The Escapades
Puck was sitting on the rug in the living room casting magic spells with his breakfast bottle.
And on the first day of spring, Collette and Puck were over at the house. Frances was in the middle of sharing stories about his latest escapades with Creole and Puff ‘o Lump.
“So the plastic was burning, and Creole says, ‘Aw – smells good’. Then Puff ‘o Lump throws bleach on the fire…”
“Bleach?”
“Yeah,” Frances’ eyes grew wide, “and then the flame was as high as this house! And there’s this creepy fire truck that was Puff ‘o Lump’s nephews’ and it makes these creepy songs, and so he threw it in the creek.”
“In the creek?”
“Yeah, it freaked him out.”
“We’re planning to make red, white, and blue smoke bombs for the Fourth of July too.”
Then Frances made busy to shoot things out of his potato gun, namely: an old Greek spice container, which seemed to fit perfectly into the nozzle.
Soon, however, Mom, Collette, Joe, Frances, and Puck piled into the minivan to make several stops. One of these stops included Toys ‘R Us for Puck’s baby swing, which Mom and Dad had promised to him for Christmas. Puck stared in awe at the colors and collections of toys throughout the store. On the way out, Joe gasped in amazement at the red row of knick knack machines in the entry.
“Mom! Can I have fifty cents, please!”
He pointed at a machine in the middle, which was full of giant shiny colored fruits, which were actually bubble gums.
“Please!”
“Yes, please, Mom, please!” Frances pleaded.
“You may as well, Mom,” Collette laughed. “They are pretty amazing.”
Mom found five quarters, one of which fell between the cracks of the machines. A giant plum rolled out for Frances. And, as Collette predicted, a lemon for Joe.
“I can’t fit it in,” Frances said loudly, trying to wedge it past his teeth. “I bet Carrie could fit this in her mouth.”
Back at the house later that afternoon, after Puck’s nap, a game of Monopoly with Linnea, and another Midsomer Murders, everyone played outside. Puck was loving his new swing, wearing big smiles, as he flew through the sunshine, his bright blond hair wisping upward in the breeze. Frances ran around spitting air soft pellets at Carrie.
“Give me that, Frances!” Carrie cried, chasing Frances around the yard, who was screaming.
Linnea had her face buried in a giant Costco muffin.
“Carrie could fit this in her mouth,” she said, looking at it.