The Adventures of Zelda: A Pug Tale

Chapter 10: A Pug Christmas Story

The trees are bare, the air is cold, and the cool breeze creates an uncomfortable chill. The sun shines for less of the day.  The crunchy morning grass and the frozen puddles on the edge of the yard signal a sad truth. Winter is here.

With my short hair and small body, I am not built for winter weather. I return from walks with a nasty case of the chills, so my time outdoors is limited. Luckily, I have Ben and Lucy to keep me busy. My favorite indoor toy is the purple owl. The owl has the loudest squeaker. To top it off, the wings of the owl crinkle. I love playing with it.

As usual, I take my afternoon nap while the family is gone. I wake up mid-afternoon to the front door opening. I awake to greet Hannah, Ben, and Lucy.

“Ben, grab Zelda,” Hannah says. Ben scoops me into his arms as Hannah opens the front door. Nate walks in carrying a pine tree bigger than him. He places the tree in front of the big window in the living room.

I have seen flowers and small plants indoors before, but never a full-size tree. I search my brain for a reason to plant a tree inside our home, and the only idea that pops in my head is squirrels. Maybe we are getting a pet squirrel?

I walk over to the tree and sniff for clues. My sniffs turn to sneezes instantly. I back away. The treetop almost touches the ceiling. Compared to the trees outside, it’s a small tree, but in our home, the tree looks huge. The sneezing fit passes, so I smell for squirrel scents. I find no trace of squirrel.

Hmmm…

A few minutes later, Nate brings boxes from the basement, cluttering the living room. Hannah, Nate, Ben, and Lucy spend the next hour playing with the tree. First, they wrap strings with colorful lights around the tree. Next they place balls, other objects, and tiny statues on the tree. Everything they place on the tree resembles a toy.

“Does Zelda have an ornament?” Ben asks.

“Here it is,” Nate says and hands something small to Ben. He hangs it on the tree, but it’s hanging so high on the tree that I can’t see it.

I examine the tree a second time. My sneezes and itchy nose return. I find a little man with a red hat, red coat, and a long white beard hanging within my reach. I stand on my hind legs and use the windowsill to keep my balance. I knock the little red man with my paw and he falls to the ground. I grab him with my mouth and run to Lucy.

“Hi Zelda,” Lucy says. “Mom, Zelda has something.”

“Zelda, what is that?” Hannah asks. “Nate, can you help me out? I think Zelda has Santa.”

“Maybe Zelda is trying to tell Santa what she wants for Christmas,” Nate replies with a grin.

“Zelda, drop it,” Nate says. Compelled by his command, I drop the statue on the floor.

“This isn’t a toy,” he says. Nate picks up the statue and places it back on the tree above my reach.