by Joy Redmond
Mama and Papa slowly lapped their shakes from the bowls and admitted they were yummy.
Nana always kept their bowls full of vegetables and grain because they couldn’t go outside the barn. Hunters were all through the woods.
When Nana went into the trailer to cook supper, I stayed in the barn with the Deer family.
STORYTIME
I told the Deer the story of Thanksgiving. Then I told the story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus.
“Jesus, the son of our Creator was born in a barn?” Baby Deer asked, and his eyes seemed to be wondering if I were playing another prank.
“He sure was. He slept in a manager on a pile of straw—or hay—I can’t remember. I wouldn’t make up something about Jesus,” I answered, seriously.
“Way cool,” Baby Deer said. “Jesus had a straw bed just like us.”
Nana yelled from the back yard. “Julia, come on in. I’ve got supper on the table.”
“I’ll go eat and then I’ll be back,” I said, looking at Baby Deer standing next to Mama Deer. I noticed he was half her size. “How did you get so big so fast?” I said as I hugged him. “I’ll be back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”
Baby Deer cocked his head and asked, “Where’s the lamb? I thought we were the only animals in the barn.”
I laughed and shook my head. I couldn’t seem to remember that he hadn’t heard the old expressions before. But his startled look and the way he turned his head as if it were on a pivot was about the funniest thing I had ever seen.
A moment later he said, “That’s a saying, right? No lamb, no lamb’s tail, right?”
“You’re catching on. And I’m beginning to use Nana’s sayings so much I think I’m getting old.” The Deer laughed. I laughed. Nana’s sayings were funny even if they didn’t make a lot of sense.
After supper, Nana and I started making pies.
“I bought enough fixings for six pies, but we’re going to make three tonight and three tomorrow. We’ll make a pie each for the Deer, and three for us,” Nana said.
“I don’t think we can eat three pies. That’s a lot,” I said.
“Honey, Pawpaw can eat a pie by himself. He’ll eat one tonight, he’ll probably eat one tomorrow, and he’ll have one to eat Thanksgiving Day while I’m at the Salvation Army serving meals to the less fortunate.”
“Pawpaw does like his sweets, doesn’t he? He eats Honey Buns by the dozen.” I laughed as I recalled how Nana fussed when Pawpaw ate Honey Buns all day until she hid them. Then he’d sneak off and buy some more.
We mixed the ingredients together, filled three pie shells and then Nana placed them in the over.
“Nana, while the pies bake, I want to read to Baby Deer. Where’s my copy of Twas the Night Before Christmas?”
“In your room, on the bookshelf Pawpaw built. I think that’s where I put it.”
I found the book, slipped on my coat, and headed for the barn. I sat beside Baby Deer so he could see the pictures as I read. He laughed so hard at times that he couldn’t hear me, so I had to re-read parts of it. The picture of Santa laying his finger aside his nose cracked Baby Deer up.
Mama Deer enjoyed the pictures of the flying reindeer, but Papa Deer only snorted.
Mama Deer said softly, “He’s getting cranky because he’s still cooped up.”
“I know,” I said. “But he’s an old buck, you know. Old men get cranky. We’ll pay him no mind and enjoy the story.
I finished the story before Nana called me. It was already eight o’clock.
I went inside, and Pawpaw was sitting at the table, so I asked, “How are the outlets going?”
“There’re all done,” he said. “I installed three. That should be plenty.”
“Nana, do you have an extra Christmas tree you don’t use anymore?” I asked.
“I think the big one is out in the old house where we stick everything we don’t use anymore. We use a little one, now. Why?” Nana asked.
“I want to put a Christmas tree in the barn and decorate it for the Deer. Are there any extra ornaments in the old house?”
“There’s everything in that old house,” she replied. “The hard part is finding it.” Nana shook her head and rubbed her eyes. “The old house is an eyesore, but Pawpaw’s grandparents built it, he was born in it, grew up in it, and it was his parents’ home until it was unlivable, so it holds a lot of memories for Pawpaw.”
“Can we go look and see what we can find, tomorrow?” I asked. “Maybe we can find enough to decorate the entire barn.”
“We might at that,” Nana said.
“I’m going to go tell the Deer family goodnight,” I said, hurrying out of the kitchen and on to the barn. Baby Deer was already asleep, and Papa Deer had his head turned toward the stall wall, grunting. I waved to Mama Deer, and she nodded at me. I ran back inside. Nana and I played games until bedtime.
The next morning we baked three pumpkin pies, and after they had cooled, I stuck a can of whipped cream into my jacket pocket, and Nana and I took them to the barn.
Baby Deer was singing, “You Are My Sunshine.”
“I’m going to teach you a lot of new songs for Christmas,” I said as we placed the pies in front of them. Then I pulled the can of whipped cream from my pocket, and said, “Baby Deer I’m going to do to you what Nana does to me. Open wide.”
Baby Deer hesitated a minute as he eyed the can with the red top. Then he opened his mouth. I shook the can, stuck the tip into his mouth and pressed. The pressure from the can was stronger than I expected and whipped cream shot into his mouth and up his nose.
Everybody laughed as Baby Deer licked his lips and then stuck his tongue up each nostril and licked them clean.
“Yum!” he exclaimed. “That’s good stuff—and fun. Do it again!”
“I have to save the rest for Mama and Papa,” I said.
“Is today Thanksgiving?” Mama Deer asked.
“No, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, but I won’t be here and I wanted you to eat your pies so I could watch you enjoy them. I’ll be back two days after Thanksgiving, and we’ll put up a Christmas tree and decorate the barn with lights and lots of other stuff.”
“What’s a Christmas tree?” Baby Deer asked.
“I don’t know how to explain,” I said. “But you’ll love it!”
“How long until Christmas?” Baby Deer asked.
“Another month. December is Christmas and it’s the best month of the year,” I said.
“I don’t know months, but I like all the stuff people do. What comes after Christmas?” Baby Deer asked.
“New Years Day comes the week after Christmas, and in some places, people eat black-eyed peas for good luck—and if peas bring people good luck, they should work for deer, too. If you like the taste, we’ll pretend good luck is coming our way, just for the heck of it.” I looked toward Nana. “Will you cook some black-eyed peas for us?”
“I sure will, and I’ll cook cabbage and cornbread to go with them.”
“See. I knew she would. Nana is the best.”
“She sure is,” Baby Deer said, licking her hand.
Mama Deer said, “You’re a lucky little girl to have such a good nana. And we’re lucky to have her in our lives. In a way, she’s Baby Deer’s nana, too. After all, he doesn’t have Deer-Nana anymore. She disappeared and—”
She didn’t finish her sentence, and I had a good idea why, so I quickly changed the subject.
“And on the stroke of midnight on January 6th, God grants all animals the ability to talk. We’ll stick our heads out of the barn and listen very hard. Mr. Morris has lots of cows, horses, sheep, pigs and other animals.”
“Way cool!” said Baby Deer. “I hope we hear them. I’ve never heard an animal talk except Mama and Papa, and we’re the only Deer family in Deer Village, now.” He hesitated a few minutes, then continued. “I can’t wait for the stroke of midnight. I hope we hear a sheep talk. All they say is ‘baaah’. He giggled.
I giggled
, too. Baby Deer was more fun than having a sleep over with my girl friends when we giggled most of the night.
“What do people do after New Years?” he asked, his eyes dancing.
“There’s a people holiday almost every month of the year, but Christmas is the biggest one that people celebrate. I think because it’s Jesus’ birthday—and because people get many presents. Birthdays aren’t really holidays, but people celebrate the day they were born and they get presents then, too. My birthday is in September,” I said.
Baby Deer looked at Mama Deer and asked, “When is my birthday?”
“I don’t know about birthdays,” she said, licking his face. “All I know is the day you were born was the happiest day of my life.”
Nana palmed her chin as she always did when she was in deep thought. “He was probably born in April, considering his size when we found him in May, which reminds me, I need to see how long you are Baby Deer.” She patted her apron pocket. “Where did I put my measuring tape?”
“In your coat pocket, Nana. I saw you put it there,” I said.
“Oh, yeah,” Nana said. She unrolled it and told me to hold one end of it at the bottom of Baby Deer’s shoulders. Then she stretched it to the top of his hip. “Hmm, about twenty five inches.”
“What did you do that for?” I asked
“I’ll tell you later, Nosy Rosy,” Nana said, rolling the tape up and sticking it into her pocket. “We need to get on if we are going to go through the old house and find the tree and decorations.”
“Okay,” I said, my heart beating so hard it felt as if it were slapping my ribs. “Bye, I’ll be back later,” I said.
When we reached the back yard, I headed for the old house, but Nana took me by the shoulders and said, “I’ve got something to show you in the trailer before we go hunting for the tree.”
We went into the trailer and Nana headed for her knitting basket. She pulled out several balls of bright red yarn. “I’m going to knit Baby Deer a sweater for Christmas Day. What do you think?” she asked.
I hugged her and said, “I think you’re the greatest!”
“I’ll show you a few stitches if you are interested,” she said, turning her head this way and that. “Where did I put my knitting needles?”
“There’re right here, Nana,” I said, reaching beside the rocker.
“Oh, yeah. That’s where I usually lay them,” she said, shaking her head. “Pitiful, just pitiful, I can’t remember where I put anything, anymore.”
I looked up and saw Mama pull into the driveway.
“Mama will help us find the Christmas tree and take it to the barn,” I said.
I ran to the back door and yelled, “Mama, go to the old house. We’ll meet you there.”
I ran across the graveled driveway and onto the porch of the old house. I looked back and yelled, “Come on slow-pokes!” I knew we were going to find treasures.
“We’re going to give the Deer family a real barn Christmas!” I cried.
PUMPKIN PIES AND A CHRISTMAS TREE
I was so excited that Mama wanted to help Nana and I find Christmas decorations. We found the tree in a big box in the front room. Mama and Nana dragged as I pushed, and together we managed to get the big box across the yard, and into the barn. Then we pulled the old tree out of the box, wrestled with getting it into the stand, and began pulling the branches straight and shaping it.
I stood back and admired the job. “Pumpkin pies and a Christmas tree!” I yelled.
“Pumpkin pies and a Christmas tree!” Baby Deer repeated. “Wow, I like the people world.”
Mama backed up a few steps and fell over an old milking stool. Then she propped herself on one elbow and managed to say, “Did I just hear that deer talk? Or do I have a concussion?”
For a long minute, Nana and I started at each other, not sure what to do.
Then I said, “He talked, Mama, but please, please, don’t tell anybody.”
“Oh, like anybody would believe me,” she said, getting to her feet. “Don’t worry, his secret is safe with me.” She walked over to Baby Deer, petted his head, and said, “No wonder Julia has been so protective of you. You’re one special deer, aren’t you?”
“If people found out we have a talking deer, they’d take him away and put him in cage,” I said, my voice on the verge of hysteria.
“Yes, they probably would,” Mama said. “But nobody’s going to take Baby Deer away, sweetheart.” She paused a minute, then asked, “Do the other two talk, too?”
“Yes, we do,” Mama Deer said, gently nuzzling Mama’s arm.
“Well, gosh all hemlock. A whole family of talking deer. I might need some of Nana’s smelling salts,” Mama said. “Who would have thunk it?”
As we got ready to leave, we hugged Baby Deer and his mama, but when we went to hug Papa Deer, he turned his head, grunted, and retreated to a corner.
“He can be a bit of a grouch,” I said.
On the way home, I told the story about how Great-Grand-Deer saved a woman who was hanging in a tree, and how God granted her and her offspring the ability to talk.
“That’s the sweetest story I’ve ever heard,” Mama said, wiping a tear. “And if it’s okay with you, I’d like to help decorate the barn. Nana told me about your barn Christmas plans.”
“Nothing would make me happier than for you to help, Mama. It’ll be so much fun,” I said, and patted her arm.
Mama patted my hand. “Nothing would make me happier, either. We’ll put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, and the next day we’ll head for Nana’s and the party will begin. It’s a party to me when I decorate the house, but doing a barn will be a special treat.”
“Now remember, Mama,” I said sternly, “we can’t tell anybody the Deer talk!”
“I’ve already promised,” Mama said with a smile. “Sometimes you can be so dramatic!”
I crossed my arms across my chest and pouted. I hated it when Mama called me Drama Queen when I got excited or got worried. I admit, I was an emotional person and sometimes I got carried away and my imagination ran wild, but I thought Mama needed to remember when she was nine, almost ten. I figured she was probably a Drama Queen at that age, too.
The day after Thanksgiving, Mama and I decorated our house, and the day after that, she was up and ready before I was even awake, gathering decorations from the attic that she hadn’t used in years. I’d never seen her so excited as she hauled boxes to the SUV.
Nana was in the back room of the old house when we go there. It had been Pawpaw’s room when he was growing up. “I’ve found boxes and boxes of stuff,” she said, wrapping a string of lights around her wrist, then putting them back into the old box. “These lights have to be twenty years old, but I plugged them in and they still work. And there’re many boxes of directions in every corner.”
“How old is this old house?” I asked before sneezing three times from the dust and musk.
Nana jerked her head in my direction and said with a smile, “Okay, I know it’s the dust that’s making you sneeze. Otherwise I’d think you were coming down with something. My grandma use to say if you sneezed three times in a row, you were coming down with the epizootic.” She chuckled. “But to answer your question, I’d say this old house is at least one-hundred years old. How it’s still standing is beyond me.”
“Are we ready to load?” I asked.
“I think we have enough,” Nana said. She went outside and backed the truck to the front door of the old house. Then we started hauling boxes.
“I’m so excited I can’t stand it,” Mama said. Then she looped her arm through mine and we twirled around as if we were doing a barn dance and shouted, “Yee haw!”
We went into the old barn that seemed to be standing by its own will, just like the old house. It was lopsided, and one end had caved in. I figured it had to be 100 years old, too, since it was probably built at the same time the old house was.
Pawpaw brought us the fifty-foot extension cor
d and a power surge protector so we could plug in the tree lights and other things. It took all of us to wrap the long strings of lights around the tree, but when we plugged it in, it was spectacular.
“When we get the balls and the silver tinsel on it, it’ll be the most beautiful Christmas tree in the world,” I declared.
“Julia, you help Nana unload the stuff from the truck and I’ll get the stuff I brought,” Mama said.
A few minutes later, I saw Mama pulling a large box out of her SUV and dragging it into the barn. When she had dragged it to the foot of the tree, she said,“Julia, come have a look.”
I strolled to Mama’s side and asked, “What is it, Mama?”
Mama pointed. I looked down and saw a picture of three deer on the box. I was speechless.
“It’s a papa, mama and baby deer set. That’s why I wouldn’t let you go shopping with me yesterday. Pawpaw will have to put them together and drive the spikes in the ground so they won’t fall over, but the lights are already on them. I got the set with multi-colored lights. I don’t like the all white.”
“It’s the Deer family!” I said, barely able to breathe. “Actually, you’re like the coolest mother in the world.” I hugged Mama with all my strength.
“Like, yes, I know I am,” Mama said, returning the hug.
As we decorated the tree, Pawpaw put the deer decorations together and fastened them to the ground. Then he plugged them in.
“Aye, Chihuahua!” I exclaimed.
The Deer family came out of the stall and gazed at the lighted deer. Their eyes shown as brightly as the lights.
“That’s the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen,” Mama Deer said, her eyes brimming with tears.
Baby Deer said, “Cool! But how did you make them look like us?”
Mama petted Baby Deer’s head and replied, “I’d like to take credit for being artistic, but truth is I bought them at Wal-Mart. I couldn’t resist. I had to have a deer family for the Deer family’s first Christmas.”
“I want to live in the people world forever!” Baby Deer exclaimed. “But Mama and Papa told me as soon as I get my cast off, we have to go back to Deer Village. They say I have to remember that I’m a deer and not a people.”