Happy Valentines Day

Uncle Wiggly did not simply hop across

Uncle Wiggly did not simply hop across

the room. He sealed the chamber. With a

the room. He sealed the chamber. With a

swift turn of the latch, he closed the

swift turn of the latch, he closed the

door of his hollow stump bungalow,

door of his hollow stump bungalow,

drawing a veil over whatever sacred work

drawing a veil over whatever sacred work

lay upon the table. The air itself

lay upon the table. The air itself

seemed to hold its breath. Nurse Jane

seemed to hold its breath. Nurse Jane

Fuzzy Wuzzy approached down the hall,

Fuzzy Wuzzy approached down the hall,

her paws soft but suspicious.

her paws soft but suspicious.

Well, now that's peculiar," murmured the

Well, now that's peculiar," murmured the

Muskrat lady, narrowing her eyes as she

Muskrat lady, narrowing her eyes as she

watched him pull a cloth over a hidden

watched him pull a cloth over a hidden

object. Wiggy, are we preparing for

object. Wiggy, are we preparing for

heroics again? Foiling mischief?

heroics again? Foiling mischief?

Delivering justice. Nothing so

Delivering justice. Nothing so

theatrical, said the rabbit gently,

theatrical, said the rabbit gently,

adjusting the cover so not even a

adjusting the cover so not even a

whisper of what lay beneath could be

whisper of what lay beneath could be

seen. This is confidential. Nos Jane

seen. This is confidential. Nos Jane

glanced at the calendar.

glanced at the calendar.

February 14th. She smiled though she

February 14th. She smiled though she

said nothing. Ah, a devotion disguised

said nothing. Ah, a devotion disguised

as secrecy. She thought and returned to

as secrecy. She thought and returned to

her duties. Letting the dishes bathe in

her duties. Letting the dishes bathe in

their morning ritual. Inside the room,

their morning ritual. Inside the room,

Uncle Wiggly tied gold string with

Uncle Wiggly tied gold string with

ceremonial care. He murmured to himself

ceremonial care. He murmured to himself

like a monk illuminating a manuscript.

like a monk illuminating a manuscript.

I hope she feels it, he whispered. The

I hope she feels it, he whispered. The

intention matters most. Earlier he had

intention matters most. Earlier he had

ventured into the forest not for

ventured into the forest not for

spectacle but for something hidden

spectacle but for something hidden

beneath frost and fallen leaves. Now had

beneath frost and fallen leaves. Now had

tilted at an angle that betrayed inner

tilted at an angle that betrayed inner

tremors. Rheumatism crutch inverted like

tremors. Rheumatism crutch inverted like

a staff of authority. He slipped out

a staff of authority. He slipped out

into the woods carrying a small box. The

into the woods carrying a small box. The

February light thinned through the

February light thinned through the

trees. He brushed aside snow and decay

trees. He brushed aside snow and decay

with the end of his crutch, searching,

with the end of his crutch, searching,

searching not just for blossoms, but for

searching not just for blossoms, but for

timing. At last he found them, trailing

timing. At last he found them, trailing

our beautus. Pale pink and white flowers

our beautus. Pale pink and white flowers

pressed low against the earth, surviving

pressed low against the earth, surviving

where others would not. He lifted them

where others would not. He lifted them

with reverence, "Yes," he whispered.

with reverence, "Yes," he whispered.

"These endure!" The box white birch bark

"These endure!" The box white birch bark

shaped by his own paws was filled with

shaped by his own paws was filled with

evergreen sprigs. Sycamore seed buttons

evergreen sprigs. Sycamore seed buttons

and the hidden blossoms of early spring

and the hidden blossoms of early spring

a quiet testament a living heart. Then

a quiet testament a living heart. Then

he heard it crying not the freckled girl

he heard it crying not the freckled girl

of former chapters. Another child sat

of former chapters. Another child sat

upon a fallen log sobbing with that

upon a fallen log sobbing with that

unmistakable ache that comes when love

unmistakable ache that comes when love

cannot afford to express itself. I don't

cannot afford to express itself. I don't

have money for a Valentine, she cried.

have money for a Valentine, she cried.

Everyone else will give teachers

Everyone else will give teachers

something. She think I don't care, but I

something. She think I don't care, but I

do. Uncle Wiggly stood very still. In

do. Uncle Wiggly stood very still. In

his paws rested the offering meant for

his paws rested the offering meant for

nurse Jane. He looked at the box, then

nurse Jane. He looked at the box, then

at the girl. This is the pivot, he

at the girl. This is the pivot, he

thought. The unseen test. Without

thought. The unseen test. Without

further debate, he wrapped the box once

further debate, he wrapped the box once

more, tightened the gold string, and

more, tightened the gold string, and

stepped forward. When the girl saw him

stepped forward. When the girl saw him

silk hat, striped crutch. Pink nose

silk hat, striped crutch. Pink nose

glowing like a minor constellation, she

glowing like a minor constellation, she

gasped. Enluigi promised this to his

gasped. Enluigi promised this to his

lips. Not silent sanctity, some gestures

lips. Not silent sanctity, some gestures

cannot survive explanation.

cannot survive explanation.

He placed the box beside her, and

He placed the box beside her, and

departed as softly as he had arrived.

departed as softly as he had arrived.

Inside the girl found evergreen sprig

Inside the girl found evergreen sprig

symbols of constancy. Sycamore seeds

symbols of constancy. Sycamore seeds

reminders of quiet cycles. And at the

reminders of quiet cycles. And at the

center the fragile areutus blossoms

center the fragile areutus blossoms

flowers that bloom beneath the weight of

flowers that bloom beneath the weight of

snow. There was a verse written on burp

snow. There was a verse written on burp

bark. These twigs of cedar like me are

bark. These twigs of cedar like me are

evergreen for you. The blossoms whisper

evergreen for you. The blossoms whisper

your valentine so true. Her tears dried.

your valentine so true. Her tears dried.

At school the teacher marveled. The

At school the teacher marveled. The

loveliest Valentine I have ever seen,

loveliest Valentine I have ever seen,

she said and meant it. Meanwhile, Uncle

she said and meant it. Meanwhile, Uncle

Wiggle returned to his bungalow. He did

Wiggle returned to his bungalow. He did

not search again for our butus. Some

not search again for our butus. Some

offerings are meant to be surrendered

offerings are meant to be surrendered

only once. Instead, he norded a small

only once. Instead, he norded a small

square of birch bark and wrote with a

square of birch bark and wrote with a

charred stick, "Dear Nurse Jane, this is

charred stick, "Dear Nurse Jane, this is

my Valentine. I love you, Uncle Wiggly."

my Valentine. I love you, Uncle Wiggly."

simple, direct, undisguised.

simple, direct, undisguised.

When nurse Jane found it upon the step,

When nurse Jane found it upon the step,

she did not measure its extravagance.

she did not measure its extravagance.

She measured its truth. "You did right,"

She measured its truth. "You did right,"

she told him when he confessed the

she told him when he confessed the

woodland encounter. "You chose the

woodland encounter. "You chose the

higher devotion." And so they went to

higher devotion." And so they went to

the moving pictures together too quiet

the moving pictures together too quiet

conspirators who understood that the

conspirators who understood that the

most powerful magic is not spectacle but

most powerful magic is not spectacle but

sacrifice.

sacrifice.

And if the electric light does not

And if the electric light does not

resent the dark that feeds it coal, you

resent the dark that feeds it coal, you

shall next hear of Uncle Wiggly and the

shall next hear of Uncle Wiggly and the

bad dog. Thanks for listening.

bad dog. Thanks for listening.