Merry ChristmasAnimals



My father made the mistake of promising us a pony when we moved. I hated to move, but my father's
job made it necessary for us to move a lot. Every three years or so he'd get a promotion and off we'd go.
All six of us kids hated it, and to placate us my dad would promise us some special thing. We were moving to Vermont, close to the country where we could have a pony of our own. I was only six but I had friends I would miss. It was also my birthday on Christmas. I asked so many times if I was getting a pony or not. Neither parent would really give me a definitive no. So I figured that meant yes! I picked a name for the pony, looked in catalogues at saddles and horse stuff. I planned how I would be the envy of all the kids, nice and nasty alike.
I was thrilled, a pony, a real pony of my own! It was all I could think about. From the time we moved in September to the week of Christmas I talked about my pony. My anticipation on Christmas Eve kept me awake late into the dark, snowy evening. Where was it, where did they hide it? I even thought I heard it neigh in the night. I looked out the window late and watched snow fall. It was beautiful. Pristine it covered my snow fort, our dried out garden and the tool shed became distant and fuzzy. The street lights cast a hazzy glow in the yard as I looked for my pony. Where was it?
Animals Merry ChristmasImage Ref: 01-36-55 - Shetland Pony, Viewed 13534 times


Then Christmas morning arrived and I ran down the stairs looked over the railing and...no pony.
I was so upset I cried. I didn't even see Little Blue until my older sister said she'd keep it if I didn't want it.
What! What did she say. Something she'd want that was mine?? I ventured to my side of the tree where my gifts were. It made me mad at first. All shiny, blue and chrome with a comfortable black seat, wide tires and a bell that rang when I pushed the lever. I'd never been on a bike and couldn't even ride her. She mocked me to try. I kicked her. She didn't feel it but darn my toe did. Not only was it not a pony, shoot I had to learn to use it. I took me awhile, but no way was I gonna use the darn training wheels. Pissed that it wasn't my beloved pony I decided it was about time. I went for broke!

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One day I mastered it.A couple of feet, then yards, then I was making it, I was moving, I was riding my bike!  And then all of a sudden I was flying down the road on Little Blue! The wind in my hair and my legs pumping away I was free. I could go so much further on Little Blue then I could walking. It opened up new things for me. The library, where I could read all I wanted to. The park, where I could swing to the top and almost go over without tipping over the swingset! Slides, big huge slides, hot in the summer they burned your legs in shorts and cold in winter they chilled you into goosebumps. Though I parked her in the garage every evening I wiped her down just so she'd stay nice and shiny. I got good at it, I got a bit cocky, I craved speed!
Me and Little Blue did tricks, I could stand on her seat. Ride the fender and still pump the pedals and even ride backwards. I pretended I rode the back of my pony just like in the circus. I finally had a friend that never let me down.The big tires trudged through snow, were steady in rain and fast on the road when I wanted to be. It was the mini version of a convertible with the top down.And to think at first I hated her.Clipart: Little Girl Riding Her Bike

never got the pony, but I never forgot Little Blue. My first taste of flying free had two wheels instead of four legs. But she was my pony for sure...
I hope you all get a pony for Christmas!

Merry Christmas

15 comments

  1. Beth Trissel // December 24, 2010 at 8:42 PM  

    I really enjoyed your Christmas pony memory Mary. Wonderful story. I guess we all have those Christmas's where we didn't get the 'ponies' we wanted either, but found other blessings. Great moral here. Still, reach for the stars and I hope we get that pony too.

  2. Judith Keim // December 25, 2010 at 1:11 PM  

    Loved your story, Mary! I could just see you pedaling down to the library, the wind in your hair. Funny how sometimes when things don't seem to work out, they turn out even better. You didn't have all the work of caring for a horse!! LOl..Merry Christmas and Happy, Happy Birthday!

  3. Mona Risk // December 25, 2010 at 4:51 PM  

    Mary, I am so glad you enjoyed your Little Blue. A bicycle is quite a Christmas present. For years, I wished and asked for a bicycle and never got it. Mom was too afraid I could have an accident. Dad said he couldn't afford it. Happy Birthday.
    www.monarisk.blogspot.com

  4. Maeve Greyson // December 25, 2010 at 5:15 PM  

    Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Mary!! I hope your special day is filled with wonderful surprises - or at least surprises that turn out to be wonderful just like Little Blue. You're the best and you deserve all your wishes granted.

    :-)

  5. Barbara Monajem // December 25, 2010 at 6:33 PM  

    LOL. What a sweet story, Mary. Merry Christmas!

  6. Alyssa Maxwell // December 25, 2010 at 8:51 PM  

    What a wonderful Christmas story, Mary, and a good lesson - sometimes we don't know what we really want until we get it. By the way, when I was a teenager I wanted a horse more than anything. I rode, but I never got one of my own. Probably a good thing. I had no idea then how much work goes into owning a horse, or the expense.

  7. Alyssa Maxwell // December 25, 2010 at 8:53 PM  

    I almost forgot - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY! Hugs and kisses!

  8. Mary Marvella // December 25, 2010 at 10:17 PM  

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARY! Loved the blog. It was so perfect for Christmas Day!

  9. Linda Swift // December 25, 2010 at 10:31 PM  

    Happy Birthday, Mary. My grandmother was bornon Christmas Eve, and she said no one gave her birthday presents, so I tried to make the birthday special for her. I hope someone does this for you. And I loved your story. I was with that little girl all the way, expecting the pony and being disappointed. But I'm glad the story had such a happy ending for you. Linda

  10. Mary Ricksen // December 25, 2010 at 11:19 PM  

    I knew lots of little girls wanted a pony for Christmas! I made do with Little Blue. But I still want the pony today!
    I coulda taken lessons, maybe I wouldn't have wrecked my back riding slightly wild horses!
    Wouldn't one of those miniature horses be great? Can't ride anymore it would kill me! Ha! But I could treat it like my dog!

  11. Margaret Tanner // December 26, 2010 at 4:21 AM  

    Hi Mary,
    Great Christmas story. I'm glad you got the bike, it wouldn't need as much upkeep as the pony.

    Merry Christmas

    Margaret

  12. Unknown // December 26, 2010 at 8:32 AM  

    Mary--what a darling story! I always wanted a bike but never got one. Never got a pony, either, but I didn't ask for one of those. A bike? Yes, I asked and asked, but got a doll every Christmas until I was 12. I'm glad you liked your bike! It's so much easier to care for than a pony.
    Lincoln Stephens--a writer and one of the "muckrakers" of the 30's has a wonderful story in his autobiography titled "A Miserable Merry Christmas," about when he was ten and asked for a pony. I wish you could read it.
    Merry Christmas--love you--Celia

  13. Jianne Carlo // December 26, 2010 at 7:41 PM  

    What a great post Mary! Funny how what you want can turn out to be so different from what you need.

    Did you get my email with the viking and Lucifer? I put a return receipt on it but never heard from you.

    Hope your Christmas was wonderful,

    Jianne

  14. Josie // December 29, 2010 at 2:16 PM  

    Mary,
    Thanks for sharing such a sweet story. What little girl wouldn't want a pony for Christmas? Your bike sounded like such fun! And---Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

  15. P.L. Parker // December 29, 2010 at 8:29 PM  

    What a great story. Sorry it took me so long to get over here to check it out, but it was wonderful. I think a lot of us dreamed of a pony for Christmas. My Grandpa finally traded a motorcycle for a Shetland for all the grandkids. That pony was the meanest little devil. He'd roll on you or rub you against the barb wire fence or buck the rider off. Not what we had envisioned.