The Pretend Tree

 

Midge ran outside and out the front gate and hurried inside the yard next door looking for Booker-T. As she ran around the house, she ran into Booker-T's head.

“Ouch!” said Booker-T as he sat down. “Wow you were running fast.”

“Sorry Booker-T,” said Midge. “I didn't know you were coming around the corner. Is your head okay?”

“I think so,” said Booker-T shaking his head as he stood back up. Why are you running so fast?”

“I was coming to get you,” said Midge.

“Are we in a hurry today?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Midge.

“Why?” asked Booker-T.

“Did you know that Christmas is coming?” asked Midge.

“I think it will be here in 9 nine days,” said Booker-T. “My owner has it on the calendar.”

“I know,” said Midge. “What do you want for Christmas this year?”

“I don't know,” said Booker-T. “I have to take what my owner gives me. I can't write a letter to Santa Claus for what I want.”

“I can't write him either,” sighed Midge. “Do you think we can pray for what we want and he will hear us?”

“I think our owner will get us something nice,” said Booker-T. “They always do.”

“I know,” smiled Midge.

“Are we going to go to Jake's house this morning?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Midge. “Lets go.”

Midge and Booker-T, ran out the gate and started strolling along the sidewalk on their way to Jake's house.

“Look at that house over there,” said Midge.

Booker-T stopped to stare at the house. “Wow,” said Booker-T. “It is all decorated for Christmas.”

“Isn't it pretty,” said Booker-T. “I like all the pretty colored lights that go on and off.”

“They all go on and off,” said Midge.

“I know,” said Booker-T. “But these go off and few seconds later they come back on.”

“Oh,” said Midge. “I think my owner calls them twinkle lights.”

“Twinkle lights?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Midge. “My owner puts them on the tree when she puts it up.”

“Do you have your Christmas tree up already?” asked Booker-T.

“Yes,” smiled Midge. “She always stand the tree up the day after Thanksgiving day.”

“I think my owner is putting up her tree this week,” said Booker-T. “She always buys a real tree and they smell so good. I like the smell of those pine trees.”

“My owner has a fake tree,” said Midge.

“A fake tree?” asked Booker-T. “What is a fake tree?”

“It is a tree that isn't real,” said Midge. “I call it a pretend tree.”

“Do you like the pretend tree?” asked Booker-T. “Can I see it?”

“When she puts up the tree,” said Midge. “You can come see it.”

“Hey guys,” said Lucy as she and Jake found Midge and Booker-T standing on the sidewalk a couple blocks from their house. “What are you doing? I thought you were coming to Jake's house.”

“Hi Lucy,” said Midge. “We started to walk that way but I saw those pretty lights on the house. Don't you like all the pretty lights at Christmas time?”

“I love all the Christmas decorations and lights,” smiled Lucy. “We have a very big pine tree in the yard at the farm and my owner will decorate it this year. In our old home, he used to decorate a big one we had in the front yard.”

“I want to see it,” said Midge.

“He will start to decorate it tomorrow when his friend can come to the farm to help him,” said Lucy.

“We can go watch him decorate it,” suggested Booker-T. “My owner is decorating the house this weekend. I love the smell of the pine tree.”

“Me too,” said Jake.

“Midge's owner has a pretend tree,” said Booker-T.

“What is a pretend tree?” asked Lucy, raising her eyebrow.

“It is a pine tree that isn't real,” said Midge.

“How can you have a tree that isn't real?” asked Jake. “Trees are real.”

“My owner bought a tree last year that looks like a real tree, but it's not real,” said Midge. “I bet you can't see the difference.”

“If the tree isn't real,” said Lucy. “I think it would look fake.”

“Come see it when my owner puts it up and decorates it,” said Midge.

“Okay,” said Jake. “We will come to see the pretend tree. When will she put it up?”

“I think she is doing it this week sometime,” said Midge. “She has the box in the living room now so she can put it up and all the decorations are sitting in a big box in the bedroom.”

“I love Christmas,” smiled Lucy.”

“Me too,” said Jake. “I like all the good food my owner makes at Christmas time and the house smells so good with the pine tree and the good food.”

“Does Santa Claus come to your house?” asked Midge. “He comes to our house and leaves a gift for my owner's niece. My gift comes from my owner.”

“Santa comes to my house too,” said Lucy. “I never see him when he comes. He is fast.”

“Does Santa know to put the gifts under the pretend tree?” asked Booker-T.

“It looks like a real tree,” sighed Midge. “He always puts the gifts under the tree.”

“My owner always puts some cookies and milk on the table for Santa,” said Lucy.

“Mine does that too,” said Jake. “And when we wake up in the morning, the cookies

are gone and the milk glass is empty.”

“I tried to stay awake one time to see Santa,” said Lucy. “But I fell asleep and didn't see him come.”

“How does he get into the house if you don't have a chimney?” asked Booker-T. “I hear the story when my owner reads it to her nephew and it says he comes down the chimney.”

“Maybe he just walks through the door,” suggested Jake. “He is magic so can come into the house anyway he wants.”

“I can't wait for Christmas to come,” smiled Midge. “I love Christmas.”