The blue eyes searched, but could not see. The boy scrubbed at his ears. He thought that he heard the light hiss of breaths taken, and maybe, just maybe the sound of hoofs on the roof.
Then he sniffed. And he sniffed again. No he was not catching cold, instead he smelled. He sniffed and identified the scents floating around him.
Joey whispered into the dark. "Santa, is that you? I smell soot from the chimney, and hot chocolate." He sniffed again. "And a little bit of cinnamon like Grandmoms puts in her special sugar cookies."
Santa's jolly jelly belly shook and shifted in silent amusement. and he thought, "there is not enough distance between Sleepyside and George Lucas, for the Belden is strong in this one. Or maybe it is the Johnson."
Joey spoke again. "Santa, did you bring me the moos I asked for?"
Santa dialed down the transparency setting so that Joey could see a faint outline of the jolly old elf.
"Joey, you imp. Don't you know that you are supposed to be nestled snug in your bed with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head?"
"Santa! You know my Daddy. If I were dreaming of sugar plums, he would be walking through my dreams eating them all up. Besides. The last time I ate sugar plums, I got di, di... Shoot! I got the runs. I don't like sugar plums anymore.
Santa laughed and laughed. It was a good thing that the audible setting was set to whisper, or the whole household would wake up.
"I see. Yes there are foods that I don't like either."
"Like veg-bles? Mommy makes me eat trees so I will grow tall and strong like a real tree. But I don't like them much."
"Unfortunately, Mrs. Clause is like your Mommy, and does make me eat my vegetables. She says I need to have more than cookies and milk in my tummy.
But Joey, we need to talk about these moos you are asking for. You know that even though you live close to Grapa's house and his preserve that there really isn't room on Glen Road for any cows, er harrumph, moos. There isn't room in Grapa's stables or any room in the chicken coop at Crabapple Farm."
Joey waved Santa to come close so he could whisper in his ear. When Joey was finished, Santa had an extra special sugary wreath of holiday glow.
"Leave it to me Joey, I believe that I have exactly what you are looking for. Now you go back to sleep, and let me get to work."
Before Joey's eyes were halfway closed, Santa dialed up his invisibility setting and tapped his nose three times before he disappeared downstairs to finish his business.
A few hours later, Joey heard Grandmoms rooster crow, and he climbed out of bed and ran in to his Mommy and Daddy's room.
"Mommy! Daddy! I saw Santa last night!"
Mommy blushed and Daddy laughed. Joey saw his Mommy turn to Daddy to kiss him good morning, but he didn't hear her whispered, "I told you that I heard something last night, you old Santa you. Now we are going to have to explain why Mommy was kissing Santa Clause underneath the mistletoe last night."
Mart whispered back, "you worry too much." Then he turned to Joey and asked, "What exactly did you see, son?"
"I saw Santa. Only he was kind of a ghost Santa. At first, I couldn't see him at all. I could only smell the soot and the sugar cookies, but then it was like I could see his outline, but it was hollow cause I could see through him. Come on! We gotta go downstairs and see. He promised me moos."
"Joey" mommy called, "you wait right at the top of the stairs for us. We don't want to miss you opening Christmas."
It took longer than Joey wanted, because Mommy and Daddy wanted their coffee to drink while they opened presents, but finally they were gathered in front of the tree. They each opened their stockings to nuts and fruits. Joey got a farmer man and a couple of bales of hay, and a new deck of Old MacDonald Had a Farm cards. He was disappointed that there were not any moos with the farmer, but he remembered Santa's promise.
Soon, the floor was covered with wrapping paper, bows, clothes (although Joey screwed up his face at getting underwear), books and toys.
Through it all, Joey kept looking for the moos and was beginning to give up hope. Then he saw one last present under the tree. He could tell the way that it was wrapped, that it was a big book, but he saw a two plastic cows on the end of the ribbons. When he shook the package, the cows moooo'd. He knew that this was the special present that he had asked for.
He ran to his Daddy, and shoved the package in his hands. "Here Daddy. Santa brought this for me to give to you. I told him you lost your moos, and he brought these for you.
Mart accepted the package with a puzzled look. He handed the cows to his son and tore off the pretty ribbons and paper to reveal a book with a sticky note inserted about halfway in the book that said, "Open here" He opened the book and saw this highlighted entry.
muse1
myo͞oz/
noun
- (in Greek and Roman mythology) each of nine goddesses, the daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who preside over the arts and sciences.
synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus;
- a woman, or a force personified as a woman, who is the source of inspiration for a creative artist.noun: muse; plural noun: muses
synonyms: inspiration, creative influence, stimulus;
There was an additional note that said,
May all the writers here have vocal muses for the next year. Merry Christmas.
Santa.
