Chapter Three
For an opossum it is always a good idea to keep humans at a safe distance
Poe-Sam was startled from his thoughts by a large shadow in the window… it was the little girl, McLean! Then her father and then her mother! They were looking at him! He had been discovered!
Mr. Poe-Sam darted underneath a hedge then worked his way back to the safety of the thick woods traveling in the shadows.
“Daddy,” McLean remarked “wasn’t that the cutest little opossum! Did you see how he was staring at the Christmas tree?”
“It was almost as if he wanted to join us.” Mom said softly.
For opossums, it is always a good idea to keep people at a safe distance. So after that incident Mr. Poe-Sam did not venture out of the thick wood for several days. But eventually he found himself drawn back to the munchy morsels of cat food and the warmth of a little girl and her family.
McLean and Mr. Poe-Sam would soon have another encounter.
It was an especially cold night. In the fireplace was a blazing fire, the Christmas tree glowed with soft red and green lights.
McLean and her family sat drinking cups of hot cocoa as Dad read a story aloud.
Like a moth to a flame, Poe-Sam was drawn to the scene. As Dad read, Mommy and McLean sat captivated, staring off at the pictures in their minds.
Mr. Poe-Sam had to get closer. He quietly climbed onto the windowsill where he could feel the heat of the fire and could hear Dad speak in muffled tones…
“…for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ, the Lord!”
Poe-Sam sat through the entire story until Dad said, “…and that is the real story of Christmas! God gave His only Son, Jesus as a gift to us – that’s why we share gifts to celebrate the Christmas season.”
By then, McLean had noticed the visitor on the window ledge. She quietly made her way toward him.
Poe-Sam – again deep in thought – gasped as he looked up right into the eyes of a human!
For opossums, it is always a good idea to keep humans at a safe distance and never to look them in the eyes! But this human’s eyes were soft, even loving. For a moment, Poe-Sam had that “belonging” feeling; the kind he felt when Cedric was around. Poe-Sam lingered as long as he would dare then rushed to the safety of the hedge. But before he made his way back to the thick wood, he turned for one last look at the little girl with the loving eyes.
Poe-Sam headed for the woods feeling all wonderful inside. He thought about how good he would rest in his bed of moss. But his happy thoughts were interrupted by a shrieking - “CAW!”.
In the trees above him and hidden in the darkness was old K. Row. “Where are you going in such a hurry, you little – “Caw! Hey! What’s that noise? …. Hey-Hey Poe-Sam! I think I heard something!”
“ It sounds like… “
“Yeah! It sounds like a –a OPOSSUM crying!…” “Caw! – I think it’s little Cedric. “
“Caw!”… “Wha - nope… just the wind whistling…Caw-HAW-HAW!”
Poe-Sam could see the flash of the raggedy bird’s black eyes as he laughed brutally.
Poe-Sam wandered to his den to cry himself to sleep.
For several nights after that, Mr. Poe-Sam returned to the people house where McLean lived. He hoped to hear the story again and maybe to see McLean, but each night he found the house was dark and silent.
Poe-Sam began to worry for the little family. But what Mr. Poe-Sam didn’t know was that McLean and her family had suddenly become very busy!
Mr. Poe-Sam darted underneath a hedge then worked his way back to the safety of the thick woods traveling in the shadows.
“Daddy,” McLean remarked “wasn’t that the cutest little opossum! Did you see how he was staring at the Christmas tree?”
“It was almost as if he wanted to join us.” Mom said softly.
For opossums, it is always a good idea to keep people at a safe distance. So after that incident Mr. Poe-Sam did not venture out of the thick wood for several days. But eventually he found himself drawn back to the munchy morsels of cat food and the warmth of a little girl and her family.
McLean and Mr. Poe-Sam would soon have another encounter.
It was an especially cold night. In the fireplace was a blazing fire, the Christmas tree glowed with soft red and green lights.
McLean and her family sat drinking cups of hot cocoa as Dad read a story aloud.
Like a moth to a flame, Poe-Sam was drawn to the scene. As Dad read, Mommy and McLean sat captivated, staring off at the pictures in their minds.
Mr. Poe-Sam had to get closer. He quietly climbed onto the windowsill where he could feel the heat of the fire and could hear Dad speak in muffled tones…
“…for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ, the Lord!”
Poe-Sam sat through the entire story until Dad said, “…and that is the real story of Christmas! God gave His only Son, Jesus as a gift to us – that’s why we share gifts to celebrate the Christmas season.”
By then, McLean had noticed the visitor on the window ledge. She quietly made her way toward him.
Poe-Sam – again deep in thought – gasped as he looked up right into the eyes of a human!
For opossums, it is always a good idea to keep humans at a safe distance and never to look them in the eyes! But this human’s eyes were soft, even loving. For a moment, Poe-Sam had that “belonging” feeling; the kind he felt when Cedric was around. Poe-Sam lingered as long as he would dare then rushed to the safety of the hedge. But before he made his way back to the thick wood, he turned for one last look at the little girl with the loving eyes.
Poe-Sam headed for the woods feeling all wonderful inside. He thought about how good he would rest in his bed of moss. But his happy thoughts were interrupted by a shrieking - “CAW!”.
In the trees above him and hidden in the darkness was old K. Row. “Where are you going in such a hurry, you little – “Caw! Hey! What’s that noise? …. Hey-Hey Poe-Sam! I think I heard something!”
“ It sounds like… “
“Yeah! It sounds like a –a OPOSSUM crying!…” “Caw! – I think it’s little Cedric. “
“Caw!”… “Wha - nope… just the wind whistling…Caw-HAW-HAW!”
Poe-Sam could see the flash of the raggedy bird’s black eyes as he laughed brutally.
Poe-Sam wandered to his den to cry himself to sleep.
For several nights after that, Mr. Poe-Sam returned to the people house where McLean lived. He hoped to hear the story again and maybe to see McLean, but each night he found the house was dark and silent.
Poe-Sam began to worry for the little family. But what Mr. Poe-Sam didn’t know was that McLean and her family had suddenly become very busy!
No comments:
Post a Comment