ARCHIE AND RUDOLF

It was that time of the year. The weather had progressively become colder and settled around -5 degrees for the past three weeks. The wind was downright frosty yet oddly warming when the familiar scent of gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate wafted by. Not to mention the all-too-familiar sound of Christmas carols softly accompanying all the bustling and hustling people during their shopping sprees.

Around 3 kilometers or so away our favorite canine friend Archie was on his assignment. Yesterday evening the Hevaens above graced the land with a fresh coat of snow. Usually, Archie would remain inside in the warmth of his home, but today they were homing some visitors. Among them were two little rascals Nathan and Lila. Archie loved their company, especially during their playtime. 

Speaking of the latter, Archie was assigned to guard these two rascals for the afternoon. Well, to be more precise, he was assigned to be their sleigh man. Rather their Rudolf the reindeer. They even brought a red nose and a pair of antlers for him. He was dressed for the part and honestly enjoyed it too. 

His feet were crushing the soft snow as he bulldozed through the backyard of his home beelining it for the surrounding woods. The destination? The nearby Roowie Lake. 

“Faster, Rudolf!!” two high-pitched voices were shouting. Speeding up the pace, Archie realized his mistake a little too late as he did not manage to stop himself at the edge of the lake. 

From the more familiar snowy terrain, Archie and his two proteges took their sleighing pastime onto a more icy field. Though unplanned, the initial panic turned to joy when all realized the ice was thick enough to withhold. 

Navigating proved too difficult for Archie with the ice being too slippery. Deciding to head back, they were off the ice not too soon, when a magnificent reindeer appeared on the other side of the lake. 

A breathtaking picture it presented. Its antlers were a sight to see, magnificent it was in its glory. Its attitude left for some desire though. It appeared aggravated for some reason. Luckily a whole lake separated them from the reindeer. They decided even more distance would not do them harm. 

Taking one more glance at a real ‘Rudolf’, Archie and his two companions headed back home. Their elation started to dim the closer they got home, but never quite left them. After all, when will they encounter another ‘Rudolf’ again?

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Until next time!