Operation: Out The Santa

christmas hat

It was 2300 hours and a blessed silence had finally fallen over the house. The parents were tucked and snuggled in bed, while a pair of cat's eyes watched the black clad child awake in her bed. Eyeing her feline companion, the child smiled, "Operation: Out The Santa, officially begins now."

She clicked the timer on her digital watch, threw back the covers, grabbed her blue backpack from under the bed, and the crayon sketched map that marked all points of entry and exit. "We are here," she said to the over-sized orange cat that rested comfortably atop her bed, carefully she traced her finger over the square marked 'My Bedroom', and followed the purple dotted line through the kitchen, down the hallway, and into the living room. "The Christmas tree is here," she pointed, watching as the cat blinked, lightly licking her finger with acknowledgement. "The sofa and loveseat are here...and in between the arms of both, our destination - Cubby Hole Out The Santa. Are you with me?"

Slinging on her pack she made her way towards the door, tucking her map in the front of her pants, pausing to wait for The Great Orange Cat - who didn't budge. "C'mon Gizmo, you promised." Again, he watched unmoved. Growling, she shook her head, "All right, all right. A deals a deal." Reaching around to a side compartment in her pack she removed a handful of Kitty treats and offered The Great Orange One his promised share. "Now, C'mon." Satiated that his tiny two-legger had held her end of the bargain, he followed closely behind.

And thus began, Operation: Out The Santa

Which, would fail two years in a row. The first two times thwarted because the child fell asleep in the cubby hole and unbeknowest to her - she snored when her back was pressed against hard ground. Her fail safe was supposed to be The Great Orange Cat, who bailed when Tiny Treat Provider nodded off during Santa Watch. So, her clever hiding places were uncovered by Sneaky Parents who roused her from the cubby hole and the second year from behind her father's chair that was near their bedroom door.

On the third year, tactics were changed. The Big Orange Cat (also known as Gizmo) would be treated, but no longer used as Fail Safe, since he'd failed to be The Saver the two previous years before. There would be no lying in wait, because the girl found that waiting in tight spaces induced a womblike need for sleep. So, she went to bed early that night, which should've been parents first clue - the child rarely ever slept.

So, as the parents wiled away the hours before bed in the living room near the tree, the girl lingered in the kitchen, cookies placed early, her theory that her parents were indeed Santa, and Dad being resident cookie eater would be too tempted and eat them before bed. Hearing the tell-tale signs of cookies crumbling the girl bounded towards the hall, practiced fake whine in place, lamenting, "Mommy, my tummy..."

But, The Big Orange Cat intervened thinking his small two-legger had treats and impeded her step, causing her to fall, turning fake whine into real whine as her face hit the hallway floor, "Mommy!"

The startled cry from the child crumpled on the floor holding her newly bloodied nose forced Daddy (also known as Santa) to cry, "Oh Shit!" Cookie crumbs spraying out of his mouth as he grabbed the cookie plate and milk and dashed into the bedroom, while Mom dutifully went to pick-up and console bleeding screaming child.

"What are you doing up?"

"My tummy hurts...and my nose is bleeding!" The little girl cried."And Daddy...Daddy ate Santa's cookies, because he is Santa Clause."

With my nose pinched between her fingers, my Mom sighed and kissed my forehead, "While I don't think your tummy hurts, your nose is indeed bleeding and yes...your Father did eat Santa's cookies."

We left it at that, but my parents knew, despite I didn't get my photographic evidence of my Father and Mother placing the gifts under the tree - that while St. Nick had once been real, his time had passed, but in honor of him parents around the world would continue his legacy by eating (sometimes badly baked) cookies (carrots for those who left them for his reindeer) and guzzle milk even if they were lactose intolerant. Because that's the gift of a parents love and their want for their children to believe or know magic at some point in their life. 

I was 9, but despite their covert operation had been blown by my botched operation - Santa still leaves gifts for their adult daughter, because it's about a parent's love and the legacy of a man who once brought joy to children who may otherwise have had none.

In Memory of Gizmo The Too Hungry Agent, but the best Big Orange Cat a girl could ever hope to have.

- I, Spy

Comments

[Mr. Guilt]

[this is good] *sniff* Orange Cats are the best!

[Vix Smackey]

Excellent post, as usual.

PS - I made it! Thanks for your good wishes. I KNOW they helped!!!

XOXOX

[Cri de Coeur]

*smiles* I'm in total agreement Orange Cats are among some of the very best made in the world. They make my heart beat three beats faster, my world was enriched by the presence of one very special Big Orange Cat. May your life be continually touched by that joy. :)

[Cri de Coeur]

Many thanks. And, so very very very very glad that you made it safe and sound! Plenty more of those good wishes for the return trip. Enjoy your family and the holidays. :)

XOXOXO

[Lurkertype]

[this is good] There's nothing better than a Big Orange Cat. I miss my boy.

[Cri de Coeur]

May the cherished memories of your Big Orange Cat give you plenty o' reasons to smile. To Big Orange Cats and those of us blessed to have known one (or more) in our lifetime and all the adventures they brought. ;)

[Walking Zero]

[this is good] Thank you so much for sharing this. I miss my cat as well. Although he was not a Big Orange Cat. He was more of a Brown/White/Black ball of Fur lol.

Merry Christmas my most honorable friend.

*hugs*