"A DOG'S CHRISTMAS"

 

About Christmas, every stray dog in the kennel knew

almost nothing.

Abandoned, found, lost, born mutts each and every one.

They were caged in cold metal cages, rushing, jumping,

barking and huffing.

Just waiting for the early sun and their daily run.

They did not realize that the upcoming feast was

not theirs,

All they could hope for was joyful dreams of

brown-furred hares.

 

On the eve of that hallowed day, there was one who

would not let it stand.

He was not a pampered, soft, steak-fed ball of comfort

and fluff.

Oh no, he had been in the desert wars, the police K-9 units

and always in demand.

But now, as Christmas Eve sleep settled down over him,

Gossamer dreamed about some wonderfully familiar stuff.

Deep in a wintery forest, Gossamer chased that most

elusive of creatures…

The fluffy, brown, ball of fur…the rabbit with the cottontail

and soft features.

Twisting and turning in the deep, frozen white fluff, Gossamer

gets closer and closer

To the furry mammal of the family Leporidae until he

corners him against a rocky wall.

 

"I caught you, silly bunny," said Gossamer, who was greatly

interested in the rabbit, "Why should I not keep you

forever…just for fun?"

 

"Because on Christmas Eve, we rabbits," said the Bunny

who was so shy,

"Keep watch to see Santa go galloping by."

 

"And do you ever see him?" asked the dog, eagerly.

 

"Oh, yes; every Christmas. I am not afraid of him. And it is

such fun to see him come dashing along, cracking his

whip and calling out happily to his reindeer, who are

able to run even swifter than we rabbits. And Santa Claus,

when he sees me, always gives me a nod and a smile, and

then I watch him until he gallops away out of sight.

Sometimes, if I’ve been good, he will give me a present."

“So maybe,” said the bunny with a sly little smile. “We

could wait into the night until the magic hour arrives

and maybe, just maybe, Santa Claus will give us a

present…or two.”

 

So Gossamer thought, thought and he thought some more.

And then, looking up into the sky at the twinkles and sparkles,

he shuffled a little bit closer to the soft, possible friend

that he used to abhor.

And in return, the bunny put his paw atop the dog’s, and they

talked of what they wanted for Christmas.

A steak, a carrot, a hamburger and a salad. A toy that squeaks,

a soft burrow or a warren.

A home, they both said as one.

 

So they sat with their paws in the ice-cold snow and if

you looked very close, you might see them lean against

each other…but just for heat, mind you.

 

And in the morning, when Gossamer awoke from his dream…

standing there in front of him was a family with two girls,

one holding a soft, brown bunny in her arms. “I want

THAT puppy,” said the other. “You promised I could pick

the puppy!”

 

And Gossamer thought of something he had heard before.

“What if Christmas didn’t come from a store.

What if Christmas, maybe, meant a little bit more.”

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!