Happy New Year From The Owl Council
The Owl Council had gathered together for another celebration of the year turning over. It was something they had always done, ever since they could remember really, and their forefathers had been doing the same before them ever since the beginning of having years.
The Owl Council currently consisted of Wallace and Daphne, the two senior members, and Morris, the young rogue whipper-snapper who had some fresh ideas and wanted to make some changes around here.
Each year the Council would gather together to determine when to declare a New Year for the rest of the Forest. The Animals trusted the Owl Council to know when a new year began and they all waited enthusiastically for the announcement which officially kicked off all the festivities that went along with marking the passage of time.
“Well, what do you guys say,” Wallace began the meeting, “Should we just say the New Year starts today?”
“That’s fine by me,” Daphne began, “There’s supposed to be a big storm coming in this weekend we might as well declare a New Year now, or the storm will mess things up and folks won’t like that.”
“Hold on, hold on, just one minute,” Morris interjected, “The New Year either starts when it starts or we scrap the whole idea! I tried last year to get the whole concept canceled and you railroaded me then, how come we’re being so flexible about it this year?”
Wallace and Daphne rolled their eyes, they too remembered when they were young and full of ideas.
“Well, when do you think we should declare the new year, Morris?” Daphne asked.
“When the sun is behind the big oak tree just above the one branch you always point to, like always,” Morris answered.
Daphne and Wallace looked at each other, resigned.
“Fine,” Wallace agreed, “You go announce it.”
Morris was full of excitement, he had stood up for what he believed and defended his ideals. He couldn’t wait to announce to the whole forest that the New Year would begin exactly when it was supposed to.
All the animals in the forest gathered at the Owl Council headquarters to hear the proclamation of the New Year.
“Fellow citizens!” Morris began his declaration, “It has been determined, by the Council, that the New Year, 2024, will begin, at the correct celestial time, this weekend!”
Morris paused for all the cheers and adulation to wash over him. He had written down in his notes that this would likely happen and not to speed through his speech without soaking the cheers in.
However, no such cheers or enthusiasm occurred. Instead, Morris soaked in a dead, worried, silence.
“Isn’t there supposed to be a big snowstorm this weekend?” Came a voice from the crowd.
“I haven’t been paying close attention to the weather but, yes, I hear that may be happening,” Morris replied.
“Aww, man!”
“This sucks!”
“How are we going to celebrate if we’re all stuck inside?”
“This is the worst New Years ever!”
Boo’s began raining down upon Morris from the disappointed crowd. He looked over his shoulder for some support from Daphne and Wallace but, the two just shrugged at him, knowing, indifferent.
“I could use a little support here!” Morris cried.
“Stick to your guns Morris,” Wallace replied.
“Yeah, this is what you wanted,” Daphne added.
The crowd began throwing objects at Morris in a continued display of their displeasure.
“This year is going to suck!”
“It’s already starting off on such a bad note!”
“The Owl Council hates the Forest!”
Morris was doing all he could to try and calm the unruly crowd. He felt awful being the focal point of so much disappointment.
“Hold on, hold on! Please, everyone, calm yourselves,” Morris urged, “I will go see if maybe we made a mistake!”
The crowd hushed.
Morris went back into the council chambers and slumped down into a chair, defeated.
“Tough break kid,” said Wallace.
“Yeah, what do you think you’re going to do now?” Asked Daphne.
“I guess just say that New Year’s is today,” Morris responded, defeated, “It’s what the people want.”
“That’s not what they want, they want someone who knows what they’re doing and can make them okay with whatever the case may be.” Wallace offered, sagely.
“Yeah,” Daphne jumped in, “Even if you tell them it’s changed to today they won’t believe you anymore. You have to give them a reason to trust you and not just that you’re giving them what they want.”
Morris had an idea. He got up and went back to the lectern and addressed the crowd.
“Folks, after much deliberation the Owl Council has determined that New Years will in fact fall on this weekend as we originally said.”
“BOOOOO!!”
“WHAT?”
“YOU’RE KIDDING ME!”
“The Owl Council will never break your trust and change when the New Year officially falls,” Morris continued, “The hard truth here is, that the Owl Council has given you exactly what they promised. If you have a grievance it is with the Meteorologists! They are the ones ruining the New Year!”
Hushed mumbles of agreement rippled through the crowd .
“Well, meteorologists are always wrong, so what’s new there”
Morris continued --
“The Owl Council, however, understanding that the weather this weekend might not be so great... thanks, meteorologists!” Morris rolled his eyes eliciting laughter from the crowd, “Will endorse the beginning of New Years celebrations as early as today to help usher in a prosperous and joyous New Year for all!”
Everyone in the crowd went silent. Wallace and Daphne went silent. Morris stood holding his breath.
From the back, a champagne bottle popped like a shot across the bow and the crowd erupted in cheers and merriment.
“Not bad kid,” Wallace came to Morris’ side.
“Not bad at all,” Daphne added.
Morris smiled ear to ear, and was just about to go join the festivities with everyone else when Wallace and Daphne pulled him back --
“Not so fast bud,” Wallace said.
The phone rang, Daphne picked up:
“Hello. Yes. Yes, we heard. Well, it was but... Sure, yeah he’s our rising star. You can talk to him.”
Daphne turned to Morris --
“It’s the meteorologists. There, well, pissed. You can go ahead and handle this. Happy New Year.”
Morris took the phone and began the new year getting berated by a group of angry meteorologists, while the celebrations he had just declared were popping off all around him.