MERRY CHRISTMAS...AND HAPPY ONE YEAR BLOG ANNIVERSARY

I dusted this off from last year and another blog. It's a simple little tale written by me and I hope you enjoy it!

A CHRISTMAS TAIL

There was a brisk, icy wind blowing down the street, causing swirls of snow to dance around in random patterns over parked cars here, through silvery bushes there. JD shivered, even though he had his warmest fur coat. Sometimes, the snow would blow right into JD's eyes, causing them to water and he would have to shake his head vigorously to clear his vision. JD had been down this street before. He had been up and down all the streets in this little town recently. JD was looking for a particular house. He remembered it was yellow and had a string of big, brightly colored bulbs strung across the front window. There was a large evergreen tree on the small, snow covered lawn. The mailbox was a miniature version of the yellow house and had a big red bow on it. JD remembered the bow looked a little frazzled, like it had been used many times before. JD thought it was curious how people like to put bows on their mailboxes and doors, string bright lights up, down and around their houses and put out big, plastic people on the lawn. He remembered that people only did this in the winter and wondered why. JD thought the houses would look as festive in the summer with all the bows and lights but he never saw any of these things after the days became warmer and the snow stopped blowing.

JD had been traveling around for a long time now. He used to live with his mother and a sister but then his people decided that was too much. So JD was sent to live in another town with an old man. JD heard the female person tell the old man JD would be good company for him. JD didn't know if he was good company for the old man or not, but he remembered the old man liked to laugh at him. The old man was the one who started calling him JD. JD had another name before but he could not recall it. JD thought he had liked the old name and he knew he liked it better than JD.

"JD," the old man would call to him. The old man never talked to JD much when they were alone. Sometimes though, the old man would get a visitor or he would walk JD down to the park in town. Then, the old man would say "JD" a lot. JD would watch how the other people would ask the old man what "JD" stood for. The old man would tell them and laugh. Sometimes, but not always, the other people would laugh too.

"Just dog," the old man would say before bursting into laughter. "It stands for just dog. He's just a dog, so that's what I named him!"

JD didn't like the old man's tone of voice when he said this. JD tried barking at the old man the first couple of times he did this, but that just made the old man laugh harder. JD wished he had another name like the rest of the dogs in his neighborhood. Apollo lived next door to the old man and Duke lived down the street. JD liked their names and noticed their people never laughed at them.

JD lived with the old man for three summers. One day, the old man fell asleep in his chair and did not wake up. JD knew the old man did not get a lot of visitors and thought it might be awhile before someone showed up. So JD pushed open the back screen door and walked around to the front door. JD sat outside the front door and barked and barked. Finally, one of the old man's neighbors came over and told JD to be quiet. JD kept barking and looking at the old man's front door. The neighbor knocked several times on the old man's door and then he glanced in the front window. JD knew the neighbor had seen the old man in his chair because the neighbor turned and gave JD a startled look before running back to his house. Soon, the cars and trucks with lights on them came rushing up to the curb and some people took the old man away. No one said anything to JD though or offered to let him come live with them. JD knew what happened to dogs who didn't have people so he set off walking through the town. After the town, he walked through the countryside and then through some woods. Sometimes, JD would get really hungry but he always managed to find something to eat. Often, it wouldn't be much but JD kept going.

Right before the snow started falling, JD came to this little town. JD liked the little town, there wasn't much traffic and the people were nice to him. Some of them would feed him and give him drinks of water. JD was wandering down one of the streets one day and saw a little boy playing in his yard. The little boy watched JD come down the street and JD watched the little boy. JD thought it was best to be careful around little boys. Some were nice, but others liked to throw things at him. JD and the little boy looked at each other for awhile. JD liked the looks of this little boy. JD thought he looked lonely like JD was sometimes. JD started toward the boy but then a person inside the house called a name and the little boy ran inside. JD decided he would come back again and see if the little boy wanted to play. JD walked by the house for days but didn't see the little boy outside again.

One night, JD was wandering down this street and when he got to the yellow house, he stopped. The little boy wasn't outside but there were lights on in the house. JD looked up and saw the little boy in a window. JD knew the little boy was watching him. JD barked hello and after a moment, the little boy waved. JD barked again and again the little boy waved. JD thought this was a good start and continued to bark. But a man person from the house next door opened his door and yelled at JD. JD knew he had to keep walking down the street so the man wouldn't get mad. JD turned around and looked and saw the little boy was still watching him.

This morning when JD woke up he knew it was a special day. JD had smelled a day like this before. JD didn't know what the people called it, he called it the peaceful day. The smell and feel of this day reminded JD of when he lived with his mother and sister. After a day of playing, JD would go to sleep with his belly full, curled up next to his mother and sister. JD liked this day and today JD knew he should go back to the yellow house with the little boy.

When JD got to the yellow house, he could see lights on inside but did not see the little boy in the window. JD finally curled up under the big tree in front and patiently watched the house. JD knew this was where he was supposed to be tonight.

JD was starting to get sleepy when a truck pulled in the driveway of the yellow house. JD got slowly to his feet and watched from underneath the tree as a man got out of the truck. The man stood by the truck for a moment looking at the house, then shaking his head, the man came around the back of the truck. JD did not know why but something told him to go toward the man. JD came out from underneath the tree and the man looked at him. JD stopped and watched the man. The man rubbed his hand over his eyes and looked at JD again. JD walked a little closer to the man, watching him carefully.

The man smiled at JD and said, "It's okay, you can come closer." JD walked over to the man and sat down in front of him. The man stared at JD for a minute, looked up at the night sky and back at JD, shaking his head. Bending down, the man spoke to JD softly.

"Well if this doesn't beat all! I don't where you came from dog, but you just might be a miracle. You see, I have a little boy inside this house here. My little boy was sick for a long, long time but he's feeling better now. I love that little boy with all my heart and I would give him anything he asked for. The problem is, here it is Christmas Eve and the only thing my little boy asked for was a dog just like you. My boy was very particular about what his dog should look like and I tell you, I've been all over this town looking for a dog for him. Not one could be found and here I pull into my own driveway and there you are! "

The man reached out and smoothed his hand down JD's head and back. JD wagged his tail for the man and inched closer. The man chuckled softly and spoke to JD again.

"I tell you what - I'm not about to question this. Sometimes, you have to have faith. So, what do you say, dog - would you like to come and live here with my little boy?"

JD wagged his tail again for the man and got to his feet. JD started toward the front door of the yellow house. He turned around to see if the man had followed him. The man rubbed his coat sleeve across his eyes, and looking up at the stars again, said something so softly even JD couldn't hear him. Then the man walked with JD to the front door.

JD gave his body a brisk shake to remove any snow and looking up at the man, nodded his head. The man opened the front door and JD walked inside. JD saw a tree like the one outside in the room but this one had a lot of lights and bright, shiny things hanging on it. There was a woman, who looked at JD and opened her mouth, then closed it. The woman glanced at the man and it was then JD noticed the little boy. He was standing next to the woman, staring at JD. JD smiled at the boy and gave a hello bark. The little boy ran over to JD and threw his arms around him.

"You got him, Dad! You got him!" the little boy cried as he hugged JD.

"Yes, son, I found your dog. Don't ask me how...that's a story that will have to wait. Here's your Christmas present, son and I think the first thing you should do is tell me what you are going to call this dog of yours."

The little boy looked in JD's eyes for a long moment. Then, with a smile on his face, the little boy spoke.

"I think his name is JD. And it's true, he is JD. Jeffrey's Dog!"

And as Jeffrey hugged JD's neck tightly and the man and woman smiled down on them, JD wagged his tail several times.

Jeffrey's dog agreed. He thought JD was the best name a dog could have.

Merry Christmas to everyone and may all your wishes come true!

(all rights reserved by robin coots)