Running away
Today, Daniel got so angry that he decided to run away. He packed:
- one book of Garfield cartoons
- one pair of shorts
- one pair of sweatpants
- two pairs of underpants
- one pair of socks
- two t-shirts and a long-sleeved shirt
- a pair of swim goggles
- two dollars and a large handful of change (his entire life’s savings)
- Gussie and Dog (his two oldest and most important sleep friends)
- a flashlight
- a colored pencil
- a tiny blue stretchy frog.
All of this was gathered up into his baby blanket.* He lugged it downstairs, opened the front door and stood looking at the world. I sat in the dining room, pretending to write. Then he announced, as if to himself but loud enough to wake the neighbors: “I have decided not to run away today” and shut the door.
I found his choice of necessities very interesting. Despite his current obsession with Uglydolls, he left behind the few he has managed to acquire. He left behind all his most favorite books (wise, I suppose, since books are heavy to carry around and he, like me, is a library fanatic). But he brought swim goggles. And a pencil but no paper. Why? I wish I knew.
But if I were going to run away, I bet my list would look equally odd to him. It would probably have more underwear but it would also have strange things like a half-melted candle that my grandfather made or a taped up bundle of the letters Ed wrote to me over the years we were together but in different continents, both useless on the open road.
If you were going to run away and had to fit your necessities into a baby blanket, what would you take?
*I know this because I helped him unpack at bedtime.
probably nothing but uglydolls.
A small guitar – which I guess means I have to fix/replace the current one – a good hat, stout walking shoes, my MP3 player carefully packed, a hip flask of fine whisky or rum, and you.
That is absolutely hilarious and sweet. And most of the items on his list are quite reasonable!
Not sure what I’d take. Pen and paper would be on the list, though. And chocolate. Or money for chocolate. Or both!
funny. in spite of my efforts, an ugly doll obsession has not yet happened in my home.
i’d bring a toothbrush, a vibrator, at least one book, my macbook, granola, money, and a razor. Probably a swiss army knife as well. I might even bring an ugly doll for good measure.