Trooper Merriam's Christmas Wish

Carl and Wilson were soaring high over Amity Road, heading for the airport in search of Clementine and Ernie. Calliope had allowed Clementine to go in search of the answer to her important question, and she sent her with the biggest horse in Bethany to protect her, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to keep an eye on her little filly. So, she sent the resident Locket's Meadow crows to keep tabs. As everyone knows, when you go from one place to another "as the crow flies," it's a much faster trip.

So, Carl and Wilson soared over Verab's Greenhouses and Billy's Ice Cream before quickly spying the pair of horses heading down Amity Road going towards Woodbridge and away from home.

"Dudes!" Carl called out as he dove in for a landing, skidding to a halt on Ernie's back. "Dudes, where are you going? Aren't you supposed to be heading home?"

Ernie turned to look at Carl just as Wilson slid in for a landing behind him, bumping Carl up against Ernie's neck.

"Do I look like Bradley International Airport?" Ernie asked.

"I've seen smaller landing strips than your back," Wilson replied.

Clementine, who was walking on the grass next to Ernie, giggled.

"Hi Carl! Hi Wilson!" she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Espionage," Wilson whispered.

"What?" Clementine asked.

"Spying," Wilson said.

"Spying on who?" Clementine asked.

"Well, you, actually," Wilson said. "Your mom sent us to make sure you're OK. But you're heading away from home. What's that all about?"

"Yeah, well, Dude, if you're doing espionage, it's supposed to be a secret, and crash-landing on my back kinda takes away from the cloak-and-dagger effect," Ernie said.

"That's cool, that's cool, I can relate," said Carl, "I hear ya. But we decided the quickest way to find out why you're going the wrong way was to drop in and ask you."

"Yeah, you know, kinda doin' the 'as the crow flies' kinda espionage," Wilson said, "go straight from point A to point B."

"We're going to Bethany Town Hall," Ernie said.

"Why?" Carl asked.

"Because Arnold Riley said that maybe Trooper Merriam would know the answer to my question," Clementine said. "Don't the police know everything?"

"Yeah, little dudette, that's exactly what we're afraid of," Carl said, glancing over his shoulder. "Well, do you know how to get there?"

"Of course," Ernie replied. "Town hall is at the end of the parade route, and I march to it every Memorial Day."

"Cool," Wilson said. "Hey, we'll fly on ahead real quick and see if Trooper Merriam's car is there. We'll be right back!"

And off Carl and Wilson flew before anyone could say anything.

"I didn't think of that," Clementine said. "What if he's not in his office?"

"Don't worry," Ernie said. "Town hall if filled with all kinds of smart people. If the state trooper isn't there, you can ask someone else."

So Ernie and Clementine went on their way, past the state trooper barracks and Dick Farrell Feeds, then up the hill towards the churches before the crows finally returned and slammed back down onto Ernie's back.

Carl was carrying a piece of silver garland in his mouth, and Wilson had a few strands of tinsel wrapped around his right foot.

Carl dropped the garland on Ernie's back and said, "Dudes, close call at town hall!"

"What did you do now?" Ernie asked.

"Just don't go through the front doors unless you have an exit strategy," Wilson said, "and that's all I'm sayin' 'bout that!"

Clementine giggled, then said, "Do you think it's OK if I go in?"

Ernie answered, "If your plan is to destroy the Christmas display in the lobby, than probably not. If you're just going in to ask a question, it should be safe."

"Yeah, dudes, like the entire yoga class came running out of the gym and attacked us," Carl said. "So much for yoga dudettes being pacifists."

"Don't you think you should go tell Calliope what we're doing before she starts to worry?" Ernie said.

"Yeah, you're right," Wilson said. "Let's go tell the little mama her baby is fine and still on a mission!"

And Carl picked up his piece of garland and off they flew, as the crow flies, back to Locket's Meadow.

"Just a little further," Ernie said. "Let me know if you get tired and we'll rest."

"I'm not tired at all!" Clementine said, and they turned right at the old firehouse and walked up the hill towards Bethany Town Hall.

When they got to the front of the building, Ernie stopped.

"This is it, Little Girl," he said. "You have to go in by yourself. I can't fit through the doorway, and my feet are too big to go up the steps. But I'll be right here if you need me."

Clementine was nervous about going by herself, but her need to find the answer to her question was much greater than her fear, so she nodded and took a deep breath. Someone was walking towards the glass doors from inside the building.

"Here's your chance," Ernie said. "Head on in when they open that door to come out."

Clementine trotted quickly up the steps before she could think about it too much and when the door opened she politely said, "Excuse me!" and scooted past the slightly surprised tax collector, Dave Foreman, who was just running out to Steven's Deli to get an egg sandwich.

"But of course," Mr. Foreman mumbled, then turned to see a gigantic Shire standing guard at the bottom of the stairs.

"First crows, now horses," he said. "Only in Bethany," he shrugged, and walked to his car.

Clementine walked into the lobby where a group of people in yoga clothes were picking up strings of garland and chunks of fake, fluffy snow and returning them to the trees that Clementine assumed had at one time been neatly decorated.

"Excuse me," Clementine said. "Can someone tell me where the State Trooper's office is?"

One of the ladies pointed up the stairs to the left. "Up there, to the end of the hall on the right," she said. "Would you like me to get the door for you?"

"Please," the little filly replied, trying hard to remember all her manners.

"Be careful of the broken ornaments," the woman said, and walked up the stairs with Clementine and pushed open the door.

"Thank you," Clementine said, and walked down the hall looking in each room for the state trooper. The people in the town clerk's office seemed a little surprised to see a filly go past their door, but being Bethany, they were used to unusual things happening with animals, so they all dropped their heads and went back to their work.

Near the end of the long hallway, on her right, Clementine finally saw Trooper Merriam through an open door. She peeked in.

"Excuse me, Trooper Merriam," Clementine said. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Clementine?" Trooper Merriam said as he looked up from his desk. "Are you OK? What are you doing so far from home?"

"It's fine," she replied. "Ernie came with me. He's waiting outside. Arnold Riley told me you might know the answer to my question."

"What question would you come all the way here for?" Trooper Merriam asked.

"I need to know if Christmas wishes really come true," Clementine said. "Mr. Riley and Mr. Dzikas seem to think so, but I need to know for sure."

"That's a tough one," the state trooper said, and thought for a moment. "Hmm . . . well, I can tell you a little story about a wish of mine that came true. Maybe that will help."

"OK!" Clementine said and walked right up to his desk and stood waiting.

"For as long as I can remember I have always loved dogs," Trooper Merriam started. "When I was young, my older brother and I would go to the animal shelter all the time.  I remember every holiday and birthday begging my parents for a dog and every year they would say no. One year in particular stands out from the rest. My brother and I went to the pound and there was this black Newfoundland Labrador. Someone had brought him there because he was abandoned and his back leg was broken. He was so playful and beautiful; I knew I had to have him. My brother was old enough to adopt him from the pound, so we brought him home. We knew once my mother saw him it would be love at first sight."

"I brought the dog home just before Christmas and gave him to my mom," he continued. "My mom was so mad, she said, 'Wait till your dad gets home!' Well, my dad got home from work, saw the dog and said, 'What a great dog'! He was the best dog we ever owned. I finally had my holiday wish," he said with a big grin, "and my mom said she got Bubkis for Christmas that year."

Clementine giggled. "Your wish came true!"

"The best wish I ever made," he replied.

"So do you think they all come true?" Clementine asked.

"I think so, but I can't be sure," Trooper Merriam replied. "You may have to ask someone more important than I am. I saw Judith Yale in her office on my way in," he added. "She's the probate court's assistant and she's married to the judge. You could ask her, she's very smart."

"Where is she?" Clementine asked.

"Just go back down the hall on the right," Trooper Merriam said.

"Thank you," Clementine said. "I'm really, really glad you got your dog."

"Me, too," he smiled, then added, "and watch out . . . we had two crazy crows in here a little while ago and we had a devil of a time getting them out."

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