Cindy said, 'Oh, look, he's done a... prairie dog, too. And she's a girl, Cass-look at her dress. Isn't that funny? And she's got big dots all over her dress, Cass. That's so funny-a prairie dog in a dress!'
Warm, womanly laughter. At the tail end, a child's giggle.
'So silly. I wonder if she's going to a party with that dress... or maybe she's going to go shopping or something, huh? Wouldn't that be silly, a prairie dog going shopping at the mall? Going with her friend Mr. Bunny, and he's got that silly hat on-the two of them are really dressed up silly. Maybe they'll go to Toys 'A' Us and get their own dolls-wouldn't that be something, Cass? Yeah, that would be silly.
Boy, Dr. Delaware sure makes silly pictures-wonder what he's going to do now!'
I smiled and lifted my pencil. Something easy: hippopotamus just a bathtub with legs.
'What's your bunny's name, Dr. Delaware?'
'Benny.'
'Benny Bunny-that's ridiculous!'
I smiled, concealing my artistic struggle. The bathtub was looking too fierce.... The problem was the grin... too aggressive more like a dehorned rhino... What would Freud say about that?
I performed reconstructive surgery on the critter's mouth.
'Benny the Hat Bunny-didja hear that, Cass?'
High-pitched, little-kid laughter.
And what about the prairie dog, Dr. Delaware? What's her name?'
'Priscilla...' Working away. The hippo finally hippolike, but still something wrong... the grin venal-the greasy smirk of a carny barker... Maybe a dog would have been easier.
'Priscilla the prairie dog! Do you believe that!'
'PilIa!'
'Yes, Priscilla!'
'Pilla!'
'Very good, Cass! That's excellent! Priscilla. Can you say that again?'
Silence.
'Priscilla- Pri-scil- 1a. You just said it. Here, watch my mouth, Cass.'
Silence.
'Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to. Let's get back to Princess Cassandra Silversparkle, riding Snowflake up into the Shiny Country...
The hippo was finally done. Scarred by smudges and eraser abrasions, but at least it didn't look as if it had a rap sheet. I placed it on top of the bedcovers.
'Oh, look, Cass. We know what this is, don't we? A hippopotamus-and he's holding a.
Ayo-yo,'Isaid.
A yo-yo! A hippo with a yo-yo-that is really silly. You know what I think, Cass? I think Dr. Delaware can be pretty silly when he wants to, even though he's a doctor. What do you think?'
I faced the little girl. Our eyes locked once more. Hers flickered.
The rosebud mouth began to pout, lower lip curling. Hard to imagine anyone being capable of hurting her.
