The Stars Were Brightly Shining

The Stars Were Brightly Shining

 

By Dr. Dimitri “FoxyProf” Lisavich

 

The precinct was nearly empty, most of the officers and support staff having left, either on patrol, or home to spend Christmas Eve with there families. Only a skeleton crew remained behind, to tend to essential functions. A skeleton crew, and Chief Bogo.

 

Bogo could have left hours ago. On any other night he would have, trusting in his subordinates to handle anything that came up, or call him in the event of a true emergency. But not tonight. Christmas Eve was different. Special.

 

Bogo had never been the most outgoing of mammals. He'd always been gruff, and years and the burdens of his position had only made him gruffer. But, for as much as he might say otherwise, that didn't mean he didn't care.

 

Bogo cared. Sometimes, Bobo cared too much. It's why he remained so standoffish. It wouldn't do to jeopardize an officer's career because of accusations of favoritism. And, there was the very real possibility that every time he sent one of his mammals out on patrol, they wouldn't come back. Better then, for everyone, if he stayed distant, aloof.

 

But not tonight. Tonight was the one night of the year he let sentiment bleed through. Because it was hard. By God, he knew that first hand. The Holidays were a time of cheer, true, but trouble didn't stop just because it was Christmas. It was never pleasant to have to deal with a robbery, or domestic dispute, or worse. And of course there were still the homeless, the addicted, the delinquents with no direction in life. They didn't disappear either. It all seemed to hit harder during this time, when giving and peace were brought to the forefront of the mind. The gulf between the world as it was and as it should be appeared vaster than ever.

 

That's why he did this, every Christmas Eve without fail. Because Bogo knew the stresses placed on his officers, and underneath his stoney exterior, he cared. He cared about all of them, from veterans like Higgins to newcomers like Hopps. As he finished tying another bow, crisp green ribbon around bright red paper, Bogo smiled. He even cared about that damn fox, nuisance that he could be.

 

Carefully, like he was handling fine china, Bogo gathered up the gifts he'd wrapped, and headed for the lobby. It wasn't much, not really. Just a few knicknacks he'd bought, nothing special. Even if he had tried to match each one to its recipient. But it was his way of showing that he cared.

 

Because ver the next few days, his officers would trickle in, coming back from Christmas dinners, and visits with families; back to a world of criminals and dealing with the worst mammals had to offer. And they'd find Bogo's gift, lovingly wrapped, waiting for them. To let them know that he understood. That he'd been there, and survived. It was a small thing, a small comfort. But sometimes that's all that was needed, to encourage someone. It always had had that effect on him, all those years ago when he'd been on the other end of this Yuletide ritual.

 

Setting his cargo down, under the tree in the corner, Bogo crossed the darkened lobby (Clawhauser having left hours ago, when the precinct closed to the public) and exited into the cold winter's night.

 

Come Monday, he'd be the same old, gruff, stoney Bogo he always was. But tonight? Whistling “O Holy Night” to himself, Bogo nodded to himself. Tonight was a special night.

 

As he passed a member of the Salivation Army, looking for last minute donations, Bogo slipped a one, and beneath it a twenty, into the deer's red kettle.  A night to show that he cared.

 

Bogo looked up, taking in the stars. They always seemed so bright this time of year. A night to let go of the burdens of command.

 

A night to believe that maybe, just maybe, next year really would bring peace on Earth, and goodwill to mammals.

 

 

 

~fin~