One sun-drenched day in May, Anna and Emmen and Zeke’s parents called a family meeting.
The triplets looked at one another and frowned (Emmen) and shrugged (Zeke) and shuddered (Anna). What on earth had they done now?!
But Mom and Dad were smiling.
“We have some great news,” they said. “We are going to build a new house. Money is no object now.”
What did that mean about the money, the children wondered. It sounded good.
“Did we win the lottery?” Zeke wanted to know.
“In a way……” Mom began, “……we cashed in our dot com shares,” finished Dad. “We are richintissimoiest.”
“And so you now can all have your own room.”
“With lovely carpets and custom colored walls……”
The triplets got glum…………
“………and last-forever made from real wood chipped down dressers……”
and glummer………
“and co-ordinated curtains and the latest in style headboards on your beds………
and glummeriest.
“and hand-painted stencils by a world renowned artist – “ Suddenly mother stopped. Even her wild enthusiasm had noticed the turned down mouths on her sons and daughter.
“What is the matter?” father demanded.
“What do you want?” mother finally inquired.
The triplets brightened right up. At last they were being ASKED what they wanted, not TOLD what they wanted.
They knew EXACTLY what their dream room would be like. Had they not imagined it a zillion times when they played house.
They spoke together but not all at once.
“We want one huge room – “ began Anna, “gigantic” added Zeke, in case they had missed the point, “humungous” emphasized Emmen. They had always shared a room and liked each other’s company. “With lots of windows in the walls and ceilings so we can watch ladybugs and see the moon and hear storms and touch the wind.”
“But what about having your very own space?” asked the parents.
“Oh, yes!” they all agreed.
“I want one of those ‘throw-and-it-opens’ tent like I saw demonstrated by that man in the mall,” explained Zeke. “That glows like an orange when you are inside and the sun hits it. With a mummy sleeping bag and a canteen with water in case I get thirsty at night.” He had gone camping with a cousin and he loved it.
“I want a boat,” said Anna, “a miniature houseboat right in the room – “ she looked to see if her parents looked shocked at such an idea but they looked more surprised and interested than shocked so she went on – “with my own little kitchen – it’s called a galley – and a cosy little bunk and portholes. And I want it to rock me gently to sleep at night.” She had once gone on a trip with her aunt and uncle on a houseboat on canals and she loved it.
Emmen had patiently waited his turn. “I want a hammock. Between two trees with leaves that smell good and hang down like an umbrella and sway a bit if I blow air at them.” He had not actually ever seen such a thing but he could IMAGINE it and he loved it.
“But what about your clothes?” wailed Mother who saw HER idea of her kids’ dream room evaporating.
“I just want my clothes in a pile on the floor,” said Emmen, putting himself first this time. “Everything together in a great jumble.” He knew what his mother was about to say – she always said it – so he answered before she had a chance to speak, “ “I can find things perfectly. I know exactly where everything is even if it looks messy to you.”
“I want my clothes in red and green and yellow hangers all hung up on hooks on the wall so I can see them all at once,” said Anna. “Like a big art – inst – instant – “ She looked at her father.
“Installation,” he helped her remember the word. He had taken her to an art gallery and she had seen an art installation and she loved it.
They all looked at Zeke. “I want one shelf with one pair of jeans, one shirt, underwear, one pair of socks and my sneakers,” said Zeke. “And if they have to be clean every day that is fine with me but I am not fussy,” he ended and everyone laughed.
“Do you mean as well as the clothes you are wearing?” asked his father to make sure he had it right.
“No, I want one outfit of clothes, that’s all,” explained Zeke. “At night I will wear my pajamas.”
“What if you fall in mud and need a change in the middle of the day?” his father wanted to know. It had happened.
Zeke slid his eyes toward his brother. “I know, I know,” shouted Emmen, “You’ll just take something from my pile of clothes!”
“I’m afraid to ask what your bathroom will look like,” Mom laughed.
“Oh, Zeke and me are going to have water gun sprayers and keep each other clean using these,” offered Emmen.
“I am going to have a sauna,” declared Anna. She had actually never really seen one or knew how they worked but in pictures of saunas all the people looked happy and all were blonde haired and she was tired of her brown hair so hoped a sauna would change this.
“Anything else?” asked Father.
“A restaurant take-out window for wildlife,” they all said at once. “For the birds and chipmunks and butterflies and snails and any unicorns who happen to be passing by,” detailed Emmen.
The parents looked at one another. They didn’t know what to say. So they just said “Okay.”
The triplets all shouted, “Hooray!”
Comments