Double Game
Linnea had a giant knot in her hair, the type that could only turn into a dreadlock.
“I hope you learned your lesson about brushing your hair,” Collette told her mercilessly, fully believing that Linnea hoped for dreadlocks to be just like Carrie-Bri.
In the end, Carrie cut it out. Somehow Linnea did not have a bald spot after the fact.
Meanwhile, Frances had stories of his escapades with Puff ‘o Lump and Creole from the previous afternoon.
“They have a tradition of walking up to Walgreens and buying stuff,” he said, “and on the way, they look for weird things. Like yesterday, while we walked up there, Puff ‘o Lump found a little electric airplane, and then Creole found a styrofoam baseball. And on the way back, I found the best find. It was a scooter stuck in a bush and it still worked. Once, they found a bench and brought it back for their fort.”
“A bench? They really just found a bench on the side of the road and took it?”
“Yup,” Frances said, his eyes wide.
“Then we threw rocks into the frozen creek off the side of the bridge. We lit napalm under it before too.”
“You lit napalm? Under a bridge?”
“Yup. Well, Puff ‘o Lump’s brother was there helping us.”
Linnea’s game was watched by Grandma, Mom, Collette, Carrie-Bri, Frances, Mrs. English, and Leia. Their team was rather “getting creamed” (as Linnea might say). Thankfully, Eleda was able to make several baskets, after which Mr. English would jump out of his seat, flailing his arms in triumph. Later, during the height of the excitement, Grandma yelled (apparently rather loudly):
“Line ’em up and shoot up ’em up!”
“Grandma, you can’t say stuff like that!” Carrie scolded her on the way home, laughing.
“Well, at my game,” said Frances, “they’re gonna die!” He grinned. “I hope they know the LORD; either that, or I hope we do.”
Frances’ game turned out to be a great one. They tied it just at the end. It made for good entertainment.
Meanwhile, Carrie and Grandma were discussing Lucia’s new hair, which was partially pink.
“It looks good,” said Carrie.
“Just that touch of elegance,” Dad joked.
“Cool it, Snicketts!” Grandma told him.
“Yeah, Dad, maybe you should do that too. Get some red stripes going in your hair.”
Dad had the smile lines. He got them again during dinner when he was playing with Puck in his high chair. He made a potholder fly around him. Puck grabbed it.
“Oh, you killed the butterfly,” Dad told him.
Puck dropped it on the floor and grinned.
Frances’ cake was served after Dad’s barbecued pork steaks, which Mom had marinated. Grandma had brought the cake: Black Forrest. Frances blew out all but the last candle.
“Aw, only one kid,” Carrie laughed.