T'was the day after Christmas and all through the store people were hopping to great sales galore All the items were hung on the store racks with care in hopes that, with discount, they soon won't be there The children were there all running around looking for the new puppy or kitten they found the certificate for, right under the tree bought by mum, dad, aunt or grammy And I in my store vest, and Kate on the floor, had just started our shift at JumboPet Store. When out in the store there arose such a clatter Kate and I knew we had to get to the matter. Away to the front I ran with a dash, tore across the floor to see the front cash. The milling of crowds around poor old Joe, gave the look of a mob about to let go. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? All the pets we sold in the last month of the year. Each purchaser wanted to return and refund Get their money back, drop off 'Fluffy', and run. More rapid than eagles they filled up the cue, with parrots, puppies, kittens all new. Daxies and dobers, persians and sphinx, Amazons, angoras, rexes and minx! To the front of the store, they gave their call to cash away, stash away, dash away all. As Joe explained our livestock law, he found so met with that obsticle, they went to the pound. So many just, without narry a thought, a cute little animal present had bought. As I went back to the section marked "Small animal & bird" Down the aisle the screaming of kids was heard. And not just the kids, but the grown up folks too, these were sensible folks, who 'knew what to do', not for them was an animal "brought by Saint Nick" but they 'responsibly' bought it after right quick Their eyes, how they gleamed, their faces how harried Their hair was all mussed, they smelt of old sherry Each held a certificate, wrapped in a bow, many which I had sold Christmas Eve, without know. The stamping along the floor as they looked rattled each cage and toppled the books. Each plump little banshee, their sweet girls and boys were handling the lizards and turtles like toys The poor little creatures, when faced with these elves would bite or piddle, in spite of themselves. And a flick of the wrist and a turn of the head dropped the beast to the floor, which was my first dread. They screamed at the top of their lungs as they saw the perfect 'pet gift' of chin or macaw. And putting ther fingers right up their nose when seeing a puppy, this tumult rose. I sprang to the cash and the PA turned on, said "No sales today," to the rackus throng. And they heard me exclaim, as I shook my head, "Do you research, then adopt one instead." A little addendum to Clement Clarke Moore Please don't buy a holiday pet at my store. Please wait, and research, and do what's right Then we'll have a Happy Christmas, and all a Good Night. [Posted in FML issue 3643]