The Christmas Puppy for Purrsday!

 

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            On the occasion of Christmas 2023, we presented a reading of The Christmas Puppy, written by Kathryn Jackson, who wrote many of the Golden Books of days of yore. It was illustrated by Richard Scarry, whose pictures are also well know to all readers of children's books.
            I went hunting for information about the book, The Animal's Merry Christmas, which includes The Christmas Puppy. It's out of print since the 1950s. There is a newer printing with Scarry's name predominate. It was hard to find except on Etsy or Ebay. 
            It is offered again this year in an appeal to simpler days, childhood, and the child's love of Christmas. Included here is the recording I made of me reading it back then. I hope it's loud enough!

            PS, there are any number of stories out in the wild called The Christmas Puppy! I had to search carefully.

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The Night Louis Went To Payson

 

 
            Louis had been thirteen years old for as long as anyone could remember.
            Louis liked to hang around in town, cloaked of course. He was largely unsupervised.
            Mr. and Mrs. Ferard Feather were harmless retirees. They ate dinner at 5PM and turned out the lights before the evening news. They had two cats, who slept with them. Frank and Jesse.
            Louis had heard an oogah horn somewhere. Maybe it was a generational knowing. Or he had been listening outside some house and heard a TV program about the old days. He thought it was an excellent sound bite.
            It was a beautiful Arizona night. The sky was deep with stars. The Saguaro stood silently, rapt. One owl mentioned a thing to another owl. Then it was as silent as silent can be.
            There was frost on the ground, but Louis doesn’t get cold. He had slept the day away and he was awake now.
            He took a little stroll into the residential part of town. It was that time of year when people put colored lights on the outside of their houses and on trees in their yards. Most of the houses had lights on inside and the inhabitants were doing whatever humans do all the time in those closed wooden boxes. It confused Louis. There was nothing of interest in those boxes as far as he was concerned. He knew because he had looked.
            He chose the house with darkened windows. Those were the best.
            He went to the window next to the bedroom. He could hear them sleeping in there.
            So, he sent out into the night a series of antique horn honks to the very best of his ability and as loudly as he could.
            Frank and Jesse left the bed for safer climes.
            Francie elbowed Ferard. “Ferd, wake up! Can you hear that?” she said.
            “Yes, Francie, I hear it. Rather stunning, isn’t it?” said sleepy Ferard.
            “Are you going to do something about it? Or shall I?” the wife inquired.
            Mr. Feather got out of bed, put on his heavy robe and some slippers and clumped off to the back door and went outside to see what all the racket was about. He had forgotten his glasses on the beside table, so he wasn’t seeing a whole lot.
            He went around to the side of the house where the bedroom window was.
            “OK, funny guy. Are you still out here?” he said.
            Louis was very happy. Someone had come outside. He sent a cloud of tiny orbs the size of peas out for the nice old man.
            “Very good,” said Ferard. “I wish I could do that.” And he really did wish he could do that.
            The tiny lights flew out into the desert. Louis giggled.
            “So you are still here. Why don’t you show yourself,” said Ferard.
            “You’ll probably scream. They all do,” said Louis.
            “I doubt it,” said the old man. “Go ahead, I’ve already seen everything else.”
            Louis cautiously uncloaked, waiting for the shocked intake of breath and maybe a throaty shriek. Nothing happened.
            There he stood. Over six feet tall, heavily built. Covered in soft brown hair, brown eyed, with a joker’s smirk on his young kisser. He was a good 8 inches taller than Mr. Feather.
            “Hi,” said Mr. Feather. “You woke my wife up and scared my cats.”
            “I wanted to see if I could get somebody to come out of their box,” said Louis.
            “Well, I did. What’s next? Do you have a name?” said the old guy in slippers and robe.
            “I don’t know what’s next,” said Louis. “Usually people run away. My name is Louis.”
            “Nice to meet you, Louis. You seem like a nice kid. Mostly. Tell you what. I’d like to go back to bed and sleep the rest of the night. That OK with you? My name is Feather, by the way.”
            “Sure. That’s OK with me, Feather,” said Louis.
            “Hey, kiddo. Could you make me one of those little lights to take in and show Francie?” said Ferard.
            “Yeah! Hey, cool, Feather! Yeah, I’ll do that!” said Louis. And he did. He made a pink one about as big as a Clementine orange. He made it shimmer, and told it to last all night before going poof.
            “Thanks, Louis. Francie is really going to like this!” said Mr. Ferard Feather. “Goodnight, Son!”
            “Goodnight, Feather. I won’t do it again!” said Louis. “Sleep tight!”
            Ferard went on around the corner of the house to the back door and let himself in. He carried the pink orb carefully in his left hand.
            Louis went on home.
            Of course, what Louis meant was that he wouldn’t do it to the Feather’s house again.

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Happy Tootsday All!

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 Ten Ways To Tell If Ralph Is Secretly Visiting You

1. You hear strange noises, but no one is around and nothing is happening. Such as Jingle Bells, the song or the jingling.

2. You smell wonderful things, and no one is in the kitchen doing anything interesting. Perhaps something like peppermint, or chocolate, or pumpkin pie spice.

3. You hear people outside your house singing songs? Are they songs you know? Or are they songs in a strange sibilant and unfamiliar tongue, but sound very merry? Better run outside and see!

4. Is your cat or your dog acting strangely for no reason? Is she sitting alone and looking around with happy eyes and purring at an empty space? Did he say, “wuff!” a couple of times and then face the window and look back at you and practically nudge you?

5. You suddenly remember happy days of childhood, things you haven’t thought of in decades, things you had forgotten. Tears of joy come unbidden?

6. All of a sudden you feel as if you could run forever? You have astounding strength? Yes?

7. You begin to count your blessings and you lose count! It’s too much! There are so many, and again you weep tender tears.

8. Suddenly you suspect that you are surrounded by angels! Maybe if you try you can see them!

9. Confidence, hope, and love fill your chest, crowding out ennui and weariness.

10. Do you literally feel a big invisible warm hairy hand pulling one of your legs by the foot? Yeah. It’s him. Ralph has come to share some joy with you.  

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Water Changes Things!

 

            When the people and their familiar beasts came back down out of the mountain, they found a changed world.
            A rather tentative sun shone above them as they trooped back down the same way they had climbed up two days before. The great Raven flew overhead. Her eye was on all below. From time to time the girl-child looked up to see black wings block the sun. She raised her hand toward the bird.
            Ralph led them into the forest. His feet sank deeply into the sodden soil, then the followers had the same experience. The column of travelers with muddy feet descended further, nearer home.
            A mist came up from the ground, smelling of forest loam and resinous plant life.
            An inquisitive wind came up the path, blowing the mist away.
            There were signs of heavy rain on the way down, but not flood as such.
            Ramona held Cherry tightly in her arms. Blue stayed beside Ramona’s feet. Berry and Bob walked on either side of Twigg behind Ramona. They looked solemnly left and right, staying right with the young man.
            Aunt Suzy, she who had been a queen in some time, whether past or future, no one knew, walked behind Twigg and the cats. Her step was measured, even stately. Last of all was Uncle Bob, short in stature, but earnestly taking care on the trail.
            “Oh, Ralphie, look at it,” he said when they walked out into the open meadow.
            Small pools of water still lay on the ground here and there. But the sun was shining as if to encourage the grasses and flowers to stand again, and the grass was indeed reaching up to the sky.
            “It’ll be alright, Bob,” said Ralph. “Let’s go see how your Stump House made it through the flood.”  
            There was enough standing water to clean the walkers' feet as they traveled on.
            At last everyone stood before the Stump House. Its door still held. The fire pit was gone and would have to be rebuilt, but no great harm was done. In fact, the meadow was higher than the Home Clearing. Uncle Bob and Suzy stayed there, and Ralph led his family on.
            “Birdie!” called Ralph, “Will you go see Thaga and Ooog? Tell them that we are back down from the mountain. Ask them if they are also well.”
            “Yes, I will,” Maeve said, and she left them walking home.
            The path left the meadow and went down the familiar way into the forest. Here the ground cover looked ravaged. It was a solemn homecoming.
            Ralph’s favorite log was there of course, being much too heavy for even a flood to carry away. However, the flood had carried away his stash of cigars and beer. The cigar box and both sixpacks of Heineken were gone without a trace left behind.
            “Could be worse,” said Ralph. Ramona nodded, holding on to Cherry tightly.
            More mist rose from the ground. Water dripped from the firs.
            Maeve returned. She silently lit on Ralph’s shoulder as he walked.
            “Well, Birdie, what did they say?” said Ralph.
            “They are well. Their house was not damaged. The garden will need some work,” said Maeve. “They are grateful to hear that your people and yourself are well and back home.”
            “Thank you, Maeve,” said Ralph.
            The Home Clearing looked washed, as if some gigantic hand had scrubbed it with an impossible amount of water and left it to dry in the sunlight.
            “Ralph, will you open the door. I’m a little afraid to look,” said Ramona. She stood beside her circle of river boulders. There was no trace of a fire ever having burnt there. Nothing was left but the stones.
            The seating logs had rolled a little, but were there.
            “Yes, Mona, I will,” he said and undid the latch and pulled the green painted wooden door, the door made by Ooog, open.
            “The door did its job, Mona. There is just a little water behind the it. Not much at all,” said Ralph.           
            “I was afraid,” she said quietly.
            “We need fire. Twigg and I will go find some wood, then we’ll go get some fish, and life will go on,” said Ralph, looking more like himself.
            And so, after the flood in the Great Forest, life did go on as it always does.
            The river was back in its bed as before.
            The fish were handy and obedient, and the wind helped things dry up nicely.

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I Asked Suzy For A Suzday Commentary

 

One of my Navigator's shots of Tahoma sleeping peacefully in 2013,

            Since it would be her day, and your scribbler*, had spent her working hours yesterday proofreading, I thought that I would ask Suz if she had any wise words for us today.
            She was up here on the desk watching humorous cat videos anyhow, so I said, “Hey, Kitty, do you have something you want to get off of your chest today?”
            I had forgotten that cats don’t dig figurative speech.
            She began checking her chest, then gave me a strange look.
            “Never mind, Suzy. What I meant was is there anything important that you would like us to know today?” I said.
            “Well, let’s see,” she said. “Water changes everything.”
            “Hm. OK. Anything else?” It wasn’t figurative, but it was a bit enigmatic.
            “My toes are very small,” she said, as if enthralled.
            “You’re a small cat, Suzy,” I said.
            “Also, rain is water. I’ve seen the pictures, Lady. Things are changed!” she said.
            “Hm,” I said.
            “But, they’ll change back!” she said. “Next will be snow! I can’t wait to see snow. I mean see it. Not touch it! Toots won’t touch snow and neither will I!”
            “I like snow too, Suz. Remember last year? We had some snow.”
            “That’s all I can think of. I’m sleepy,” said Suzy, confidingly.
            “That’s probably enough. Water changes things. Then they change back. And it’s going to snow later. I don’t think truer words were ever spoken Suzy. Have a nice nap, Honey,” I said.
            She jumped down, using my knee as her usual stepping stone, and headed off to one of her sleepy spots.
            There you have it, the word from Suzy Q.

*I find it amusing that the word scribbler descends from the word scribe.

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It Started Raining One Day

 

            And it didn’t want to quit. It rained for four days straight, uphill and downhill. It filled up the rivers. It was too warm, the snow that had fallen earlier in the year melted. 50℉ won’t hold the snow up in the mountains. It comes down into the riverbeds, growing as it goes along.
            All night, every time Ralph woke a little to roll over, he heard the heavy raindrops smacking into the green wooden door of the cave.
            He was thinking that if it kept up, he might have to move everyone up the side of their mountain out of the reach of the river. Their own little river was not beyond flooding just like a common valley river.
            Morning came.
            Ralph stepped outside to look around. Hard rain blew into his face.
            The light was dim; there was a slight mist mixed in with the raindrops. Water cascaded off of fir branches. It looked like the sun would never be back. The clouds seemed to be hanging in the very tops of trees, obscuring the tops slightly.
            Inside the fire circle not one spark burned to greet the morning. There was nothing but dismal soaked bits of burnt wood and standing water.
            Fortunately, Forest Keepers are not strangers to fasting.
            He walked up past the rabbit warrens to check out the river in the silvery early morning light. The usual riverbank covered in big round river boulders was all underwater. The water had reached up to the very tree line.
            It lapped at Ralph’s feet as he stood there looking over the rushing stream. Water is headstrong. It pulled at him. “Come along! Jump in, we’ve places to go!”
            “No, River, no time to play today,” murmured Ralph before he turned around and walked back to home and sodden hearth.
            When he got there, Ramona was standing in the doorway looking at her fire place. She raised her eyebrows when she saw him coming, as if to say, “Now what?”
            “The river is going to run through here by midmorning, Mona,” said Ralph.
            “Should we go uphill?” she whispered.
            “Yes. Get your lighter and your knife. We’ll have to wake Uncle Bob and Suzy, and all go together,” said Ralph.
            A single flash of lightning burned for a second.
            Two tawny heads pushed their way out of the door next. Then Blue, and Cherry appeared. Last of all was Twigg, rubbing his eyes and wondering how the B’s would fare, when he saw the weather outside.
            “I think the door will keep most of the water out of the cave,” said Ralph. “We’re going to get up above this storm. But first, we have to go gather up Uncle Bob and Suzy.”
            “What about Thaga and Ooog?” asked Ramona.
            “Their house is built on a little high spot and built like a boat, Mona. I think they’ll be able to stay home and wait it out,” said Ralph.
            She nodded, while looking around to see if there was anything to put inside the cave. She dumped out her five gallon bucket, and threw her big spoon inside it, and put them inside the cave. Then she pulled the door shut extra firmly and set its little latch, which they generally didn’t use.
            Ralph whistled for Maeve, to see if she wanted to come along. He knew she would find them while they were walking.
            Then the four of them and the animals walked together up past Ralph’s favorite log and into the meadow, and Bob’s Stump House.
            Bob’s fire was out too.
            It was then that Maeve found them. She said that yes, she would come along.
            Ralph thumped the side of the stump, which sounded hollow, until Bob stuck his head out. He looked pretty surprised.
            “What’s happening, Ralphie? Are you alright? Why are you here?” he said while coming all the way out.
            “A flood is coming. We have to get above the storm, Bob. Wake up Suzy and lets just go. Your Stump House will be alright. No flood will knock it over,” said Ralph.
            So then there were six Walkers and three Animal Friends walking together. Ralph led them to the narrow trail which leads up high in between the great granite boulders. Ralph was in front, next Ramona with Cherry on her hip, then Twigg, then Suzy and after her, Bob. Blue stayed right with Ramona and Cherry. The puma bros. brought up the rear, keeping an eye on the whole party. Their green eyes glowed in the dim cloudy light as they looked around, up and down the path and to both sides. Maeve flew overhead, watching from the sky.
            It was a narrow, steep trail. The column of Walkers got closer and closer to the clouds as they ascended.
            “I know a place to stop,” said Ralph. “Not too much further.”
            There was a period of traveling through clouds. It seemed like climbing through fog and still the rain fell, running down the path eager to meet the rivers below.
            Presently, as they used to say, the party emerged into sunlight. Looking behind themselves, they saw only the tops of the clouds.
            The trail opened up upon a broad meadow, covered in grass, with little drifts of snow in the shadows of the rocks.
            “We need fire,” said Ralph. He, and Bob and Twigg gathered firewood, as there is always firewood around in the Great Forest, and soon there was a grand fire.
            “We’ll stay here for two days,” said Ralph. Then we’ll go see if the flood is gone at home.”
            Berry and Bob did some hunting, they were able to capture a lady goat. That was dinner for everyone. There were lots of rabbits up there too.
            On the morning of the third day, the clouds were gone below. It was possible to see far down into the forest.
            “Birdie,” said Ralph, to Maeve on his shoulder, “Will you go take a look at home, and see if the river is back in its bed?”
            “Sure, Boss. Hang on, I’ll be right back,” she said, taking off.
            It wasn’t too long later that she reappeared, circling down out of the sky.
            “Its OK, Boss. Take them home. Everything is wet down there, but the flood is over,” Maeve croaked kindly.
            “Thanks, Birdie,” said Ralph, and that’s just what he did!

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            So, apparently, the answer to the flood problem is to get above the storm! Go up!

In Celebration of F'lineday

 

            “Toots,” said Suzy, “look what I found! It’s about cats!”
            “Then it must be good,” said Toots. “Where did you find it?”
            “Um, on the internet. Turns out you can see the internet on one of these shiny surfaces, if you really want to,” said Suzy, evasively.
            “There aren’t any pictures. It’s just P-lady reading about Your True Cat. It’s part of a book. I thought it would be good for F’lineday on the MEOW,” said Suzy. “Do you want to listen? It's a re-run, but we haven't heard it in a long time.”
            “OK, I hope it’s audible,” said Toots.
            “We can include the text in case it’s not for some people,” said Suzy.
            “Alright, I’ll put it right down here…..” said Suzy.

            "The text of the story begins here," said Suzy.*

    To entertain Emmy, Julia decided to tell her a story. It was the story of the True Cat. It may seem strange to tell such a young child a story that way, but Emmy was an unusual baby and Julia knew it. As you have surmised, Julia knew a great number of things.

    “Long ago, Emmy, in a land far away by the sea, when language was growing and branching and becoming itself in many ways, there were three important words that I want to tell you about.”
    Emmy turned her shining dark little eyes on the old lady. Any child likes to hear a story. Even the two animals seemed to attend. We know Billy did.
    “These words are, troth, truth, and plight, in the sense of pledge. These may not seem related at first. But they are very old words. Usually, they are part of a marriage ceremony, even up to the present times. To say ‘I plight my troth’ means to promise on risk of being a liar or untrustworthy. This promise is made to a true love. That is a love in truth or in troth.
    Well, Emmy, we have inherited these old English peoples’ language. So, we have to deal with it. We Indians came to the same conclusions by different means with different words. Now we borrow these meanings.
    So, true love. But there is also another story. In every cat lover’s life, there is also a True Cat.”
    Billy looked wise and kept his own council, as this was a story he knew well.
    “A girl or a boy never knows how their True Cat will come to them. In fact, they usually don’t know there is such a thing until it happens. Sometimes a child is given a kitten by a parent or some friend, and the child and the cat grow up together. This might be a very true love.
    “Sometimes a kitten or a cat just comes to your door, and you let him in. In that case the cat has chosen you, and that is very special. You must never turn a cat away from your door for he or she may be your True Cat.
    “But then, sometimes when you are an older person, you will be walking somewhere minding your own business, full of all kinds of thoughts, and you will find in your path a cat or a baby kitten even that is in dire need of help. You must help. For this one likely will become your True Cat. If it needs a doctor, you must provide one. If it just needs food and shelter you can do all of that yourself. To help this creature that God put in your path is a very high calling indeed.
    “When you answer that calling you are pledging your honor or your truth, to love and care for the cat. Not in so many words usually, Emmy.
    “Now I will tell you how Billy came to me.
    “I had never been alone. All my life there were others. First a mother and father, then just my father. Then I got a husband. Then we were parents of two children. But children grow up and they must live their own lives. Soon my children became adults and left my home. Then John Chee, who had been my husband for so long weakened and died. Then, Emmy, I was alone most of the time. I gave his old truck to my son, Ben, because I never learned to drive. I probably should have, but I didn’t.
    “One day I asked my son to take me to Winslow for grocery shopping. In an alley beside the store there was a dumpster. I could hear some small cries coming from the dumpster. So, Ben and I opened it. Inside, in a plastic bag, was a small wet tabby kitten. He had been thrown away as if he were garbage. Thrown away alive! Well, you know what happened of course. I brought him out here. Then I set about mothering him.
    “First, I fed him a little. Then I gave him a warm bath and a good rub down with a towel. Then, more feeding. Then he was sleepy. I made him a nest by putting a folded towel in a square basket. Ben and I had picked up litter and canned kitten food, and a box for the litter, after we found the kitten, so that was taken care of also.
    “He never used his nest much. Only when I was up and busy. Most of the time he slept on my shoulder in bed when I slept. I hope this old story isn’t putting you to sleep Emmy!
    “So, I was not alone then. I called him Billy because it seemed like a fine name for an Indian kitty. In time, I noticed as he grew, that he was an unusual cat. He watched out for me. He could hear and see things which I could not perceive. If someone walked near the house, he told me with gestures and by his expression. If my thoughts wandered down sad paths he knew and he came to me and he lifted my heart. He was in fact a Watcher; a sort of angel and he was my True Cat.”
    The old lady stopped speaking then. She sighed and smiled at the tiny girl asleep in her carrier. She patted Billy’s head as he sat beside her. Honda opened his eyes briefly. She smiled at him too and he went back to sleep.
    When the blue pickup drove back up the driveway no one was awake in the house. The slight rattle and engine noise didn’t disturb the sleepers at all.

*It's a chapter in Mirage.

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