10-I'M TOO FOND OF MY TAIL!

I'M TOO FOND OF MY TAIL! I came back from the hospital with my paw in a CAST. I plopped down at my desk. OK, enough excitement for one day, I told myself. Just then, I glanced out the window I noticed a little old mouse down on the sidewalk, She was about to cross the Street right into the traffic! My fur stood on end. Cars and trucks raced by at BREAKNECK SPEED. She would be squashed for sure!

In a flash, I scurried outside. "Madame! Wait!" I called. "Let me help you cross the road!" She had already taken one step off the pavement. I stopped her in the nick of time. I gave her my paw (the one without the cast, of course) and helped her to the other side of the road. "Thank you, young mouse! Merry Christmas!" she MURMURED. "Merry Christmas to you, too, madame," I answered. I started walking back to the office. Then

I turned around to wave good-bye... and gasped. To my HORROR, she was crossing the street again! Once more, I threw myself back into the traffic. Taxis whizzed by me. A bus almost clipped my whiskers. A giant delivery struck blew smoke up my snout, I reached her just in time. "You should have told me you wanted to cross again," I said. I held up my paw to stop the traffic. Then I helped her to the side of the road again. "Thank you, young mouse! Merry Christmas she MURMURED once more. With a sigh of relief, I headed toward my office. But I stopped when I heard tires SCREECHING. A tractor trailer had SLAMMED on his brakes. Do you know why? That crazy old

mouse was crossing the street again! By now, I knew the routine. I threw myself back into the traffic. I saved her by the skin of her dentures. What did I get for my trouble? A medal? A ten-pound box of Cheesy Chews? A free massage at The Restful Rodent? No. My only reward was a broken tail covered with TIRED TRACKS. I stared at it in disbelief, Pain shot through my whole body. "Putrid cheese puffs!" I shrieked. The old mouse didn't seem to notice my pain. "Thank you, young mouse! And Merry Christmas!" she MURMURED. My eyes rolled back in my head. I was about to faint. The last thing I saw was the old lady crossing the street again. What a dreadful Christmas Eve!