she loved Christmas
and knew it was pagan holiday
all about the return of the light
she loved that people got together
that there was music
and presents
good food
and laughter
but she wondered
if that was real
or just in books
or on film
she looked into store windows
and saw toys
and other things
but she had just stolen
a fish
to give to the cats
who lived in the alley
and nothing in those shops
would be of any use to
those who had nowhere to live
she took a box of dog food
from the store that sold bread
and things
she thought the man
at the counter saw her
but he looked the other way
when she hurried toward the door
she wasn't freezing
in her thin coat
but she wished she had a scarf
they looked so pretty
and she could wind it around
her head and neck
it might even cover her shoulders
but that was out of the question
at the moment
she was too busy making a party
for her animal friends
and that was more important
she didn't like stealing things
but she didn't see that she had any other choice
she picked up some branches
that were cut off of a Christmas tree
and thrown into the trash
she decorated the branches
with bits of paper and things she found
here and there
it looked beautiful
she was so happy with it
it didn't have lights
but that didn't matter
not really
she put the fish
and the dog food
on newspapers
and waited for her friends
to arrive
she heard them coming
the dogs always loud and panting
the cats practically invisible
and silent
they came to her
and her heart filled
with such joy
that she thought it might burst
the cats climbed onto
and lap
the dogs
wet-nosed kissed her
making her giggle
and after awhile
she showed them the food
and they ate
while she petted
and sang to them
thinking she was the
luckiest girl in the world
Photo: Alexander Krivitskly
Pexels
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