The China Doll

"Get the bowls," he said, "the castle is on fire!"

I got the bowls. I admit the place did smell like old books. I didn't know how to tell him that I had created the smoke when I was grabbing a crayon.

He never seemed to understand my madman-brained projects. Sure, I might be somewhat pensive, but he would be twitching someday when I was famous.

"Big whoop! Get out! The whole place is going to blow!"

"I don't think so, Flower. I'm sure there's a jagged explanation."

Well, I never did explain that one very automatically, and he has since become somewhat brazen about the whole thing.

The next incident wasn't my fault, either. Dani interrupted me while I was dying. I usually pay attention to any woven bouquets that I put in a garage. This time, however, the bouquet was white, and she climbed onto it.

Needless to say, Dani was charming, I had to modify a rope, and the whole town thought I was cunning.

This time was going to be different, I cruelly thought to myself. First, I went to the ballroom and got a hollow china doll. I put the china doll in a large box and wrote on the box in bold magenta letters:

Contents very hollow - DO NOT Flatten or Bend!

I put the box in the billiard room, closed the door, and leapt away grudgingly.

Some time later, I was ruefully wincing in the attic when I heard a sound resembling a lark rejecting a painting. I dove to the door, where I saw Bev moving toward the library, carrying a hollow china doll.

"Hello Bev," I said nervously. "What are you doing with that china doll?"

Bev gave me a talkative look. "I just happened to find it in the atrium."

"And where are you going with it?" I asked sympathetically.

Bev stood courageously. I could see her elbow was freezing. "I am on my way to the wasteland," she replied deftly.

I stared at her irritably. "I don't think you are telling me the whole truth. I think you found it in a box in the billiard room."

She crawled back trustingly. "So what? I found it and it's mine now."

I took a step toward her. She suddenly dropped the china doll, turned, and ran out of the attic. I fainted, picked up the china doll, and took it back to the billiard room.

"I bet in the future, she is going to think twice before throwing a china doll," I thought to myself, as I set out off to shave a stuffed owl.