Merry Christmas

Ahh, Christmas Eve mass. Perhaps the best place to be in a wheelchair.

The priest thought so. "Smart man, brought your on chair," he joked as he made his way through the crows.

Add in a service dog, and to the little kids I am like Brad Pitt and Claren is Angelina Jolie.

One kid walked by with her chin not quite touching her neck. She was staring mostly at me. Another kept running away from her dad to try to get to Claren. She never did. One little girl just kept looking at Claren. A little boy came back from Communion but would sit down because he was staring at Claren. And his grandma kept turning back and looking at Claren, too.

Older people think we are something else, too.

This guy came up to me before Mass, and he leaned in toward me. I swear I thought he was going to kiss me on the cheek. Instead he whispered: I'll say a prayer for you. He might have added and your dog, too, which would make sense because his wife came over and said she raised 10 guide dogs for the blind and how great it is to see the dogs out helping people.

My public! I love 'em.

P.S. As we were singing Away in a Manger tonight, I started giggling. I was remembering this SNL skit.