Pepper the mouse walked in the kitchen
And glanced over the table salt
The lights were on
But all the humans were sleeping
It was Christmas morning
And the low hum from the fridge
Was talking with its cryptic tongue to the birds
Just outside the window
Of the brooklyn Dawn
Henry walked up to pepper and held her eyes closed
Surprise he said
Pepper jumped and squealed
You scared me
He laughed and said Merry Christmas
Their children were still asleep in the hole by the radiator
Having dreams of mouse Santa putting chews under the branches of the part of the tree that fell off the tree
Stuck at the corner in the forgotten place where garbage and dust escape
What did you get me asked pepper with a sneaky grin
Some earrings and half a sandwich I found a week ago by the bin
He handed her a tiny bag with the earrings
They’re amathists he said proudly
They symbolize courage and perseverance
Pepper tried on the purple stones and said I do declare I’m the luckiest girl in cobble hill
Come on said Henry
Let’s arrange the presents for the kids before they wake up
I got Billy a dented ping pong ball
And Marissa I bent up hair clip
They’re gonna be so excited
They looked over their young with deep smiles
Both of them had done a good job protected them
From the trials and tribulations befallen all city mice in recent weeks
Work was hard to find and supplies had dried up
Not so many scraps hitting the floor as of late
Just then
Benny the town drunk walked by
They said happy Christmas Benny
He said yeah what’s so happy about it
Benny was a cockroach
His wife had been smashed at the beginning of last year and Benny had never been the same
Lost in the sauce was the word on the street
Benny stumbled and wandered through a crack in the floorboard
Pepper looked at Henry with that sad far away look
I know I know he said
We are lucky
The radiator pinged and steam flew out the top
The kids shook awake and looked at their mom and dad
Looking at them
Merry Christmas pepper said quietly
Even though they were awake
Merry Christmas said Billy and Marissa in unison
They were close as cucumbers on a fancy sand which
Just then a big foot came within a few feet stomping like God getting angry again
The kids stayed put and froze in the heat of the pipes
Pepper and Henry ran to them hidden in the dark
Looking up
The big foot came crashing down
And then another and another
They saw light from the fridge open up
And Henry stuck his snout out to see what has happening
What is it? Pepper whispered
Looks like he’s getting milk again
The big door swung open and light filled the kitchen sure enough the giant took out the half gallon
And drank giant chugs
Closing the fridge behind him and walking off as sudden as he came
Boom bam boom bam boom bam boom
The kids pepper and Henry all looked at each other
And then smiled
Benny walked back out
Slurring his words
Was that that murderer again?!
He asked angrily
Benny had a death wish but also
A survival instinct which would cause him to hide whenever the giant re-emerged
Henry said to Benny
Why don’t you spend Christmas with us this year
We have a feast built up
Of scraps from the holiday
Kitchen
Plus
We got you something he lied
Pepper looked at Henry knowing better
Nah he said
I’d rather watch the giants walk back and forth from the crack in the living room
I’m too sad to spend it with another family
When knowing that I no longer have my own
You’ll meet someone else Henry said trying to cheer Benny up
I don’t want anyone else Benny said and ran off
Pepper looked at Henry and said poor guy
What’s wrong with him? Marissa asked
He lost his wife earlier in the year
One of the giants squashed her
Oh no said Marissa
I hate them!!!!
Henry said hey hate is a big word young lady
Remember where our food comes from and besides they don’t know any better
They think they rule the world
They don’t know that they are just in the world
As lost and as hopeless as we are
Pepper chimed in
Hopeless?! Speak for yourself
I have nothing but faith for a higher order
For a better life
A life where we don’t have to hide in any corners
Where we can wander free
Even when the lights are on
Even during the day
Henry laughed your dreaming he said
But I’m gonna let you have your dreams
It is Christmas after all
Awe thanks babe pepper said.
Marissa chimed in
Did Santa mouse bring us any presents
He sure did said Henry. He sure did.
Pepper and Henry looked at each other just then
And just then they both went back in time to the high school dance
At mouse city high
Where Henry first got the courage to ask pepper to dance
The song was ‘don’t you chase me baby’
By the vermin twins
Both of their favorite group
The lyrics went
“I was working as waitress in a cheese filled bar
That much is true
But even then I knew
I’d find my way out of the traps
Either with or without you
Now five years later on I have the world spinning round
And giving everything that I need
From flowers of a love that pours from the streets
And dreams raining down in a seed”
They danced close. Pepper squeezing her body close to his
Both of them young and beautiful and full of so much potential
Remember that time pepper said
Henry stopped her
At the high school dance he said?
Yeah she said it was magic
Those were the days Henry said
Those were the days
These are the days pepper said looking over the kids and then back to Henry. These are the days
Henry thought about running down the field before city life
The crowd cheering him on
Catching the ball with his snout touchdown
Pepper was a cheerleader and she did a backflip for the people in the stands
Henry rode on the shoulders of his teammates
As cheerleader squad looked at him lovingly with awe and wonder in their eyes
I was a star Henry said
You are a star pepper said
Yeah dad you’re our star Billy answered
Now what did you get us?!
We wanna open our gifts
Not til we pray pepper said
Praise Jesus Henry said and merry Christmas to you all.
Part 2
Henry fell on rough times out of high school
He went to All Mouse High
And was captain of the football team
Was an all vermin city all star
But held himself back from going to college to take car of his family
They moved from the suburbs to New York City
And lived in the subway station at 2nd Avenue when they first arrived
Getting what they could from the streets
And avoiding the feet and the rats and the city cats and all the other dangers but city life presented
One street rat named Pepe befriended and mentored Henry when his folks died he found himself isolated under subway cars
Looking for any support he could find.
Pepi said in his thick New York accent
What you need to do is move into a house
And find a hole near a radiator to make it through the winter.
Henry scoffed and half showed off for his mentor
I think I’m made for street life Henry said
I’m not one these soft house mice I keep hearing about
I like energy of the street
The rattling subway cars
The screams of old ladies and the laughter of children.
Nonsense pepi said
You’re a mouse that’s the benefit of being a mouse you can slip in and out and avoid the traps
A big rat like me won’t go unnoticed and they’ll bring in the big guns to get me out dead or alive
Usually dead
Houses are dangerous for types like me
But you could make it in one
Maybe a nice place in brooklyn
Ride the f train to Jay street and look around
Find yourself a gal and settle down
Raise some kids and celebrate Christmas like a Norman mousewell picture
The American dream!
Henry said I’ll think about it and scurried off as some of pepi’s other friends started coming down the tracks
Henry got scared and ran
Most didn’t understand that a mouse and rat could be friends
Weeks later he took pepi’s advice
The winter got cold and he saw his best friend Sam freeze on the street
His face locked in permanent smile
Saying goodbye forever as the light his eyes shut down.
Henry got off the train at Jay street
He heard about the brownstones in brooklyn with radiators in every room. It all seemed too good to be true
But that’s when he saw her
From the corner of his eye
She went underneath the door in utility closet at the station he followed her in there and in the shadowy darkness felt like he made her out
Pepper is that you?
She turned around suddenly
Henry?
They smiled and heard that old song in both their minds
And in both their hearts they started dancing
Like they had all those years ago
Where are you going he asked?
Nowhere special she said
What about you?
I just got here he said
I was hoping you could maybe show me around
I’d love too she said smiling.
I’d love too.