Friday, December 07, 2007

Fred the Cat with The Stories



Well, it’s that time again, fellow felines and you animals who walk upright. It’s time to start posting Pop’s Christmas stories again. I will post one each weekend from now until Christmas, just like I did last year. So grab your cosmic catnip and snuggle up with

Christmas and the Snoopy balancing act

A couple of years ago we were invited to a Christmas party, but this one had a little twist. Instead of bringing a dish or your own adult beverage or anything like that, each party attendee was asked to bring new, unwrapped toys that would later be delivered to a local charity and they in turn would give them to children who would not be getting much for Christmas.

Oh what fun Mr. Pop and I had buying toys. You see we have no children of our own and all of our nieces and nephews are too old for children’s toys. We bought dolls and dolls and kits for boys and lots of stuff. We filled that cart right up to the top. Even when we got home and took all those treasures from their bags we just stood and smiled thinking of what the kids would feel when they received some of this fun.

The night of the party arrived. Feeling a wee bit like old Santa himself, we loaded our car with gifts and headed out. When we got to the home of the hostess we walked in and added our toys to the giant pile that had already formed. It truly was a mountain of happiness and promises. There were tricycles and stuffed animals and just about any kind of toy you can think of. Everyone was smiling with Christmas cheer and just general all around happiness.

After the party we drove home feeling that we had not only had fun at the party but we had contributed to some unknown children’s Christmas. As we rounded the corner just before our drive way we saw something. Our big plastic Snoopy Santa light-up figure was not by our front door as it was supposed to be. It was laying down in the middle of our yard. Mr. Pop pulled into the garage and I flew out of the car to see what had happened to our sweet Snoopy. Sadly I discovered that someone had batted Snoopy around and cracked him all up. He was split in the middle and on his face. I brought him inside and tried my best to sort of pop out the dents and force the cracked parts back into position. Poor Snoopy would never be the same. After I did all I could for him I decided to try plugging him in again to see if he would light up. He did.

I was so hurt and angry. Here we had been out giving presents and toys to kids in need and while we’re doing our good deed, someone had mugged Snoopy.

Being as angry as can be that some jerk enjoyed beating up a plastic Christmas decoration I wrote a letter to our local paper bitching about what had happened. The letter was published and damn it, I felt better for whatever reason.

A couple of days after my letter was published I received a small parcel in the mail. There was no return address on it so I had no idea who or where it was from. I gingerly opened the package and discovered a note along with something wrapped and taped up in bubble wrap. The note began with, “I hope this gets to the lady who wrote the letter that appeared in the paper”. The note went on to say that this person’s mother had recently passed away and as is often the case this person had had to clear out her mother’s house. When going through her mother’s possessions she had come across her mother’s Christmas decorations. In these decorations was a little porcelain Snoopy Christmas ornament. The writer said she was sure that her mother would want me to have it. She remembered the day she and her mother had purchased it.

I carefully unwrapped the little ornament and yes, I sure did cry. There was this little Snoopy wearing a Santa hat and driving a little blue car with a Christmas wreath painted on the front of the car. I knew at that moment I had to thank the person who sent the little gift. Since I had nothing but a first name and no address there was only one thing to do. I had to write another letter to the editor.

My local paper has a rule about letters to the editor. They will only publish one letter per person every thirty days. It had not been near thirty days since my last letter was published. I began my letter by acknowledging that I knew I was asking to break the rules but this was certainly cause for an exception. Then I proceeded with my letter of gratitude. The editor must have been in the spirit of the holidays because my thank-you letter was published the day before Christmas.

The big plastic Snoopy will never be outside again, but he is plugged in, lighted and smiling and greeting anyone who enters through my front door. He hasn’t been put aside since the night he was mugged. During the rest of the year he sits proudly in our garage. The little Snoopy ornament is never packed away with the other decorations. I keep him out all year to remind myself that somehow, things always seem to balance out. For every jerk in our world who would beat up a plastic Snoopy, there is one sweet person who will share a little porcelain Snoopy. That’s a nice thing to be reminded of all year long.

28 Comments:

Blogger Fran said...

OK, that may be one of the best blog posts ever.

As much as I love the spirited discourse, coming here and reading this was all I needed today.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

December 07, 2007 3:17 AM  
Blogger fallenmonk said...

I like that story. If I ever find that guy that beat up Snoopy he is in for trouble.

December 07, 2007 3:17 AM  
Blogger FreakyNick said...

Great story, Fred!

What kind of vile person would harm Snoopy.

I can see why someone would use violence towards a Santa Claus blowup or those ugly giant snow globes in front yards. But Snoopy, never!

Snoopy is one of my favorite characters. He is the struggling writer in all of us, the daydreaming adventurer, the one just enjoying life and not understanding why people do the things they do.

How can someone harm such an icon of goodness?

Maybe it was the Red Baron.

December 07, 2007 4:46 AM  
Blogger FreakyNick said...

Snoopy's Christmas

December 07, 2007 4:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is the third year I've read that story, and it still brings tears to my eyes. Thanks for republishing it, PoP!

December 07, 2007 5:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

tears strolling done my face.....

December 07, 2007 6:13 AM  
Blogger Blue said...

Dear Fred and PoP, Stella and I are truly appalled by this treacherous story of Snoopy-bashing...but it also helps to restore our faith in humanity just a little bit. It's so easy to get blinded by all the a*holes out there, who are a lot easier to spot than the good people who quietly go about their business of being good people. This has to be our favorite Christmas story ever!

December 07, 2007 6:16 AM  
Blogger Forty Paws said...

Wow! I'm glad you were able to patch up Snoopy enough that you can enjoy him indoors. And that is so sweet that you were gifted with the porcelain Snoopy. Karma.

December 07, 2007 6:17 AM  
Blogger Sherry Pasquarello said...

that is just a great story to make the season better.

December 07, 2007 6:59 AM  
Blogger Mary Ellen said...

I wasn't around to see your Christmas stories last year, but this one really brought tears to my eyes. What a generous heart that person had who sent you the ornament...to give you something that was a snapshot of time spent with his/her mother.

Every time I begin to think there is no humanity left in this world, I hear stories such as these. I only wish that this spirit would carry throughout the year.

December 07, 2007 7:12 AM  
Blogger robin andrea said...

All of it in the same world- someone who would bash Snoopy and someone who would send a stranger a gift. The mysteries of the human heart.

December 07, 2007 7:36 AM  
Blogger Anne said...

Who could smash Snoopy? :::shudder:::
That sucks, but I love how it all worked out. It (almost) gives one hope. Have a beautiful weekend, Fred and famiglia.

December 07, 2007 8:17 AM  
Blogger Kathy Rogers said...

We can all stop reading the internets now. This is the best Christmas story ever.

December 07, 2007 8:49 AM  
Blogger dguzman said...

Fred, that PoP of yours is a keeper. Thanks for the story!

And that person who mugged Snoopy, my personal hero? Well, he's lucky I didn't happen to drive by while he was committing his crime, or I would've done my own version of the BushCo rendition and taken him to a VERY black site.

December 07, 2007 10:11 AM  
Blogger TomCat said...

Very touching indeed, PoP. It shows the different ways people handle pain. Some, like Bush and the idiot that destroyed your Snoopy, handle pain by bring misery to others. Some, like the woman who sent you the decoration, handle pain bu overwhelming it with loving acts.

December 07, 2007 12:30 PM  
Blogger Matthew Hubbard said...

Thanks for the story, Fred and POP. Glad you have a happy little Snoopt that gives you some hope for humanity.

December 07, 2007 2:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a lovely story. The best part of this season - for me - is that it gives us a chance to hear stories like this.

December 07, 2007 6:03 PM  
Blogger WeezieLou said...

fred, you topped yourself with this story! after reading about the decimation of snoopy, i was all for you going to boot camp, er, paws, and then coming back and spewing 'roid rage after the a-holes. but in the end - what a great ending!! never heard this one before.

December 08, 2007 1:29 AM  
Blogger mommanator said...

Thanks POP & Fred- it does remind one about the TRUE holiday spirit!

December 08, 2007 6:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice Christmas story. And what a great idea for a Christmas party.

December 08, 2007 8:33 AM  
Blogger oldwhitelady said...

That was a wonderful story. It's too bad so many people have no regrets to destroying other people's property. Several times in the past many years, there will be stories about wonderful blue spruce trees being chopped down and stolen, for Christmas. I wonder what these idiots are thinking!?! What a Christmas spirit they must have.

December 08, 2007 1:54 PM  
Blogger oldwhitelady said...

there will be stories about should be....
there have been stories about

December 08, 2007 1:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And for every undereducated "kmoo" on the web, making smart a$$ comments and posting red neck poetry there is a sweet PoP with warm, intelligent things to say. :)

December 08, 2007 3:33 PM  
Blogger Mauigirl said...

Wonderful story. I'm so glad you received the Snoopy in the mail to bring back your faith in humanity!

BTW, I tagged you for a meme - come on over and see if you want to play along!

December 08, 2007 9:21 PM  
Blogger jmsjoin said...

we have had our Christmas decorations stolen and destroyed so I enmpathize. What is wrong with people? that is a great story and I thank you for sharing it!

December 09, 2007 1:09 PM  
Blogger poopie said...

Dontcha love it how that works out ? Merry Christmas PoP ^j^

December 09, 2007 2:07 PM  
Blogger Jazz said...

Just when my faith in humanity is at an all time low...

December 10, 2007 1:12 PM  
Blogger mphoebe said...

I have this goofy face on- driven to tears but with this "OOOOH" smile.
this story does put me in the christmas spirit; to give, to be kind and to try and reach out to some one----that lady reached out to you and see how many people she has touched!!!!

December 12, 2007 10:05 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home