| Larry Powell: Some people truly deserve lumps of coal 12/21/2000 By / The Dallas Morning News Good morning, wassailers and less boisterous participants in the holiday season.
A friend of mine stopped into his usual barbershop in Fort Worth last week and spotted the Spirit of Christmas' Cranky Cousin getting a haircut.
As the fellow was barbered, he expounded on celebrating holidays with his wife. On her birthday, he claimed, he always gave her a nice unsigned card. In fact, he gave her the same unsigned card. "Took her three years to catch on," he chortled.
As for the origin of his yule attitude, he claims that for their first Christmas "I gave her a dozen red roses. She thought I was cheating on her." Since then, he says, "If she wants something, she can go out and buy it."
Ah, finally, we meet a man for whom lumps of coal and bundles of switches were invented. You can bet he doesn't let his wife cut his hair. He wouldn't dare let her near him with scissors – even at Christmas, especially at Christmas.
Real pound puppies (and cats)
The city of Dallas Oak Cliff Animal Shelter and Forney Road Animal Shelter will be open from noon until 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve. (The Oak Cliff site, adjacent to the Dallas Zoo at Interstate 35E and Marsalis Avenue, can be reached at 214-670-7430. The number for the Forney Road facility, 8414 Forney Road, is 214-670-8226.) Many a good dog and cat have been dumped in this town and wound up in custody. Stop by, pick out a new friend or two, and save some lives. It's the decent thing to do.
Angel's offspring
Angel, the Stray Dog Formerly Known as the Church Lady, continues to thrive in her new home, reports Jonnie England of Operation Kindness. Angel's pups are thriving, too. And so is Deacon, the big ol' brown dog who was Angel's part-time companion. Deacon's at Operation Kindness now. (Call 972-418-7297.) The puppies, born eight weeks ago, will be there next week. The boys are Matthew, Mark, Luke and Little John; the girls are Faith, Hope and Charity. Jonnie says, "I think they may be the cutest puppies ever born." She's partial.
Ellen's project
Septuagenarian go-getter Ellen Davidov, the longtime Dallas resident and Peace Corps volunteer, e-mails from Kazakstan that good-hearted donors have sent enough money to get a mature-adult prosthetic leg for Vladimir Toukin, 23, who'd been using one that he'd gotten from the old Soviet Union when he was 16. The medical procedures begin in January. She writes, "I would like to thank everybody for their generous donations. ... It would be impossible to do without all of you. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year."
Rara avis aloft?
The Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society and the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary are getting ready for the daylong annual National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count Tuesday at the sanctuary in McKinney. (Call 972-596-9525.) Prairie & Timbers president Tom Gruss says some people arrive around 6 a.m. to "do a little owl-calling."
Keep an eye out for such Christmas birds as the Twinkle-Beaked Yule Thrush, the Merrily Flocked Wreath Flitter and the Jolly Ol' Elfgrouse. Of course, you may not see those. If you do, lay off the doctored eggnog.
Larry Powell can be reached at 214-977-8487; P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, TX 75265; fax 214-977-8319 or at
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