Birthday Story

Today is my birthday. It is also Lewis Caroll’s birthday.  Over the past two years I’ve developed a livejournal tradition of posting a story or imaginative essay here to commemorate both events.  The first two such entries can be found here:  http://sandratayler.livejournal.com/59852.html and here: http://sandratayler.livejournal.com/127561.html.  For this year I wrote a little story it is kind of a rough draft, but I’ve run out time to edit:

“You can’t get rid of that!”  hissed the diamond-eyed demon from his perch on Jodi’s shoulder.  “What if you need it later?  Besides, Aunt Beth made that had for you.  You can’t get rid of something that Aunt Beth made!”

“But it’s an ugly, lumpy, poorly made hat.”  The pallid demon coughed out from Jodi’s other shoulder.  “You’ll never wear it.”

“Aunt Beth made it just before she died.”  hissed the first demon.

Jodi sighed and returned the hat to the drawer where it had spent the last 10 years.  The diamond-eyed demon cackled with glee and gyrated it’s green body in a victory dance.  the other demon sagged even more limply and surveyed the cluttered room with resignation.

Oblivious to both the rejoicing and despair, Jodi creaked to her feet to answer the doorbell.  Both demons settled in for a nap.  They weren’t much interested in visitors, unless the visitors also brought gifts.

“Thank you so much for coming Tricia!”  Jodi said as she opened her door to an older woman with greying hair.  “I tried to get some done before our appointment, but I can’t even see where to start.”

Tricia’s eyes flickered to the demons on Jodi’s shoulders as she spoke.  “Jodi, it is my job to help people get organized.  We won’t have any trouble at all.” The demons rustled uneasily.  It was almost as if this Tricia could actually see them.

“I thought we could start in my bedroom.”  Jodi said as she turned to lead the way upstairs.

Quicker than a cat, Tricia’s hand snaked out and snatched the green demon by it’s wings.  It barely had time to blink before she dropped it into her purse and zipped the purse shut.  

“Excellent idea.”  Tricia responded as she tucked the purse under her arm.  The diamond-eyed demon’s howls of protest were muffled by the layers of faux leather.  Tricia looked around the cluttered bedroom.  Her eyes lit upon the hat.  She strode into the room and picked it up. “Let’s start with this.”  She declared.  The pallid demon sat up with interest.

“That’s the hat my Aunt Beth made for me right before she died.”  Jodi said dutifully.

Tricia pinned Jodi with her eyes.  “Do you wear it?”

“No.”

The pallid demon remembered his duty and repeated his earlier mutter.  “It’s an ugly, poorly-made hat.”  

The other demon shrieked from the depths of the purse, but it was impossible to discern any words.

Tricia raised an eyebrow.  “Do you even like the hat?”

“You hate the hat.”  hissed the pallid demon frailly.

“No.”  Jodi mumbled.  “I’ve never liked it much.”

“Then we get rid of it.”  Said Tricia firmly as she tossed the hat into the large empy box labelled Goodwill.

The pallid demon on Jodi’s shoulder sat up straight.  It focused it’s intent gaze upon the new ally, Tricia.  A slow grin began to appear on the demon’s face as item after item went into the Goodwill box.  From within the depths of Tricia’s purse, the wail of the other demon grew increasingly frail.