Olive the Noodle Eating Dog
by
Thomas L. Dynneson
T'was the day before Christmas and the world was at rest Olive was up around patrolling the house.
Phil was in the kitchen and was ready to cook one of our favorites dishes a pot of traditional noodles done by the book.
The ingredients were simple so not much to do, they included a few eggs, salt, flour and turkey broth in a cup or two.
Now Olive has a long reach. She loves the family and is easy to teach.
She is a bit of tall girl, maybe six foot tall, if she should stand up against you or the kitchen wall.
Olive is polite and does what she is told, comes when you whistle even when it's cold.
In the kitchen Phil was rolling out a great measure of dough soon to be dried and cooked in a kettle on the new stove.
Before long the noodles were cut and could be dried, they were placed on four large pans and were set aside.
Lindie said to Philip "let's tale a ride to the store, there is nothing to hide and Olive will guard the dish that you pride".
After an hour we retuned to the house, we noticed that Olive was still as a mouse. Oh what a good girl we all proclaimed! She's such a lady and quite a good dame never to be blamed!
Then from the kitchen I heard quite a shout, it came from Phil who was looking about. "Where are my noodles my favorite dish!" "There not in the kitchen, there not in the hall, there not on the table or out in the hall!"
The noodles are in the dining room " I seem to recall! Oh good! called Phil, I'll hide them away. Silence then fell over the house you might say.
Four pans of noodles were gone in a twinkling one long noodle was all that was left. Lindy exclaimed it must be a robber or a thief from the street. It couldn't be Olive she is too sweet.
Olive appeared so content her stomach was bulging and for a minute I could swear she gave us a wink and a smile.
In our dismay we sat in disbelief how could our Olive be such a thief.
Thirty minutes later Phil turned with a jerk and whipped up another order of noodles without the blink of an eye.
After all it was Christmas so no need to fret over lost noodles or even a pumpkin pie.
Olive had her Christmas early this year. We laughed more than we cried on that wonderful day. Next year well guard the noodles all right and Olive wont be out of our sight.