Goblins on holiday

As I walked into the casting room as I was met with the usual melange of fetid odours that pervaded that benighted chamber of despair.  It was a combination of the foul scent of overheated metal, a whiff of overworked casting goblin and the stench of the loss of all hope and ambition.

‘Good to see you Boss!’ shouted the head goblin as he shambled over to me, ‘And all the best wishes for the Season’. 

 ‘Enough of that you buffoon!’ I replied, ‘What of this week’s order number?;

‘We got to number #33662.   ‘Did the team do good? 

I gave the only response possible.  ‘Is that all!  What have you and your feckless team of skivers been doing?’ 

‘Look Boss, we’ve been working 14 hour shifts and 7 day weeks’.  

The usual claptrap.   ‘What did I say the last time you gave me this feeble excuse?’

‘You sad that you had pity for us.’

That’s right, I said that  it’s a pity that there isn’t an extra day in the week and it’s a pity that you lot need sleep!’

‘So, when we say that we’re knocking off for Christmas holidays?’, came the reply,

I was truly puzzled.  ‘Holidays?  What’s all this about?’

‘Look, Boss, the lads and lasses have had a bit of a collection and we’ve got a Christmas present for you’  And with this he extended the scaly extremity that could only be called a ‘hand’ by those of a very charitable disposition, which clutched an object swathed in a grubby wrapping.

‘Er…what exactly is this….thing?’

It’s a personalised mug, Boss.  Just for you.  Look, it’s got a special message written on it.’

‘It looks like one of your used tea mugs from the workshop canteen.  It’s so filthy that even the grime has it’s own layer of extra filth.  And what’s this scrawled on it in blue crayon?’

‘It says, ‘You don’t have to be a Dark Lord to be boss here, but it helps!’

‘Ah…goblins aren’t renowned for their spelling are they?   It actually reads, ‘U don’t hav 2 bee a Dork Lard too work ear, but it helpz.’   Close enough, I thought, but..... time off for Christmas?

I turned around to chastise the miserable layabouts, but nothing was to be seen except abandoned casting ladles, idle casting machines, various goblin detritus and a scrap of notepaper with a scrawled message…

So with no casting goblins, I have announce that Baccus has now closed down for the Christmas and New Year break.   We realise that there are still outstanding orders and we are sorry that we haven’t been able to get these cast and sent out.   We really have been working very, very long days and seven days a week thoroughout December, but time has caught up with us, and we do need a break and to spend time with our family.   We will be straight into working on the backlog as soon as we return in January.

So, from the Dork Lard and all at Baccus can we wish all who read this a very Happy Xmas and all the best for the New Year.