Hello, I'm calling from Ireland

Not too many telephone conversations start like that, but one of mine did today.

There are two things I want, two things I really, really would like to get my hands on for a very special reason. And I have tried. But I just can't get any. There is not one of these things to be had in Belfast, in fact in Northern Ireland. There are none available online, which I guess covers the rest of the UK, and I even tried the Republic of Ireland as well. Completely unobtainable.

There was a rumour that one might be available in a store not a mile from my house, but when I got there and joined the queue that was winding round the shop, I quickly realised that that was all it was - a rumour.

Not one to give up easily, I applied my brain to the situation. I am going to Wales during the week, and might be able to find what I wanted there. Unlikely though, that I would have the time to complete a thorough enough search.

Two mugs of tea and a packet of chocolate biscuits in, and it struck me.

My dad is flying home from Kansas City tonight. He will have to travel through Duty Free. Duty Free might sell what I want.

By the power of the internet I was able to search Kansas City Airport for an appropriate store. Alas, my search produced nothing even remotely suitable.

It's as well then, that he changes flight at Chicago! Another internet search and I think I might just have found a possibility, a store that sounds like it might have what I'm looking for, and it happens to be in Terminal 3, which just happens to be the Terminal he is flying out of. But I need to be sure they have them.

And so, I wait until 12 noon (6am Chicago) and then I phone.

I think the person on the other end thought it was a prank call. I sort of understand that, we Irish have a reputation of being a bit mad! However, I explained why I was calling and then I asked the question; did they have what I was looking for? And the answer:

TWO! Only two in the entire shop - and EXACTLY what I wanted, right down to the last detail for each. And YES! they would keep them until 6pm local time this evening when my dad would be passing through en route to Dublin so that I could have them!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Santa is alive and living in InMotion, Gate H1, Terminal 3, Chicago O'Hare Airport, USA. And her name is Sue.