Duke the Mouse in: CHRISTMAS TREE HOUSE

    My pet mouse wasn’t much help when it came to putting up the Christmas tree. Well, of course not. He’s quite small compared to a Christmas tree but I think he could have helped just a little. Hm, not Duke the Mouse.
    Did you know I have a pet mouse? Yep. He’s lazy as a Christmas stocking and about as clever by half.
    But this being the Christmas season, I didn’t let that bother me. No, it wasn’t a problem until I noticed a bunch of popsicle sticks missing. And then I got to looking at the tree.
    Right smack-dab in the middle was something strange. If I wasn’t dreaming I would have said it was a mouse-sized Christmas tree house.
    And in that house was my pet mouse. Oh, it was a very sweet little cabin. And Duke said the smell was delightful.
    While I was standing there, my pet mouse gave me a tour of the place. There was a little front porch and a bedroom off to the side. On the back was even a little chimney for Old St. Nick.
    I told Duke I didn’t think any Santa could make it down that chimney.
    Well, Duke would have none of it. He said it didn’t really matter what I thought because I was beginning to sound like one of those people who aren’t so sure about Santa. My pet mouse said I had better think long and hard about Santa and get my Christmas stocking in order before I started in on his.
And you know, that mouse was absolutely right. I’m always telling everyone how lazy Duke is when I really have no room to talk. I like to lean back and watch the clouds go by from time to time. And I’m not all that clever, either — not by half.
    To be honest I wished I was as small as Duke so I could wait up with him on Christmas Eve and listen for Santa Claus. But instead I had to go to bed and wait to hear all about it in the morning from Duke.
    And that’s the way it is with Duke. Oh, he wanted me to say something to you — Merry Christmas to everyone everywhere!

From the Listeners

Your radio program is the most amazing thing I've ever heard in my entire life. It reminds me of the sound of a newborn baby as it takes his first breath of air. Is that enough?

Plenty. Your question is so good it seems as if I wrote it myself. Of course these comments are from the listeners of A Jarful of Stories. Uh, is there anybody out there really listening or do I have to keep making up these letters?

I am looking for a letter I wrote to you. Why haven't you posted it on this website yet?

I'm glad you asked. I'm just too lazy to do much of anything and this time of the year (late August) I'm lucky to have enough energy to drag my lazy pet mouse out of bed. That's Duke. He takes care of all that kind of stuff. Me? Well, I'm in charge of the snacks around here. Who wants candy?

What stories do you like to read?

Well, I don't read that much (unless I wrote it!). We are reading the Hobbit before bedtime to Sam who is nine years old. If I'm going to read anything, I usually like to read non-fiction. There's just something about true stories that interest me. There's enough truth happening in this world that I don't need to read made-up stories (unless, of course, I wrote them). We don't have a television in our house so the radio gets used a lot. What do you like to read? I always think that is an interesting question if you're trying to really get to know someone.

September 9, 2003    

Greetings, good sir!

    I happened to catch A Jarful of Stories on WSCL one day when I was idly sitting around in my room. I was expecting something more along the lines of a children's radio show at the mere title (perhaps I can be said to subscribe to the idea of judging a book by its cover, unfortunately).
    Much to my surprise, it was more than a mere children's show. I actually enjoyed listening to it and I commend you highly on the obvious effort and time you've put into these amusing stories.
    It is indeed refreshing to know that storytelling is not a lost art, after all.
    Thank you for the entertainment. Keep up the good work.

Sincerely, Brian    
Salisbury, Maryland