HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

The barn awoke to the presence of fog. Now, fog wasn’t something that we saw here regularly. Annie wasn’t sure if she wanted to venture out. Just then, Jake stuck his head in the window…..
“BOO!!”
Annie jumped so high that she fell against the wall.
“JAKE!!!!!” Not funny at all.”
“What has got you so on edge this morning?”
“That fog. I can’t see what the fog is concealing. That makes me a little nervous.” answered Annie.
“That is like winter and summer.”
“What do you mean, Jake?”
“Annie, it is like this – when winter comes all the leaves have fallen making it easier to see. That is revealing. When summer comes the leaves return to the trees and they stop you from seeing as much. That is concealing.” replied Jake.
“I got it Jake.”
“Got what?” Joseph wanted to know.
“Concealing and revealing. Tell you when I come back. I will have to go and face my fear.”
“Oh, this is too much for my head this early in the morning.” Joseph whispered as he strolled off.

The day continued as it should, I guess.
Eugene came through the front door. He was on a mission.
“Going to the mailbox. Who wants to come?”
Before Eugene could say another word, Annie was at the door.
“Well, I guess I know who wants to go! Let’s take the cart this time, Annie.”
“Thank goodness I didn’t run to the door.”
“Why Joseph? Didn’t you want to go? asked Annie.
“Not when I found out the cart was going. That’s work.”
“JOSEPH!!!!!!!”

Havier came in for a drink when he saw Joseph walking up and down the fence. “What are you doing, Joseph?” “Watching for Annie to come back. They have been gone a long time.” “They might have met up with some of the neighbours, Joseph. Am I seeing another side of you?” “Maybe, Havier, but it doesn’t have to be front page news.” “Okay, Joseph, mum’s the word.”

Havier started walking back to join up with Jake.
“Havier, wait! I think I heard a voice. Maybe that’s them coming now.”
Joseph ran to the closest fence post to the road.
Joseph yelled at the top of his lungs
“HAVIER, THERE’S NO CART!!!!!”
Sure enough, when Havier took a look there was no cart! Just Eugene and Annie strolling up the road.
Jake came to join them as he could hear Joseph yelling from the pasture.
“Annie, what happened? Where’s the cart and the harness?” shouted Joseph.
“Down the road.”
“Come on Annie, what happened?”
“Wheel came off.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No, Jake, just a big embarrassed.”

It didn’t take Eugene long to pick up on the vibes when he said, “Annie, I am so proud of you when the wheel came off. You could have taken me into tomorrow by getting scared and running away. Okay girl, I have to go back and get the cart.” Eugene said as he patted Annie on the back.
“Annie, come and get a drink. You must be thirsty after that adventure. Come now and tell us.
“We were coming back from the mailboxes. I started to go a big faster as we were on the flat area. Everything was fine when suddenly, I found myself being pulled to the left toward the ditch. The only thing I knew was I wasn’t going in the ditch and having Eugene fall out of the cart and maybe hurting both of us. I stopped, gently lowering myself to the ground. I was as still as I could possibly be, allowing Eugene to get out of the cart, at the same time praying no one came along. He unfastened the cart first, then the harness, freeing me to stand up. He moved the cart further off the road and we started walking home.

“WOW! I guess your Guardian Angel was looking out for you today.” replied Jake.
“Joseph was worried about you when you were gone longer than usual.”
“Why do you say that, Jake?”
“I could hear him yelling so loud and calling your name from the big tree.”
“Oh Joseph, you were really wondering where we were!”
“Just a little bit.”

Annie walked over to Joseph giving him a rub against his face. At that moment, they could hear something coming up the road. Eugene was trying to balance the one-wheeled cart by placing himself between the shafts.

“Where is Leona at a time like this, with her camera? What a shoot that would be! I hope she has a cup of tea waiting for him at the house. He sure is going to need it.”
“She has.” answered Momma kitty as she had just come from the house.

After supper, Annie went over to Joseph and whispered in his ear, “You made me feel all warm inside today, Joseph. You must be my Guardian Angel.”
Joseph quickly changed the subject to conceal and reveal but as he was waiting for the answer, Annie had already drifted off to sleep.

Hi everyone! Hope you liked our story! Annie certainly put all she had learned to the test by staying calm. There might be a time you have to deal with something calmly. If Annie can do it, you can too. Be kind and help in your community when you can. Until next month, stay safe as well.

Annie, Joseph, Havier, Jake and the Cats