SnowyThe Christmas Mouse

Kirk Carter@ Chew Bear Productions@ Copyright 2014

SNOWY THE CHRISTMAS MOUSE

Joe Weaver just turned 65 and had been planning his 25th wedding anniversary to his wife Jill. He had saved long and hard, putting a little something away for a special 25th edition diamond clustered silver ring just for his quarter century sweetheart. She had no clue as to what to expect, they had married on Christmas day...this would be extra special no matter what!

Snowy was a common white mouse, born in a mouse harvesting facility in Yonkers and was in the process of making the short commute by way of a large cardboard box filled with others like him to a Petco in Hoboken. The box was simply labeled "Live Mice", and his purpose in life was to become Snake food to some selfish Snake owners who enjoyed a mouse struggle in a contained environment...the Snake would always get his prey! Snowy had other ideas to why he existed, something spiritual...something planned?

So, just out of no where, Snowy got the idea to suck as much water as he could out of the community water tube which hung down for all the mice to share, and spit it toward a chosen corner. After several repetitions of this, he softened up the corner of the cardboard up so that he could easily chew out an escape hole. Didn't have to be much of a hole just to get the hell out of there!

Snowy was now free...only needed to find a little shelter, maybe a little something to eat. He soon found a nice little walk-up on 43rd and Elmhurst, second floor...just happened to be the Apartment 212, the home of Joe Weaver, his wife, and Katy... a Granddaughter acquired recently from Joe's Son's custody dispute!

Snowy had just found a vacant hole in the hallway between the two opposing bedrooms. Just as Snowy had made back from the kitchen with a cheekful of delectable crumbs, Katy spotted him and tried to make friends as he quickly dispersed behind the wall. But she knew, there was a new creature in the house...something cute, white, and with the most adorable pink nose! 

Joe Weaver had just returned from Zales, having satisfied his lay away contract concerning  the 25th anniversary wedding band, but tagging along, two trailer trash goobers who had followed him home from the jewelry store. They stopped and climbed the trash flue only a floor up and watched Joe carefully stash the ring into a black sock, placing the box in another location in case his wife came snooping around in the back of his top drawer. Snowy couldn't help himself, as he was trying to get acquainted with who was living in his new house, too?

When Joe left the room, Snowy saw the thief's rifle open the window and come in. With the blink of an eye they had managed to get into Joe's drawer, take the ring in the sock, along with coins and cherished keepsakes...and out the window they started. Snowy (for an unexplained reason, perhaps a calling from a higher power), felt a calling within him, and jumped into the thieve's backpack and rode along.

Snowy listened to the thief's, as they discussed their plans.
"Looks like we do the coins first...them be easy", said one.
The other thug just replied, "Probably be better if we do the ring right before Christmas...everybody desperate, easy to fence something like that!"
They both laughed and left the run down motel room to go get something to eat...
Snowy was frustrated with what they did, something had to be done 
He went into action!

Climbing out of the back pack, he went to work on the jeweled filled sock.As he pulled and yanked on the darned sock which contained the ring, he realized just how big and heavy the ring was. It was heavier than him, as he labored, tugging it along the floor, he knew he was going to need some help. Looking out the window, he spotted a little park just across the street, and off he went.

Problem was, being a little white mouse with a cute pink nose in a park in New York City...not good! He immediately drew attention from a resident Blackbird, who immediately landed in front of him, eyeing him closely, threatening to eat him as he snapped at the little mouse.

"Hey little guy, you look like a nice little snack for a big hungry bird like me...amuse me for a sec as to how a cute little mouse like you ended up in a big old park like this?", said the Blackbird.

Snowy did not show fear, but stood up on his back legs for the first time in his life and simply said, "I cannot be your meal, a special diamond ring has been taken...a special Christmas ring for a Loved one, you must help me save it and bring it back!"

The Blackbird studied his perspective morsel for a second, and suddenly he felt emotion, the sincerity of the little Mouse's plea, and thought to himself, "The kids for real, let me see what's going on...I can always just eat him later...he ain't gotta chance with a big boy like me!"

The Blackbird clicked back, "Okay kid, where's this ring your talking about, what's the deal for me?"

Snowy was suddenly relieved that the bird wasn't going to make a snack out of him, as he responded, "It's in the Esquire Motel, Room 127, it's hanging out of a sock in the middle of the floor, it's too big for me to carry...but we must hurry!"

The Blackbird eyed him again, and clicked, "Well, I don't work for free, what's in it for me?"

Snowy just said, What do you want?"

The Blackbird responded, "Some of them nice Walnuts would be delicious, but I can't get them out of the tree!"

Snowy thought for a second, and saw a Squirrel busily going up and down an old Walnut tree. Snowy ran over, "Hey, Mister Squirrel, would you be nice enough to help me get a stolen Anniversary ring back...Mister Blackbird won't help without some nuts?"

"Name's Sammy, Sammy the Squirrel...that's what my Bro's call me...what the hell you talking about needing nuts for a ring?"
Sammy was stunned, never having seen a white mouse with a pink nose before, he thought he was seeing a ghost. Sammy just said, "Ah, are you for real, did you just fall out of Mouse heaven or something...what's your trip?"

Snowy just looked dejected, "Fine, don't help...you see over there, that Blackbird over there...he won't work without some Walnuts...he can't get them himself because he's just a big ass'ed bird that can't get in the trees!"

All of a sudden the Blackbird (listening the whole time), took offence, "Who said I got a big ass?"

Snowy snapped, "Look...I'm trying to get you some nuts here, work with me here, try to play along?

The Blackbird retorted, "Should have eaten you earlier and be done with you...but no, me and this weird guilt trip thing, you better not be making this up kid!"

"And why didn't you...because you have feelings, you have purpose, read into your Heart, cause you have been placed here, you have been called upon to serve a vital role in this time of crisis...as a strong living thing as yourself, you shall respond to a higher power, and you must submit!" said Snowy.

Snowy looked around the park and noticed about 20 Squirrels, 15 other Blackbirds, Sparrows, Lizards, and some pigeons who mistook Snowy for a pastry roll, just staring in complete silence.

Even Snowy was confused, he couldn't figure out where those words came from?
However, he did feel this emotion, almost like he was empowered, but why?

The restless Blackbird flapped over to where Snowy was standing.
"Had enough squeak out of you kid...little punk butt mouse...dinner be served!", said the Blackbird, as he grabbed Snowy by his tail, spinning him around in the air, and releasing him as he smacked into a tree. Snowy laid perfectly still, quite dazed. The Blackbird walked over to where he lay, going in for the kill, when off in the distance you could hear Sammy The Squirrel, "Hey you bully, you Blackbird bully...got your nuts ready...would you like for me to crack them for you, too?"

Blackbird stopped, looked around, seeing all the other wildlife in the park staring him down.
"What" he appealed, "Just trying to get a snack going here!"

An elderly Blackbird only known as "Southern" appeared and said, "I'm your Father...you probably don't remember me, I get around a lot, but look...it's Christmas...help out the mouse, your nuts will be waiting for you when you get back, don't make the old man peck your butt raw in front of your Buds..."

You could hear total silence in the park, as every living thing was focused on the Blackbird.
A fellow Blackbird simply said, "Do like the good book, Honor Thy Father!"

Blackbird paused a second, as Snowy started to come to, pulling the mouse up by his tail, looking straight into his eyes he said, "Okay kid, what you need from me?"

Snowy explained and just like that the two were flying back to the run down motel, with Snowy hanging by the tail of the Blackbirds beak. Snowy giving instructions to where the window opening was, showing the Blackbird the clustered diamond ring laying in the middle of the floor. The Blackbird eyed the ring, "Nice rock kid...come on let's skedaddle!"

And with that the bird took to the air, ring in the beak with Snowy clinging to his back, giving instructions to the bird where 43rd street was, and soon they were back at Joe's place, with just enough crack in the window for the two to safely get in!

Unfortunately, Joe had come much earlier and found the ring missing. He knew this was a tough area and getting ripped off was nothing unusual. However, he went down to the pawn shop. and finding nothing suitable, he considered a simple "I.O.U. I Love You" note which he placed in the original jewelry box and he would take care of things later.

But, by the time Snowy and the Blackbird had arrived, they realized that the gift box had been moved, they didn't know what to do. Suddenly Katy the Granddaughter appeared, catching both of them off guard, "Don't worry you two, I saw where Grandpa put the box!" And with that she took the anniversary ring that Blackbird brought, pulled the gift box from the drawer and placed the ring into the holder, closed the box and put it back. "Thanks...you guys, Grandma will be so excited!"

So, when Christmas morning came, Joe had just assumed that what had happened, had happened, nothing he could do about. His wife Claire had gotten him a tie and a gold chain for his retirement watch.

Joe had managed a gold purse which contained a $100 gift card to Ruth's Steak House, and of course the jewelry box with the I.O.U. in the place holder. The anticipation heightened for Katy, as she was the only one who knew the magic of what had happened.

Claire pulled out the purse, looked at it, then in it, finding the gift card and the jewelry box.
Joe started talking, not looking at her, but instead just looking at the Christmas tree, telling her that he really did have good intent, but something happened and he would make it up to her soon. 

When his eyes came back to her, he was amazed by her glowing smile, the sparkle in her eyes as she looked back at him, "You intended well, very well...thank you so much Dear...it's simply beautiful!" And with that she turned the gift box around, and there was the 25th anniversary ring.

Joe teared up, as did Katy, and of course Snowy and Blackbird who were witnessing this through the window outside in the cold.

So, in the end, the two thugs were found frozen to death in the bottom of an abandoned elevator shaft, the Blackbird received a foot long candy cane of trail mix, and the blessed Snowy got his own warm aquarium, complete with a water pond and running wheel in Katy's room.

Just remember, that good intentions, never go unspoken.
But then, for anything to really exceed in life...face it...timing is priceless!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Kirk Carter

Soho, New York