Once upon a time, there was a mouse. Mouse was called mouse because mouse was a mouse. Mouse just happened to be the cutest, tiniest mouse, ever.
Mouse was gray, with a little bit of white on its chest and with ears that were not quite pointed but rounded on top. Mouse had the cutest nose, with the cutest whiskers and round eyes that were as black as black could be. Some people say that mice are blind but mouse could see, everything.
One evening, mouse was at home. All the children were sound asleep. The children had fallen asleep early on this night. Mouse had heard the children being told to be in bed early on this night because someone called, “Dear Santa Claus”, was expected to arrive. Mouse also overheard that this Santa was travelling with his reindeer from a place called the North Pole which was very, very far away. Santa was to come by sleigh and somehow his reindeer knew how to fly. The reindeer, sleigh and Santa would fly onto the rooftop sometime during this night. Once landed safely and securely on the rooftop, Santa would come down their chimney. He would come with a sack full of presents to put under the Christmas tree because the children had been good children all year long.
Mouse simply was confused and did not know what to believe. Hearing such news was more than mouse could ever imagine. And mouse, being the only mouse in the house, could turn to no one. And so, mouse decided to wait, patiently to see what a Santa looked like, what reindeer looked like and what presents the children would receive. Could all that mouse heard, be real? Should mouse believe?
While the children were snuggled sound asleep, mouse was not sleeping at all. In fact, mouse was wide awake and watching. Mouse appeared skeptical but for mouse, the world of humans simply was confusing, mostly. Mouse did not always know just what to believe. For example, mouse knew that some humans like cats. Other humans did not like cats. Some humans were afraid of cats. Other humans fed and loved cats. Mouse knew, humans did not like mice, mostly. Mouse knew, cats chased mice.
Mouse, was the only mouse that lived with the humans he had chosen to live with and so he was all alone. He heard humans talk of many things but he did not know what to believe. And so, it was that on this night, mouse decided simply to wait and see, if someone known as, Dear Santa Claus, would land upon the rooftop.
The night wore on. The children had written their letter to Santa and had put out cookies and a glass of milk. Mouse was tempted but knew not to sneak into the living room where the Christmas tree was glittered with lights and bright ornaments. Mouse knew that it was in wide open spaces such as the living-room that the children’s wee, kitty-cat might chase and frighten him. Mouse did not like to feel frightened. Although mouse did not know who Dear Santa Claus was that was coming to visit, mouse believed and knew that kitty-cat would chase him far and wide. Mouse being all alone, could turn to no other mouse. And so it was that mouse decided, all alone, to wait and see what would happen on this night that Dear Santa Claus was expected to arrive.
Mouse knew that sometimes in life that is just what you need to do. You simply watch and wait and make up your own mind, what to believe; what is real. Mouse had heard some humans say, “seeing is believing”.
The night wore on and for mouse, it was dark, dark, dark. Mouse could see that in the distance the Christmas tree shone. To mouse, looking from far away, the tree looked bright and sparkly and so beautiful. Mouse wished to be braver and to go closer but mouse could see that the kitty-cat and the dog slept by the tree. And so, it was that mouse curled up and waited, determined not to fall asleep. Mouse snoozed and waited; waited and snoozed some more.
Suddenly mouse heard a sound never heard before. Jingle, jangle, jingle, jangle, jingle, jingle, jingle- jangle. Jingle, jangle, jingle, jangle, jingle, jingle, jingle-jangle. Mouse wondered if this was a dream. Mouse listened more carefully. The sound grew louder. Jingle, jangle, jingle, jangle, jingle, jingle, jingle-jangle. Mouse wondered; are those bells I hear? “Oh, my goodness”, said mouse, as other sounds could be heard. Clippity-clop, cilippity-clop, clippity, clippity clippity-clop. Jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle, jingle, jingle, jingle-jangle. Clippity-clop, clippity-clop, clippity, clippity, clippity-clop. Mouse thought, there is something that is happening and it is right on our very own roof top. And then still from a distance, mouse could see and hear, out and from down the chimney, “Ker-plop.” There was a man in a bright red suit and with a frosty beard. Mouse said out loud, “Oh my goodness. What fun. This must be Dear Santa Claus.” Mouse continued to watch while cat and were still, in amazement.
While mouse watched, no time was wasted. “Ho, Ho, Ho,” could be heard while the man in the red suit laughed in glee. “Ho, Ho, Ho…cookies and milk. I’ll eat one and take some up to my 12 reindeer. They will be so delighted. I can see that very kind children live here and so I best not wait. I will put their presents under the tree just where they should be.”
And so, it was that the man in the red suit and with the frosty beard, known as Dear Santa Claus, put the presents under the tree not even knowing that he was being watched by wee mouse. Before mouse could even blink his eyes, Santa was gone. Clippity-clop; clippity-clop; clippity, clippity, clippity-clop; jingle-jangle, jingle-jangle, jingle, jingle, jingle-jangle; clippity-clop, clippity-clop. “Ho, ho, Ho…Merry Christmas”, heard mouse.
Mouse could be heard saying by all who listened, “Now I know for I have seen with my very own eyes. I believe and know, there is a Dear Santa Claus.
For Real.
Grammy is a local author from the Interlake
