Thumbtacks

Wednesday, October 10, 2007


Over at the house that morning, Rose (who had just returned from work with Carrie after leaving at 5:30 in the morning), had a surprise for the beaming Puck.


Close your eyes and hold out your hands,” she told Collette, who was accepting his gift.


A baby red chili pepper Halloween costume. He couldn’t have looked any more darling after they had tucked him inside. However, the squeeze was a bit snug.


We’ll make it fit,” said Frances, as they all gathered around to watch.


What? Why doesn’t it fit? It’s for a 9-month old,” said Carrie, as they tried to stretch the green hood high enough over his head.


Well, I’ll take it back and see if they have something bigger,” said Rose. “Maybe the pea pod.”


Meanwhile, Frances, as usual, was more interested in weapons of rubber duck destruction that his math books. But he soon came out to work, clomping through the house in a pair of Carrie’s old clogs, for no apparent reason.


It didn’t take long for Frances to get grease stains on his notebook. Collette removed the bag of barbecue Fritos to the other side of the counter.


Aw!” Frances protested.


But there were no more grease stains.


Carrie came into the kitchen:


I’ve got to tell you this, but not around Frances,” she told Collette.


After she had shooed him out of the room, she began:


So last night, Rose was getting frustrated with Linnea. She said, ‘That’s it, Linnea, you’re sleeping on your own bunk from now on. You’re on the top, I’m on the bottom.’ And Linnea was all upset about it. So she went to bed on the top bunk. But Rose decided to sleep on the couch. And I decided to sleep on Rose’s bunk instead. So I go back there and get into bed, and I’m like, ‘Yow!’ Linnea had put thumbtacks all over the bottom bunk!”


They got a good laugh out of that one.


Of course I didn’t tell Linnea. I don’t want to encourage it, but, that’s pretty clever, you have to admit,” Carrie laughed. “She was just lucky I didn’t come in and land face-down on the bed.”


Schemer. Somehow Dennis the Menace came to mind.


While the math session continued, Rose was busy holding Puck under his arms and bouncing him in great leaps around the house, like he was on the moon. He giggled at each bounce.


It was soon time for Mom, Collette, Carrie-Bri, and Puck to drop off Linnea at choir. Collette helped her find her shoes which were outside in the dirt under the other rope swing tree.


Linnea, did you do that?” Collette pointed to the tree.


Linnea grinned, guilty. It read “Linnea” in silver spray paint.


Well… yes.”


Dad is not going to be happy with you.”


It’s my tree though.”


What?”


I mean, I take care of it.”


Right. You dig up the roots.”


That’s its massage.”


Massage?”


Yeah it feels good for it. It takes weight off.”


An hour later, they had dropped off Linnea and headed to Costco for Mom to sign up for a membership. Puck stared wide-eyed around the warehouse, taking in the new faces and colors. He was bundled in his little hooded jacket and seemed intent on grabbing anything within reach.


Afterward, Collette and Carrie returned Puck to the van while Mom paid for the groceries.


Ahhhhhh! Not again!” Carried yelled angrily.


What?”


Another spider – from my hair! And I just washed it!”


There it is; it’s really tiny.”


Collette pointed to the page of Carrie’s open book in her lap.


SLAM!


The spider was history. Carrie would likely never open to that page again.


I don’t understand. How does this happen?”


They must be nesting inside your dreads,” Collette said, as she took a closer look at the thread-wrapped dreadlocks.


Don’t say that.”


They think of it as a home for them to live in,” said Mom.


Mom, stop! I don’t want to hear that.”


But the miniature spiders continued to be a mystery.


Puck continued to smile through squishy dimples most of the day.


That evening, Collette tagged along with Carrie and Rose to Plato’s Closet. It was an understatement that OLeif needed some new clothing. Sunday mornings were sometimes a little embarrassing in the attire department. And it would happen that not a single pair of pants would work at the store. And every shirt in his size was either made of obnoxious colors of diagonal stripes, which might have been funny, but not exactly Sunday-morning-appropriate.

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Jamie Larson
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