A Dream Come True

My favourite time of the year is just around the corner - Christmas!  I've been watching some Christmas documentaries and stories over telly together with the nuns - oh how I love those beautiful snow covered trees, snow clad mountains, snowmen, etc. etc.  

It had always been my dream to experience a white Christmas but of course that's nigh impossible living in the tropics.  The nuns had already put up the temple's old Christmas tree and it looked rather forlorn being more than ten years old but still, it did give the room a Christmassy feeling.

Head Nun looked at me and said, "Still dreaming of a white Christmas?"

I sighed and nodded sadly.

"Well, who knows, your dream may come true one day." said Head Nun.  "Just make a wish and your Fairy Catmother may hear you!"

I laughed.  "There's no such thing as a Fairy Catmother, Head Nun," I said.

Head Nun didn't say anything and went to bed.

For some reason or other, I couldn't sleep that night.  I tossed and turned but just couldn't fall asleep.  I recalled what Head Nun said about a Fairy Catmother - no, cats don't have Fairy Catmothers, or do they?  I suppose I wouldn't lose anything if I were to make a wish, so I closed my eyes and wished for a white Christmas.

Then moments later I heard a strange sound outside.  I thought it was raining, but then again, it didn't sound like rain.  I got up and looked out of the window.  I couldn't believe my eyes - it was actually snowing!  I jumped through the window and stood in the lawn in front of the temple.  All around me snow was falling!  I pinched myself several times to make sure it wasn't a dream.  The snow was still there! Soon it covered the trees and grass and parts of the temple.

"Oh my God," I gasped.  "Head Nun, Head Nun, you've got to see this," I yelled.  

I rushed back into the temple and shouted for the nuns to get up, but they were fast asleep.  So was Head Nun.

I ran back outside.  It was still snowing lightly. My heart was bursting with joy and I ran to sit under a snow covered tree.  The whole scene looked like it had come out of one of the Christmas documentaries I had seen.  My white Christmas at last!  

As I sat there blissfully, I started to chant "Om Mani Padme Hum". I didn't know how long I went on and I think I must have fallen asleep because when I opened my eyes, sunshine was already filtering through the branches of the trees.  All the snow had vanished.

Then I felt a tap on my shoulder.  It was Head Nun.

"Head Nun," I cried.  "You won't believe what happened last night ....."

"I know, I know," said Head Nun.  "You're a lucky cat.  I haven't seen snow since the day I left China and that was more than five decades ago."

"But...but...how did you know? I ran to wake you and the nuns but you were all fast asleep."

Head Nun smiled mysteriously and winked at me.  "When you get to be as old as I am, you'll know how I know."

"Well, it's all gone now," I said, looking sadly around me.

"No, it's not," said Head Nun. She bent and picked up something from my head.  "Look, it's a snow flake!"

"So it is," I shouted excitedly.  "Then it wasn't a dream, it did happen ...!  Do you think I have a Fairy Catmother after all?"

"Maybe," said Head Nun smiling.  "Now let's go back to the temple for our meditation."

I could hardly meditate.   I spent the rest of the day floating on Cloud 9.  My dream had come true at last!

Later that morning, unknown to Vege Cat, Head Nun and the nuns gathered in her room to make a phone call to a certain Mr.Goh.

"Hello, Mr.Goh?  Yes, this is Head Nun here.  I can't thank you enough for your kind deed last night.  You have made someone very, very happy.  It must have cost you a fortune to simulate all that snow and not charge us a single cent!  May the Lord Buddha bless you and your family, and thank you again very much."

And Vege Cat didn't find out about this until Head Nun went back to China a few years later and died peacefully there at the age of 102.