Post by huronna on Nov 7, 2008 11:09:17 GMT -5
by Phyllis Elledge
It was Christmas Eve and all though the store people were hurrying to buy last-minute gifts for their pets. They bought sweaters and collars and toys and treats, and about anything else a pet could want. Slowly all of the customers were waited on and shown out the door. The clerks were hurrying to finish taking care of the animals and cleaning up so that they could get home to their families.
As soon as all of the work was done the manager, Sara, let everyone out the door then locked it. She wanted to make one last check of the store. And besides, she didn’t have anyone to hurry home to. In a new town, with a new job and with so much to do to get settled Sara hadn’t had time to go out and make friends. But she didn’t mind because she had her books for company.
As Sara passed the ferret cage she looked in and saw the sweetest little face she had ever seen. The little ferret looked at her, let out a big sigh and lay down to sleep. Sara went to the back to get some more food just to make sure the little creature would have enough to get through the holidays, for the store would be closed tomorrow, Christmas Day.
The little ferret, settling in for the night, was resigned to the fact that no one had wanted her, but that maybe she was lucky. “Just think”, she thought, “I might have gotten lucky and gone with someone that would love me and take care of me for my whole life. But then again, some parent could buy me just because I was cute, not realizing that a small child couldn’t take care of me. And then I would just sit in a cage all day, totally alone. Or if they got tired of me they might just put me outside to look after myself, or give me to someone that was mean to me. At least here I have Sara and all of the people that work here to love me and play with me. And being alone isn’t so bad.”
At the same time Sara was standing in the storage room thinking. “You know, that little ferret and I are a lot alike. Where she has no home I have nothing and no one to go home to. I don’t have any friends to spend the holidays with and my family is so far away. But it doesn’t matter; I’ll finish up here and then go home, fix myself a nice mug of cocoa and start reading that new book I bought today. I might even build a fire and sit with my feet close to it ‘til they get all warm and toasty.”
As Sara walked back toward the cage she kept feeling that something was missing in her life, but she just couldn’t quite figure it out. When she poured the food in the bowl the little ferret stirred, then looked at Sara with sad, sleepy eyes. Then she snuggled a little deeper into the bedding so she could go back to sleep. As Sara watched the little creature she knew what was missing in her life . . . unconditional love. She had plenty of love to give, but no one to give it to. She didn’t have a boyfriend, but that didn’t bother her because she was really very happy living alone. And she’d listened to people in the store talking about the love they shared with their pets.
As the little ferret closed its eyes Sara knew what she had to do. She left a note so that whoever opened the store next would know what was going on. Then she quickly assembled food, litter, bedding, a cage, and everything else that a ferret could ask for. She even slowed down long enough to locate a book on ferrets. Just as the little ferret was about to doze off she was gently lifted from her bed. She was startled at first because the store was closed, and she thought that everyone, even Sara, had left. Then Sara nestled the little ferret close to her heart and gave her a kiss on the head. “I’m going to name you Eve, because it was on Christmas Eve that I realized what was missing in my life."
Well, the little ferret didn’t know what to think of this development. Was it true? Was she really going to a Forever Home? Or would she be brought back to the store after the holiday? And did she really have a name? Eve . . . that sounded pretty good to her. The next thing Eve knew she was being bundled up in a small blanket and tucked inside the front of Sara’s coat. Sara gathered up all of the things she had assembled then turned off the lights and locked the door.
It was snowing outside but Eve stayed warm and cozy inside the coat. Eve didn’t like the bus ride home. It was just too bumpy and noisy! Once they got off the busit was just a short walk to Sara’s house. As soon as they got inside Eve, still wrapped in a blanket, was gently placed on a big soft couch. She was so tired that she fell asleep almost instantly.
When Eve woke up the room was all toasty, and something smelled oh so good!!! She saw Sara doing something over in the corner. When she stood up Eve could see what was in the corner . . . a cage! Sara saw that Eve was awake and walked over and picked her up. She showed Eve the blankets and hammocks and toys and food bowl. There was a water bottle just like she had at the pet store. Then Sara showed Eve another food bowl in the kitchen, along with a water bowl. And they were both full, too. And there was another litter pan! Eve started thinking, “If I’m going to live in that cage then why is food and water put in the other room? And why did Sara put a litter pan over in the corner?”
Sara soon answered Eve’s questions, as if she had been reading Eve’s mind. “Don’t worry, little Eve. The cage is only for times that I’m not here, to make sure you stay safe. And if we have company I might put you there so no one steps on you. The rest of the time the door will be left open. You can come and go as you please and there will always be food and water there for you. I don’t know much about ferrets, so we’re going to learn together. And we’ll work together to make our house perfectly safe for you.”
“Our house sure has a nice sound to it” Eve thought. She decided right then that she wanted to stay here for the rest of her life. She even went over and checked out the cage. Once she went inside and saw how nice it was, and tested out a hammock or two Eve decided that the cage wasn’t going to be such a bad place to spend a few hours each day.
At about that time Sara came walking in from the kitchen. After setting her mug of cocoa on the little table Sara pulled her favorite chair up a little closer to the fireplace. Sara picked up her book, and then laid it back down. Then she walked over and picked up then went over and sat down in the chair. She placed Eve in her lap, and they both dozed off as Sara stroked the little ferrets back.
Over the years this is how Sara and Eve spent many a winter night. Sometimes instead of napping Sara would read to Eve. Eve didn’t know what a lot of it meant but she loved the sweet sound of Sara’s voice. And once in a while Sara would knit. Eve knew it was mainly so that she could watch as the little ferret battled the ball of yarn and then danced with glee when she defeated the dreaded “monster”. And on a lot of summer days Sara would put the harness and leash on Eve and they would spend hours in the park, or else take the bus out into the country for the day.
Eve and Sara had many years together before Eve heard the calling to leave for the Bridge. And while Sara held little Eve as she crossed, neither was sad. For Sara knew that Eve was in the peaceful meadow; and Eve, the little pet store ferret, knew that Sara would never forget her; and they both knew that eventually they would be reunited and cross the Bridge together.
It was Christmas Eve and all though the store people were hurrying to buy last-minute gifts for their pets. They bought sweaters and collars and toys and treats, and about anything else a pet could want. Slowly all of the customers were waited on and shown out the door. The clerks were hurrying to finish taking care of the animals and cleaning up so that they could get home to their families.
As soon as all of the work was done the manager, Sara, let everyone out the door then locked it. She wanted to make one last check of the store. And besides, she didn’t have anyone to hurry home to. In a new town, with a new job and with so much to do to get settled Sara hadn’t had time to go out and make friends. But she didn’t mind because she had her books for company.
As Sara passed the ferret cage she looked in and saw the sweetest little face she had ever seen. The little ferret looked at her, let out a big sigh and lay down to sleep. Sara went to the back to get some more food just to make sure the little creature would have enough to get through the holidays, for the store would be closed tomorrow, Christmas Day.
The little ferret, settling in for the night, was resigned to the fact that no one had wanted her, but that maybe she was lucky. “Just think”, she thought, “I might have gotten lucky and gone with someone that would love me and take care of me for my whole life. But then again, some parent could buy me just because I was cute, not realizing that a small child couldn’t take care of me. And then I would just sit in a cage all day, totally alone. Or if they got tired of me they might just put me outside to look after myself, or give me to someone that was mean to me. At least here I have Sara and all of the people that work here to love me and play with me. And being alone isn’t so bad.”
At the same time Sara was standing in the storage room thinking. “You know, that little ferret and I are a lot alike. Where she has no home I have nothing and no one to go home to. I don’t have any friends to spend the holidays with and my family is so far away. But it doesn’t matter; I’ll finish up here and then go home, fix myself a nice mug of cocoa and start reading that new book I bought today. I might even build a fire and sit with my feet close to it ‘til they get all warm and toasty.”
As Sara walked back toward the cage she kept feeling that something was missing in her life, but she just couldn’t quite figure it out. When she poured the food in the bowl the little ferret stirred, then looked at Sara with sad, sleepy eyes. Then she snuggled a little deeper into the bedding so she could go back to sleep. As Sara watched the little creature she knew what was missing in her life . . . unconditional love. She had plenty of love to give, but no one to give it to. She didn’t have a boyfriend, but that didn’t bother her because she was really very happy living alone. And she’d listened to people in the store talking about the love they shared with their pets.
As the little ferret closed its eyes Sara knew what she had to do. She left a note so that whoever opened the store next would know what was going on. Then she quickly assembled food, litter, bedding, a cage, and everything else that a ferret could ask for. She even slowed down long enough to locate a book on ferrets. Just as the little ferret was about to doze off she was gently lifted from her bed. She was startled at first because the store was closed, and she thought that everyone, even Sara, had left. Then Sara nestled the little ferret close to her heart and gave her a kiss on the head. “I’m going to name you Eve, because it was on Christmas Eve that I realized what was missing in my life."
Well, the little ferret didn’t know what to think of this development. Was it true? Was she really going to a Forever Home? Or would she be brought back to the store after the holiday? And did she really have a name? Eve . . . that sounded pretty good to her. The next thing Eve knew she was being bundled up in a small blanket and tucked inside the front of Sara’s coat. Sara gathered up all of the things she had assembled then turned off the lights and locked the door.
It was snowing outside but Eve stayed warm and cozy inside the coat. Eve didn’t like the bus ride home. It was just too bumpy and noisy! Once they got off the busit was just a short walk to Sara’s house. As soon as they got inside Eve, still wrapped in a blanket, was gently placed on a big soft couch. She was so tired that she fell asleep almost instantly.
When Eve woke up the room was all toasty, and something smelled oh so good!!! She saw Sara doing something over in the corner. When she stood up Eve could see what was in the corner . . . a cage! Sara saw that Eve was awake and walked over and picked her up. She showed Eve the blankets and hammocks and toys and food bowl. There was a water bottle just like she had at the pet store. Then Sara showed Eve another food bowl in the kitchen, along with a water bowl. And they were both full, too. And there was another litter pan! Eve started thinking, “If I’m going to live in that cage then why is food and water put in the other room? And why did Sara put a litter pan over in the corner?”
Sara soon answered Eve’s questions, as if she had been reading Eve’s mind. “Don’t worry, little Eve. The cage is only for times that I’m not here, to make sure you stay safe. And if we have company I might put you there so no one steps on you. The rest of the time the door will be left open. You can come and go as you please and there will always be food and water there for you. I don’t know much about ferrets, so we’re going to learn together. And we’ll work together to make our house perfectly safe for you.”
“Our house sure has a nice sound to it” Eve thought. She decided right then that she wanted to stay here for the rest of her life. She even went over and checked out the cage. Once she went inside and saw how nice it was, and tested out a hammock or two Eve decided that the cage wasn’t going to be such a bad place to spend a few hours each day.
At about that time Sara came walking in from the kitchen. After setting her mug of cocoa on the little table Sara pulled her favorite chair up a little closer to the fireplace. Sara picked up her book, and then laid it back down. Then she walked over and picked up then went over and sat down in the chair. She placed Eve in her lap, and they both dozed off as Sara stroked the little ferrets back.
Over the years this is how Sara and Eve spent many a winter night. Sometimes instead of napping Sara would read to Eve. Eve didn’t know what a lot of it meant but she loved the sweet sound of Sara’s voice. And once in a while Sara would knit. Eve knew it was mainly so that she could watch as the little ferret battled the ball of yarn and then danced with glee when she defeated the dreaded “monster”. And on a lot of summer days Sara would put the harness and leash on Eve and they would spend hours in the park, or else take the bus out into the country for the day.
Eve and Sara had many years together before Eve heard the calling to leave for the Bridge. And while Sara held little Eve as she crossed, neither was sad. For Sara knew that Eve was in the peaceful meadow; and Eve, the little pet store ferret, knew that Sara would never forget her; and they both knew that eventually they would be reunited and cross the Bridge together.
