Annabelle! I called. The postman just delivered a huge package.
Oh, that was fast, she replied, but the timing is perfect for Monday.
What does that mean? I asked.
Open it! Thatch called from his bed on top of the dresser. He rose, stretched, and jumped down to the floor to join her in examining the parcel.
Give it to me, Annabelle told me. This is so exciting! I was so afraid this would arrive tg\oo late on Tuesday r Wedn.
What is it? I asked. I set the package on the ground, and she and Thatch began to sniff it. Stella ran into the room from the bathroom where she was sleeping in the tub.
Get back, Stella, Thatch told her. It isn’t food.
Oh, she’ll try to eat one anyway, Annabelle told him. I think we need scissors to open this.
What did you order? I asked.
Firecrackers! she said enthusiastically. We want to throw them off the fire escape on Monday to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Visions of police, firement, and arrest warrants danced in my head.
Nope, sorry, I said sternly. That’s not gonna happen.
And why not? Annabelle asked me.
Aw, don’t tell us that, Daddy, Thatch begged. We want to celebrate the Fourth.
Annabelle gave me a dirty look. You won’t take us to the fireworks so we decided to have our own celebration.
Do you two know what hell it would be with you, Stella, and Thatch down at the river? It’s a rowdy mob, and the bus ride to and back would be impossible. The last time I went with friends, every bus was crammed tight with people. I’m not going down there with my walker, and three carriers of cats. Thatch would be terrified, and I know we’d lose Stella or you or both of you in the crowd. We are staying here and having a quiet Fourth of July.
You make me so angry at times, Annabelle told me. That’s why we want to throw firecrackers off the fire escape.
And what if you injured someone passing by. You could burn them, even blind them.
Oh, I never thought of that. Did you, Thatch?
No, I didn’t, Thatch told her. Maybe Daddy’s right, Annabelle.
I don’t like wasting money for nothing.
Whose money? I asked.
Yours, I guess, she replied. What do we do with these firecrackers?
I picked up the parcel. I will put these away where you can never get to them. Ever . . . so don’t try.
And here I was looking forward to an exciting holiday. You’ve ruined it for me. I’m going to my office. She turned and stormed off to the linen closet.
Annabelle! I called, come back. There are other things we can do for the Fourth.
She turned back. Like what? she asked. Make a flag?
Don’t be difficult, Annabelle, Thatch advised. What can we do instead of throwing firecrackers off the fire escape, Daddy?
Well, we could watch a DVD of something like “1776” or “The Music Man.” Or play the CD?
I do like “The Music Man,” Thatch, she said as she came back to us. I’d be a good Abigail Adams, I think, except for those dresses.
Firecrackers are dangerous, Annabelle. When I was a boy, I nearly blew off a finger. You could be hurt. I was lucky.
What happened, Thatch asked.
Oh, I had lit the fuse and started to throw it when it went off. I burned my fingers, and they hurt for several days. When I told my mother, what do you think she said?
Tell me, annabelle stated.
She said I was getting no sympathy for playing with dangerous objects. Then she said, It’s better to be a hot firecracker than to light one.
You make no sense, Annabelle snorted. Did you understand that, Thatch?
I think so.
Well, I guess we can look forward to nothing on Monday.
Oh, Annabelle, I said, I just want to keep the three of you safe and out of jail.
She sighed loudly to let me know the subject was over. Well, she told Thatch, Stella, and me, I guess we can dress up in red, white, and blue for starters.
That will be fun!! I said enthusiastically. I’m looking forward to that.
Did your mother have any other adivice you might share with his? Thach asked.
It better make sense, Annabelle muttered.
Yes, my babies, I told them. She said, never take candy from strangers. Get real estate.
Come on, Thatch, Stella! He makes no sense at all, none!
©2022, Larry Moore
Annabelle & Thatch 