The evening party was stellar. Decorations hung on the wall; crystalized and gilded ornaments with sharp edges and fluffy prominences rising and falling like waves from lamp to lamp. The lamps themselves were dimmed to add to the mysterious ambience. The invited were lounging on red velvet sofas, sipping glistening bubblies, basking in the ghosts produced from dead pipes, or enjoying the other world on the open floor.
From the huge mahogany double doors came the lady dripping in silver, her gown as smooth as the inside of an oyster's shell. Black ribbons fell over her shoulders from a loosely-tied bun, and her golden eyes were nary overshadowed by her luscious blonde hair. (Don't you think that's a bit typical?) As she walked to the center of the room, all lines of vision gravitated toward her. (Oh come on, really!)
My arms returned from their airy, dreamy state and landed in a cross. I looked at the children sitting around me. "Then what is it you want to hear?" I asked.
"How about a story about the prince and the platypus!"
"No! The one with the spaceship and the lava room!"
"Not that one! It's scary!"
I breathed a huge exasperated sigh, and just as I was about to suggest something else, the teacher came in and told them it was lunch time. The children sprang up off the floor and ran out to the playground with their lunch boxes.
"Not easy, is it?" the teacher asked, detecting my exasperation.
The edges of my lips twitched into a forced smile and I watched the children from the window. Free and easy. I wondered if telling them stories was even such a good thing after all. I mean, who knows what kind of ideas I'm planting in their heads?
No sooner had I lost myself in my thoughts that the children came rushing back into the classroom. Still gazing out the window, little Lacy came tugging on my sleeve.
"Tell us another story, won't you miss?"
Looking down into those innocent, twinkling eyes, I tucked a lock behind her ear and smilingly resumed my position on the stool. The children came and sat all around me, hyper from their lunch and eager to listen. The teacher leaned against the doorway, nodding at me to proceed. I gladly proceeded.
(photo via Net-A-Porter.com)
(By the way, for those curious about the previous short, here's a hint: highlight.)
