Remembering ...

 Lifting the upset kitty to his lap Andrew asked "and what's with the long face? Is that a tear I see in your eye?"  He soothed Flyser! with his hands, hoping to hear purring, but did not.

"It sounds silly, but I miss Mama.  I lived with Dad most of my life, but as a baby cat I lived with her and the rest of the clan.  Buttsy too.  Every year at Christmas she would tell me a story, and we would get out the little statues of people.  I wish I could hear that again ...."

Flyser! hadn't noticed the others arriving silently, each claiming a spot at the Angel's feet. They didn't even notice the soft blankets and pads that were there just for them.  Here is where you accepted whatever oddity occurred ... there was always a reason.

"Would you like to hear that now?"

"REALLY? NOW? But she's there and I am here and how does THAT work ...?"  Flyser! knew that was probably a dumb question, but he perked up a bit.  

Andrew's hand stroked his furry head and said "You only have to listen ..."

"Dearest Flyser ... yes, it's "that time again", but you know, Little One,
it should be "that time" all the time, all year long...."

 Flyser gasped! But that's Mama's voice ..."

Smiling, Andrew continued ...

"Yes, Sandy Claws will be coming, and he brings goodies to all the goods kiddens. But it's harder
on the kiddens what's don'ts gots a mommy or daddy a loves them. So, maybe
you could think real hard, and ask that Sandy Claws and the Man he reports
to, to watch extra carefully over the homeless kiddens.
 
 "Remember the box I have? (pulls box out of the pile of things that
have come in from the garage), you know, the one with the animals and the
people in it? Well, it's time for that, too.  Here (makes soft spot for
Flyser on bathrobe skirt), you can help me. Your nephews have never seen
this box before. Would you like to help me tell them the Story? (takes lid
off box) ...
 
"Let's see ... A long time ago, when a man called Herod was the king of
Judea, God sent one of his angels (pulls an angel out of the box, and a
figure of a young girl) to a young lady named Mary.  The angel gave Mary a
message, that she was going to have a Baby. Not just any baby, but GOD's
Baby.    Mary didn't quite understand how this could be, because she wasn't
even married, but the angel told her not to worry about it, God would take
care of everything. He always *does* you know ... 

(rubs kitty ears). Mary told her boyfriend Joseph all about this, but she really had

nothing to worry about (pulls a young man figure out of the box) because that same
angel had also visited with *him* and told him that it would all be okay,
and that he should marry her right away. Which he did.
 
"They had to go to Bethlehem to pay their taxes, and by that time it
was pretty cold out (puts white cotton for snow around the wooden barn).
Mary and Joseph arrived in town late at night, and couldn't find any hotel
rooms. But one nice man said they could sleep in the barn with the animals
(takes out cow, donkey, and some sheep, puts them in the barn). And
sometime in the night, God's Son was born (mama unwraps Baby), and because
Mary didn't have anywhere ELSE to put Him, she wrapped him up nice and
warm, and put him in the cow's food dish. The cow didn't seem to mind, and
the other animals huddled close to provide more warmth.
 
"Now, off on the hillside outside of town there were other men called
shepherds, who were taking care of their sheep. It was a lot of work to
watch out for the sheep, because there were 'yoties, and wolves, and other
things that would attack the sheep at night if someone wasn't paying
attention. There was a dog, too, running about, keeping the sheep all
bunched together (unwraps sheep, dog, shepherds, puts them along the side
of the fireplace mantle, where the "hillside" should be).
 
"Remember that angel? (pulls angel from under Flyser's paw) ... well,
he came back again, and this time he visited with the shepherds. He told
them not to be afraid, but to go right away into town, and go to see the
new Baby that was in the barn, sleeping in the cow's food dish. The angel
explained that this Baby was to be the Savior, Christ the Lord.  (Mama
moves some of the shepherds and a few sheep toward the barn.)
 
"Can you remember what happens next? (Flyser noses in the box and paws
at a large, lumpy figure). That's right, sweetheart, (kisses he widdle
nose), there were three very wise men, kings of other countries, who had
heard about all this, and had seen the star in the East that told them this
had come to be. They got on their camels, and headed off to Bethlehem to
see for themselves. They had presents, too. One had Gold, signifying the
wealth and riches due to a king; the second was frankincense, which is
stuff that gets burned and makes smoke ... some people believe that one's
prayers go to heaven, carried along on the smoke; and the third was myrrh,
which was a very costly ointment used when great kings were buried.  All
three of these gifts represented things that would happen someday.
 
     (Mama finishes putting all the figures beside the barn, Flyser paws at
one small bundle still in the box. With a soft chuckle, mama continues ...)
 
"Ah! You remembered! Yes, that is "Sandy Claws". And see, he's kneeling
at the Baby's side, as He sleeps in the cow's food dish!  That's to remind
you of the story of how many, many years later, Santa was trying to get all
the toys ready for the Big Ride. But he'd slipped on some ice, and broke
his leg. He was all upset, when there came a knock at the door. When Mrs. C
opened the door, there was a young boy, who said he'd come to help out if
he could, that his dad had been a carpenter, and that's he'd learned a lot
from his dad.  Santa figured he didn't have much choice, so he let the kid
go out to the workshop and help.
 
"Not too long after that the toys were all finished, in record time, no
less, and it was about time for the Big Ride.  But the doctor had other
ideas, he said ABSOLUTELY NOT, Santa could NOT go.  The boy heard this, and
said he'd kind of figured that the doc would say that, so he'd fashioned a
special seat on the sled, so Santa could put his foot up on a nice soft
pillow. He said to the doctor "See, that way he wouldn't have to hurt his
leg, and I could do all the deliveries while Santa drove the sleigh."  Doc
thought about it, and said it was okay, as long as Santa stayed off his
feet.
 
"Mrs. C fixed up some extra sandwiches and cookies, and the elves
packed in all the toys and presents while Santa checked his list - twice -
to be sure they had everything. And before you knew it, off they went.
 
"With the two of them ... the work was all accomplished in record time.
Santa turned to the boy and said "I don't know who you are, or where you
came from but you sure saved the day. Is there anything I can do for YOU?"
 
"The boy said he'd like to show Santa the place where he was born.
Santa agreed, and the boy took the reins. But it had been a busy night, and
Santa soon was asleep.
 
"But after a bit he realized the sleigh wasn't moving any more, and the
reindeer were munching on some hay that had been put down for them. The boy
was no where in sight, but ahead there was a barn, with a soft glow coming
from it. Santa heard the boy call out "In here, Santa ..."
 
"Without thinking about it he hopped out of the sleigh, forgetting
about his leg. Then it dawned on him that it was all better, and didn't
hurt at all. How curious! He hurried into the barn, and that's when he saw...

... Mary, and Joseph, and the Baby who was sleeping in the cow's food
dish. "Santa, this is where I was born." Santa snatched off his hat, knelt down,
and worshiped the Son of God.
 
"So you see, Little One, though Sandy Claws brings presents to good
kiddens, even he remembered that Christmas is Christ's birthday. That's the
time we remember the bestest Gift ever ... the one God gave to all of us,
even though we didn't deserve it. It should remind us that we should try
harder to think about other people instead of ourselves, and try to be
worthy of all we've been given."

Andrew smiled down at the sleeping cat on his lap, and the tangle of critters 

who had joined them.  They too were sleeping softly, snuggled against one another. 

This had to be the best job he could have, he thought.  

 

Oh so quietly a soft voice whispered "Thank you Andrew ..." 

 

"You are most welcome," he replied. 

© Rose Scott

Thank you ....

 To all of you who have enriched my life, thank you.  My book "The Tenth Life" is currently out of print, but I'm looking for a new publisher.  The stories you read here are those written since the book was published .... just months before my dear Misty Whispurrs made her journey to the Bridge. 

If you want a copy of the original stories, send me an email, and I can send you the file electronically that has them.  If you want it signed, send me your mailing address, and I'll send you a signed note of thanks. 

And please, keep reading!  (bear in mind, these on the blog are full of typos, I haven't taken the time to edit them all! When the need arises, I type as fast as my heart beats ...)

Rose Scott ... with pen in paw!

The littles...

Misty's Mama was unhappy.  Not being able to figure out why, or what it was she was holding, as tears slid down her cheek, Misty fussed and fumed ... that is until she found herself on the angel's lap. "What's THAT?" she asked, as Andrew's right hand held a tiny lizard.

"That, my love, is one of Mama's lizards.  They're not really HER lizards, but she loves them all."

"But it's so TINY".

"True, this one didn't get much of a start in life.  She found him withered and dried  up, along with a few others, when she cleaned up after the hurricanes.  She was most upset with how little he was."

"What do we DO with him?" Always practical, Misty couldn't figure an infant lizard holding his own with her crowd.

Andrew smiled, the one that always calmed even the most restless hearts ... "We'll take him down to the creek, where he will find others of his kind."

By now others had arrived.  They sat at Andrew's feet, always patiently waiting for the treats that would come from his amazing pockets.  He found some crumbs of things for the little one first.  

"OOOH!! A lizard! I'm real good at catching 'em!" Sophie's eyes widened, and she licked her chops.  She knew there would NOT be any lizard appetizers coming any time soon! Actually, none of them HAD to eat, but some of them still enjoyed foods they'd had on earth.  But they were SRICTLY commanded they may not catch and kill each OTHER!!

"There are many, many creatures you've never met, and this is but one of them.  The Florida scrub lizard is a gray or gray-brown lizard sometimes having a slight reddish hue with adults reaching 5 inches in length. A prominent characteristic of scrub lizards is a thick brown stripe that runs down each side of the body from the neck to the base of the tail."

"and ... their tails come off!!"  Sophie grinned impishly.

"EEW and how do you know THAT???"

"You had already gone to the bridge when Mama moved to Florida.  It's okay though, they grow new ones ..."

Andrew's sides were shaking with laughter.  "I think it's time to take this little fellow to more of his kind ... there are several boggy spots not far from here ..."

With that the angel rose. The assembled animals all pleaded to go along, so they all disappeared from sight, leaving only the leaves of the tree waving gently.

"This ought to do just nicely."  Bending down, he placed the tiny lizard on a sun warmed rock.  Before their eyes appeared several others of his kind.

"Hi Andrew! Another one, huh?  Not to worry, we'll take care of him!" And with that, all the lizards darted away faster that the animals could watch them.

"Where did they go?"

"Where do they live?"

"What do they do?"

"Will we see them again?"

And with that, they all found themselves back in their meadow, waking as from a pleasant nap, all chattering at once about the "dream" they'd just had!  Andrew smiled, thinking about how much he loved them all ...

"... we love  you too, Andrew" whispered Misty ...