1965--2009

1965--2009


I mailed out a few new Christmas cards
I slapped a stamp on all
But when I came to Mary's
I thought perhaps I'd call;
But I decided to deliver her card
Along with a small gift
And so I spent my Saturday
Driving through a few snow drifts.

The winds were wild, the roads were white
As I left my home in town
Headed down the highway
Wearing a smile instead of a frown;
The printed directions lay still beside me
As I warmed the big car
I glanced at my watch
& had no idea it would be so far.

After the shopping malls and the airport
I had the road to myself
But it was snowy slippery
And I wished I were an elf;
The radio softly played all my favourites
And the car hummed along
Loving my sense of adventure
I opened my mouth & sang the songs.

An hour later, at their busy Firehall
Many cars parked outside
I asked a lady where Mary lived
She pointed where people had died;
"Just past the Cemetery
Third house on the left".....
I felt a child's excitement
As I barely could catch my breath.

But the man who answered the doorbell
Wasn't Ross at all
This guy was old, short & fat
I knew Ross was nice & tall;
But he smiled at me in his velvet robe
Straight from the shower, he said
And I wondered to myself
Did he say that his name was Ted?

I rang the next doorbell and waited
As I recalled 1965
Mary & I both new mommies
My daughter barely alive;
Just 17 years old, we were
And time has passed us by
But when they opened that door
Time was just a blink of the eye.

She was baking some ginger cookies
Ross was sitting close by
Five dogs welcomed me with kisses
Surprise, surprise, surprise;
Mary & I went to the Christmas Tea
And laughed and reminisced
She is a special Angel
And we hugged, laughed and kissed.

True friendship never fades or dies
We picked up as before
15 years since I'd seen her
But our babies are now 44;
We wondered where the time went
As we laughed, hugged and sighed
And on the way home on the radio
"O HOLY NIGHT" made me cry.

CHANCE

"CHANCE"


He knew that there was a storm coming so he thought he'd take a brisk run thru the woods near the home where he lived with a nice family. Their little boy didn't like him much but he adored the lad and so when the kid followed him into the woods, he slowed down and waited for him.

They explored the deep woods and he stopped to leave his mark on every tree stump until he was all out of pee. The lad kept up and they played and ran together. Since the boy could not speak, he had to constantly look back to see if he was still following. They had played here before and so they did so today, chasing each other and laughing. But suddenly, the litle boy was gone!

He backtracked with his nose to the cold ground and tried to follow the scent but the water intervened. He tried going the other way and found himself deep in the darkening forest. The sun had gone down and it was very dark with a threatening sky.

He decided to head deeper inside the woods where he could detect the boy's scent and see his small footprints. But first he took a dump and drank from the near-by water.

Finally, he caught up with him and the little boy seemed very glad that he did and this time, he followed the kid's lead. But instead of heading towards home, he led him deeper into the bushes and trees.

Nightime came quickly and it began to rain; still the boy trudged tirelessly into the woods. He seemed confused and yet he exhibited endless energy. They ventured on; an adventure together. The boy was not smiling anymore; maybe they were lost? He followed him and was beginning to tire himself but he wagged his tail, happy to be friends with the lad.

When the moonless night and frigid air had surrounded them, they stopped. They found a rock to lean on and the boy laid his head on the dog's strong back and cried. The dog licked his face and allowed him to lean on him. They slept tightly together and he tried to cover him with his furry, heated body but the boy shook all night long.

Morning came early and they were still exhausted, not having slept much with the distant sound of wild animals scaring the boy. He was just 7 and still afraid of the dark and any unusual sounds. They were both very hungry as they had missed supper last night and now, it was past breakfast time.

He stretched, yawned, scratched and peed while the boy did the same. They looked at one another. What to do? Were they lost?

He tried to follow their scent back to their warm home but it had snowed all night long and there was no way to detect it. So he followed the boys lead again and all day they trudged ahead, hungry and thirsty and very, very cold. When the lad cried, the dog sat patiently and looked lovingly at him as if to say "I'll wait; take your time." Then, he'd attempt to lick his small, sweet face and freezing red hands.

There was not a sound to be heard but in the late afternoon, he thought he heard the sound of gunfire. Or was it an airplane? The boy was becoming very confused, frightened and disoriented. There was no water so they both ate snow. The dog peed some more and saw the boy on his knees, praying. Maybe God would find them?

That night, the snow was heavy and the winds were strong and the night came quickly. They saw deer and the boy ran away from them, frightened. They went further and further into the wet, freezing bush with no paths, the tree limbs always scratching their faces and arms. His tear streaked face and red, runny nose told the story; he was suffering from hunger, soaked to the bone and freezing to death, not to mention frightened as he had never been before. Alone, lost, with-out his family.....only a dog and God.

Finally, the little boy with the big brown eyes could walk no further. He collapsed, hungry, weak and very, very scared. He cried himself to sleep, huddled tightly with the dog for any warmth he might provide. And he slept, his small body curled up like he was inside his mother's womb again. With his thumb in his mouth, he dreamed of home......

The dog was the first to wake up and when the lad awoke, he didn't know where he was or what had happened. The animal waited for him to lead but the snow was so high and the forest so huge, the lad just sat and cried. The snow was coming faster and faster until they were both thoroughly covered and soaked. The boy shivered and dropped to the ground, his weak arms around the dogs neck. They lay down together on the cold, frozen ground and slept.

When the boy's breathing became very shallow and faint and the dog's kisses could not awaken him, he gathered all of his own strength and headed for home. He must get help for his friend! He could no longer run as he, too, was weak and so he walked very quickly and only stopped now and then to eat snow. His paws were red and swollen; still, he hastened towards home.

Home! They would know what to do to find his pal and make him smile again. He was hugged and petted and allowed into the warm rooms where he never was permitted before. How he wished he could talk to tell them how urgent it was that they go rescue their son. But he could barely bark, he was so weak and tired. It had taken him 2 hours to get home! He ate so rapidly that he had to throw it all up right then and there. But this time, they did not get angry with him as they cleaned it up.

That night, they all left him to go be with the lad who had been found alive. He himself slept all night long in the warm house by the fireside but with one ear open for his friend's return. He hoped he hadn't been too late and that the lad would still want to play and be buddies. He didn't care about all the special treatment and snacks he was getting. What was taking them so long to come home? He missed his brown eyed boy, his chum!

When they did come home and all the strange cars pulled up with them, the house was full of people he had not seen in ages. But wait! Where was his friend? The lady who sat beside him hugged his neck and cried. He waited patiently and looked up at her, his sad eyes sensing the tragedy. He dropped to the floor and sank, eyes downcast.

His little friend wasn't coming home today or any other day. He'd not be coming home on the schoolbus anymore either or slip him food underneath the table that he himself didn't like. There would be no more romps through the woods when the lad needed an escape or time to himself.

The dog was the center of attention today as people seemed to connect the dead lad with him and they petted and patted him. So he went outside to his doghouse and knawed on his old bone. And he slept and dreamed he was with him again, watching those big, brown eyes, asking him silently "Help me find my home."

And God heard and answered...........

CHRISTMAS AT EIGHT

CHRISTMAS AT EIGHT


'Twas the day before Christmas
In a cold, busy city
People weren't laughing
Oh, what a pity;
Folks out of work
Runny noses and such
A blizzard was coming
And other bad luck.

No gifts were wrapped
To lay 'neath our tree
All decorated brightly
For Santa and me;
I laid on my bed
And read an old book
Until supper time
When our food was cooked.

No stars lit the sky
For Santa to see
And I worried all night
Where he might be;
I tried to sing carols
But my throat was too sore
Cold drafts found their way
On my bedroom floor.

Morning soon came
And with it relief
But that was replaced
By my own grief;
For my stocking was empty
Just a note tucked inside:
"Santa's sorry to say
He's too sick to ride."

It appeared my family
Might still be asleep
So I looked in their rooms
With nary a peep;
Dad was coughing
Mum had thrown up
In the middle the baby
Curled up like a pup.

I emptied my stocking
To find a new note
"Go back to bed
And I'll be about;
I hope what I have
Doesn't find you
But you should know
Santa has the swine flu."

So I went back to sleep
When I awoke again
The clock said it was
Quarter past ten;
I hurried downstairs
Just as Mum did too
I already knew that
She had the swine flu.

But Santa had come!
And I tore open my things
A new blue bike
A toy plane with wings!
I played all day long
While they just slept
And then I dreamed
I was all grown up.

That memory lingers
Now I'm a man
And tho it was awful
It all had a plan;
Because on that Christmas
When I was just eight
I learned how Santa
Had found his soul mate.