Ahem?
I said...* AHEM?
Thank you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Message Goat speaking. I have an announcement to make regarding a sad event which happened near Bohemian Road Nurse's beloved Podunk.
As you all know, Belinda, Bo's best friend who is pregnant, also has a very dear and precocious 5-year old child who (much to the child's chagrin) Bo calls "Little Bunny Foo-Foo" (who is the light of Bo's life) (next to her own niece, of course.)
(Foo-Foo is rather outspoken in her precociousness. One time Bo couldn't control herself and hollered out at Foo-Foo in a McDonald's parking lot the following phrase: "Little Bunny Foo-Foo is my FAVORITE kid in the whole wide world next to Auntie Bo's niece!" Apparently, Bo has made that embarassing statement quite a few times because Foo-Foo hollered back politely: "I know, Auntie Bo...")
Anyway, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Message Goat digresses. On with the reason for my announcement.
The reason for my announcement is a very serious and heartbreaking matter. It seems that one of Little Bunny Foo-Foo's classmate's house suddenly burned down, leaving the entire family with absolutely NOTHING.
NOTHING.
The two children, a five-year old and a three-year old, barely got out of the house wearing only their flimsy jammies--- and no shoes.....
Thus, Bo and Belinda are going to join the just-organized effort to help this family. The school sent a letter to the parents giving notice that the children most need clothes...and toys. (And this information caused Bo many bitter and painful tears as she can't abide the thought of a young child being without clothes and toys---and especially being without one single toy....)
What's worse is that this disaster happened in a very small town about 7 miles away from Podunk---a town so small and poor that most of its citizens are pretty poverty-stricken and have very little to give. The Podunk region is mostly a depressed region with a low salary/wage base, and most people here live paycheck-to-paycheck with no health insurance or much in the way of belongings.
But the generous and helping spirit of humanity lives strongly within the local churches and school community---and so a collection request has gone out.
Thus, Bo and Belinda went shopping together on Friday after work, to Walmart, to buy the children some things. They each bought the little girls some shorts and tops sets, with some packages of panties and socks. Bo also bought the two children each a "baby doll" with clothes and accessories.
(In fact, Bo liked the toy department so much that Belinda practically had to physically drag her out of there. Because... uh...Bo is rather well-known for her child-at-heart personality--- and would actually play with toys herself if this behavior would not cause her friends and relatives to commit her to the looney bin....)
Anyway, when Bo mentioned this tragic story to her sister (who was up at their mother's home for the weekend), both Bo's sister and mother immediately donated generous cash donations, enabling Bo and Belinda to plan another shopping trip to Walmart for Tuesday!
And then....Bo's sister handed her something else....
It was an envelope.....and it was from Bo's niece, who is a college student at Texas Women's University. Inside was her donation for the children. And this gift again caused Bo much tears---this time tears of joy--- because of the heartfelt spirit in which it was given.
Bo's niece is a college student---and everybody knows that college students are usually broke, not having a whole lot of cash themselves. In fact, Bo's niece goes to college 5 days a week and then works very hard for minimum wage all weekend long at a video store. For her to give such a cash gift had to hurt her pocketbook. But she gave it immediately, without hesitation, for two small children who she doesn't even know.
And so, the love of one light of Bo's life flows to the classmate of Bo's "other" light of her life--- and Bo's heart overflows with happiness.
And you will find Bo and Belinda again at Walmart, Tuesday after work, shopping for the children.
(And Bo is already anticipating the thrill of going to the toy department again.....)
Your Message Goat will provide further information on this issue as it develops.
Thus, that is all for tonight. As usual, snacks and alfalfa hay will be served in the back pasture after this meeting.
Oh yes, and one more thing..... Bo asked your Message Goat to remind everybody to hug their loved ones and tell them how much they are loved every day.....
* * * *
Words to the kiddie song:
"Little Bunny Foo Foo"
(Written By: Unknown, Copyright Unknown)
Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest,
Scooping up the field mice,
And boppin' 'em on the head...
Down came the good fairy and she said "Little Bunny Foo Foo,I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you three chances, and if you don't behave I'll turn you into a goon!"
The next day:
Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest,
Scooping up the field mice,
And boppin' 'em on the head,
Down came the good fairy and she said "Little Bunny Foo Foo,I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you two more chances, and if you don't behave I'll turn you into a goon!"
The next day:
Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest,
Scooping up the field mice,
And boppin' 'em on the head...
Down came the good fairy and she said "Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I'll give you one more chance, and if you don't behave I'll turn you into a goon!"
The next day:
Little Bunny Foo Foo,
Hopping through the forest,
Scooping up the field mice,
And boppin' 'em on the head...
Down came the good fairy and she said "Little Bunny Foo Foo, I don't want to see you scooping up the field mice and boppin' 'em on the head. I gave you three chances and you didn't behave. Now you're a goon!
POOF!!
The moral of the story is:
HARE TODAY, GOON TOMORROW
*
12 comments:
so is there a paypal address to which donations can be sent?
Those poor kids, they'll be frightened now that whatever house they're in will burn down again. The trouble with this kind of total destruction of property is not the big things that go, like the washing machine, the fridge and the television; it's the little things, the mementos, the keepsakes, Granddad's watch, the photographs. And for children, it'll be a favourite teddy bear that they've slept with all their life.
I hope that family are soon back on their feet.
It's a good job I wasn't drinking Chockymoo when I came to the punchline of the tale. Have you told it to Belinda? Or was she the one that told it to you?
That's very generous of you, Taueret---but no, there's no paypal adderss or anything. We're going to try to do this locally. Hopefully we'll get enough donations to get them fixed up, and we're going to see if the church can work with local furniture companies to try and get them furniture.
And you're right Deacon Barry, there's no replacing the sentimental things. (That little child's song is one that I remember from a zillion years ago--I had to sing it to Foo-Foo first and I think she only allows me to call her Foo-Foo because she likes the song's story...)
Tell you what, see what you can do locally, then let us all know what's missing, and I'm sure we'd help "fill in" ... poor kids!
At least no one was hurt, thank heaven!
Count me in with Taueret and Beth. That kind of thing breaks my heart.
~RWS
Count me in too. If the local Texans can't gather it all up, then we get to pitch in too!
You guys are the greatest!!!! Thank you so much for your kind offers! Hopefully our local effort will get them all the stuff they need, and they'll be able to find a new place to live. (Right now they're living with family.) Everybody's so glad that nobody was hurt, thank goodness.
You guys are all so good and kindhearted that it gets me all choked up---you make the world a better place---and please know that I think about you guys all daily, and you're all in my constant prayers.
I love the bunny foo-foo story. When I lived in hawaii I took care of a Samoan lady and her family was all camped out in the rom one morning when I went in and siad I was going ot give her a bath and foo-foo her up. Well honey every one of those big Samoans came up off the floor. Seems in Samoan foo-foo means isexual intercourse and I had just todl thier Granny I was gonna f*** her! OOPS!!!!
Count me in too, please. Poor little kids--getting your world yanked out from under you is so scary; you never quite feel safe again. Can we knit them blankies or anything?
Thank you guys, all, for the offers of help---but I think we've got it covered, yaaaaay!!! The donations have continued to come in to the school, both cash and material goods, and Belinda and I made our second shopping trip to Walmart. We got clothes for the children for the current season---and even some heavier jeans and jackets in larger sizes for when the weather gets cooler at the end of the summer. We got shoes, too, and more panties and socks. And we got some hair-ties and barrettes since both children have long hair and wear it in pony-tails. We got toys and everything! (I had the most fun in the toy department---aren't the Barbie dolls the absolute COOLEST?---I picked out this one Barbie with a lime-green purse and thought it was the neatest thing I'd ever seen...) It was a blast getting the stuff---Belinda's 5-year old "rode the buggy" the whole way as we careened up and down the aisles of Walmart, hanging on for dear life, and we had the greatest time picking stuff for the children. And the school said that the church is helping with the adult stuff. The church is also helping organize donations of furniture. Belinda told me that the teacher said that the parents were overwhelmed with the response---and so we think it's going to be alright and that we've got enough stuff. But I sure do thank you guys SO MUCH, EVERYBODY, for your generous offers!---it makes my heart swell with happiness to know that you guys were so quick to offer help. Thank you so much! (I wish you all lived here in Podunk....)
Please keep us posted, Bo, and don't hesitate to let us know if you fall short of your goal.
~RWS
Count me in if they need something else.
MJ
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