"That stinks, Bazooka." Cover Girl passed the paper to Lady Jaye who was standing beside her, bouncing up and down on her toes trying to read over Cover Girl's taller shoulder. "I mean it really stinks."
"Tell me about it." Bazooka made a sad face.
Lady Jaye's eyes quickly scanned the page Cover Girl had given her. Her face darkened. She handed the paper back to Bazooka without a word. Then, she sunk down on the couch next to Cover Girl.
All of a sudden, the colored lights twinkling on the tree in the corner didn't seem so bright, the decorations lost some of their cheer. Even the hot chocolate smelled watered down.
"Those poor kids," Cover Girl sighed. "That's worse than being stuck here for Christmas. Again." She made a face.
"I know." Lady Jaye drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I can't stop thinking about those kids."
Dusty looked up from the game of dominoes he was playing with Mutt to the girls' long faces. "What kids?"
Cover Girl sighed again. "Bazooka's—" she said. "He shared an email he had gotten from Taeko today. She told him about some of the kids who'd been caught in that Cobra quake last year in Hokkaido—"
"—From that time Flint and I had the job of leading the team to protect all those delegates in Tokyo," Lady Jaye interrupted.
Dusty nodded. "I remember."
"Well," Cover Girl continued. "A lot of damage was done—"
"—That quake registered an 8 on Richter scale," Lady Jaye informed him.
Cover Girl glared at her through narrowed eyes. "Who's telling this story?" she hissed. "Anyway," she shook her head slightly. "There was a lot of damage and loss. Some kids had their homes destroyed. Others lost a parent. A few even lost both parents." Cover Girl's eyes darkened angrily. "Taeko said the home where the orphans were living was having financial troubles. And now with winter coming on, well, the situation was getting worse. Taeko and her friends were doing all they could to help the poor kids but—" She clenched her fist and slammed it into a pillow angrily. "Oh, why is it always the littlest who are hurt the most by Cobra?" She wailed.
"Because Cobra never cares about anyone but themselves." Lady Jaye growled.
"Poor kids," Mutt said softly. "That's rough. Ain't it Junk." He fondled the dogs ears.
Junkyard whined softly.
"It kind of sounds like the story my grandad used to tell me," Dusty said.
"Your grandad?" Cover Girl looked at him.
"Yeah." Dusty looked a little embarrassed. "My grandad fought in WWII, in Japan. He was part of a regiment called the Wolfhounds—ferocious in battle, compassionate in peace—that was their motto." He smiled as if recalling some fond memory. "Well, after the war ended, grandad's infantry was asked to stick around, to help with cleaning up and so forth. On Christmas eve, a woman came to them, begging for help. Grandad said he and a dozen others from his infantry trundled through the snow covered streets of Osaka following her as she led the way. Though the war had ended, grandad said he had to wonder if he and his buddies were being led into some trap.
You see, Grandad had been embittered by the war, the fighting and the death. He had lost his purpose, his joy, and his hope in humanity.
But the woman was the real deal. She led them to a reeking and tumbling home for children who'd been orphaned by the war. Inside, grandad and the others found the home overcrowded with tiny, barefoot children with thin arms and legs sticking out from their ragged, too-small clothes."
"Wow, Dusty. That's terrible." Cover Girl's eyes were large and bright with unshed tears.
"I know." He nodded. "Grandad said his heart broke when he saw them. But he saw something else, too. Despite all that those kids had been through and all they had lost, there was a joy in them. And a trust. Their little dark eyes lit up when grandad and his buddies arrived. All they wanted to do was play, which grandad and his buddies happily obliged. Soon all of them were smiling and laughing together. Grandad told me he learned something from those kids that day, something he never forgot: two of the most powerful and healing things in this world are trust and joy."
Lady Jaye sniffed and grabbed a tissue. More Joes moved within earshot to hear the story, too. Footloose, Roadblock and Breaker circled behind the girls.
Dusty continued. "Grandad told me that when they went back to their regiment that night, he and the other guys took up a collection. They didn't have much—it was wartime and paychecks were small—but it was enough to buy some food and warm clothing for those kids. And they did it not just once, but over and over during the next several months. They bought food, clothing and toys to the kids, taking up collections after every payday. Because of that, grandad's infantry was given a new name. No longer known as the Wolfhounds, they became the "Gentle Wolfhounds."
"Good name," Bazooka, who had just joined them, said softly. More had gathered with him.
"Grandad always told me—" and Dusty lowered his voice in imitation "—Dusty, my boy, it don't matter what nation you come from, what color your skin, or what clothes you wear—as a soldier, you fight for what you believe in, and that's good and proper. But when it's over, remember we're all just people—and people help people. It's what puts the heart into you." Then Dusty's voice became his own, once more. "And he was right."
"Wow." Cover Girl smiled, wiping a tear from her eye. "That's a really beautiful story, Dusty. Truly."
"Yeah, man. Thanks for sharing," Footloose said, sniffling a little.
"It always feels good to share with others, doesn't it." Lady Jaye said softly. "I remember helping my parents deliver food and gifts to the needy every Christmas eve when I was a kid."
"I was a kid that received those Christmas time gifts," Breaker said. "Always looked forward to it, too."
Lady Jaye and Breaker shared a small smile.
Suddenly Lady Jaye sat up, her eyes shining. "Hey, why don't we?" She said excitedly.
"Why don't we what?" Cover Girl glanced at her suspiciously. Lady Jaye rarely got so excited about something.
"Why don't we help." Lady Jaye's eyes were bright. "We could take up a collection from the Joes and buy some food and warm clothes and toys, and then send them to Taeko for those kids for Christmas."
"Maybe we could get even permission to use a plane and take it to the kids ourselves," Wild Bill suggested.
"Yeah—" Others chimed in.
"Wait a second," Cover Girl started, looking around at all the excited faces. "You do remember what happened last time we tried to help kids at Christmas. Cobra minis and their Trojan rocking horse?" She frowned. "It was like some really badly written movie."
"Nope. I don't." Lady Jaye grinned. "I wasn't here. That was the first Christmas I spent with Flint and his family. We had leave."
Cover Girl rolled her eyes. "Well I was and I do remember. It was a disaster—totally embarrassing. All those toys—" she moaned. "And the poor kids didn't get get anything that year for Christmas. We rushed a second collection but it wasn't nearly as big as the first. The toys weren't delivered until almost the New Year." She shuddered. "It was awful letting them poor kids down."
"But why would it have to be a disaster again?" Lady Jaye asked, tucking her knees up under her in her eagerness.
"She's right." Mutt spoke thoughtfully. "I remember that crazy Cobra Christmas fake as well as you do, Cover Girl. But to be honest, Junk and I kind of had fun, too. It was the first time Christmas really meant something to me. I'd be willing to risk a second go round."
"Cover Girl, think of all those poor kids in Japan," Lady Jaye implored. "Besides, since it was Cobra that did the damage, aren't we kind of responsible, too?"
"Them kids that are sad, would be awfully glad." Roadblock added, patting Junkyard's head.
"And so would Bazooka." Dusty grinned.
"I would."
"Let's try, Cover Girl. Please." Lady Jaye begged.
"Oh, alright." Cover Girl gave in. "But no rocking horses."
"Absolutely no rocking horses." Lady Jaye laughed, crossing her heart. "I promise." Then she turned to the big man standing behind her. "Bazooka, let Taeko know."
"Okay."
"And ask her for what they need."
"Okay, Lady Jaye."
"I'm going to start on a collections," Lady Jaye said, unfolding her legs and rising to her feet.
"I'll start spreading the news," Cover Girl volunteered. "I'm sure there are other Joes that'd like to help out, too."
"Oh, this is gonna be so much fun," Lady Jaye hugged herself.
"Just think of all those happy little faces on Christmas morning!" Dusty laughed.
"I know, Dusty." Cover Girl smiled and then began to hum "Jingle Bells." Soon after, Lady Jaye joined in, singing softly. Then Roadblock added his rich baritone. The song ended and another voice began with "Deck the Halls." More voice began singing. The voices grew louder. Before long, the sound of happy Joes filled the rec room as Joes scampered around busily.
Mutt crouched down and scratched Junkyard's ear. "You know, pal, I think this is gonna be a good Christmas, after all."
Junkyard whined softly and licked his hand.
"Hey Mutt, c'mon, man," Footloose called. "We gotta go dig up some packing crates."
"Yup, Junk." Mutt's mustache curved with his smile. "This may even be the best Christmas ever."
Junkyard howled happily.
"Mutt, dude, shake a leg. I'm in the zone, man."
"Hey 'Loose, stop yanking my leash. Junk and I are coming," Mutt shouted as he scrambled to his feet.
"Merry Christmas, everyone!" Lady Jaye cried. She held a bucket as she walked among the Joes. Wallets were opened, bills and coins dropped inside. The bucket began to fill.
"Merry Christmas, Lady Jaye!" They said as she made her way through them.
Laughter and song filled the air. To everyone, the lights on the tree became brighter, the colors richer, the decorations cheerier.
A new song was beginning. Dusty listened as it grew in volume. Then, the familiar words took shape: "Joy to the World, the Lord is come…"
Joy. Dusty thought happily. That's what Christmas is all about.
Dusty looked at the Joes laughing and singing and working together. "Yup, grandad would definitely be proud," he smiled. "Merry Christmas Joes, every last one of you," he whispered.
Notes: The story of the "Wolfhounds," US soldiers with the 27th Infantry Regiment, is based on a true story. On a cold Christmas day in 1949, a dozen soldiers accompanied a Red Cross representative to the Holy Family orphanage in Osaka, Japan. The soldiers bought and gave gifts to the orphans there. That orphanage still exists, today. Now, 71 years later, the tradition continues. US soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the 25th Infantry Division stationed in Hawaii this year donated and wrapped and sent gifts to the children at the Holy Family Home in Japan.
I intertwined the true story with two Joe Sunbow episodes: Cobra CLAWS are Coming to Town, and Cobra Quake. One pet peeve I've always had was the unfinished story about Mutt in Cobra CLAWS...I wondered if his feelings about Christmas had changed. I attempted to address it here.
To the soldiers serving or who have served: Thank You. To those involved with Toys for Tots or similar: Thank You.
As Dusty's grandad would say: People help people and we're all people. Wherever you are, whoever you are with: Merry Christmas, Everyone!