured, then I could tell my boss that you were no longer Santa Clause and that you were really Christian Kringle of Yippity, Alabama.
CHRISTOPHER HADLEY: Dad, can’t you see that Mr Kringle is as sane as any man around.
DUNCAN HADLEY: I’m just thinking of everyone son.
MR KRINGLE: Mr Hadley, if you want me to see a psychologist, then I will see a psychologist. You have kindly welcomed me to your family home and I appreciate that.
INT. CAFE IN THE CITY - MORNING
Mr Hughes and Sofia Castle are seated around a table in a busy cafe
SOFIA CASTLE: Thank you for seeing me Mr Hughes
TYRELL HUGHES: I’ve read some of your previous articles Miss Castle. What is this about?
SOFIA CASTLE: Let me get down to it. We have found evidence of fraud in your organisation.
TYRELL HUGHES: I can assure you Miss Castle that I can vouch for all of my employees. We do good work. Without our help many would die on our streets.
SOFIA CASTLE: Spare me the bleeding heart story. One of your trusted employees is Scott Delaware. You have heard of him. He’s been embezzling funds and stealing funds that hardworking people have put into your charity. He’s still an employee.
TYRELL HUGHES: If what you say is true, I would like to investigate it immediately. I don’t tolerate dishonesty in my charity.
SOFIA CASTLE: The article will go live tomorrow morning. I just wanted to see the look on your face when you found out.
TYRELL HUGHES: This article could destroy us. Can’t you give me more time?
SOFIA CASTLE: I print the truth Mr Hughes. I don’t make it up. People deserve to find out the truth about you and your organisation.
TYRELL HUGHES: We do good work. People will be left on the streets without help and support if you aren’t reasonable about it. Just because of one bad egg, why should anyone else have to suffer.
SOFIA CASTLE: Donors trust you to do good things with their money. They deserve to know if they’ve been ripped off.