The Borrowers and Re-purposing

Posted on by

10

4b2f5fb176c0792e05a9ee10c6912116Illustrated By Beth and Joe Krush

 

Mr. Wonderful* weaves his way through the house, ignoring a house rule, not to start a conversation unless we are both in the same room, and calls out; “Have you seen my cell?” There is no water running or hair dryer blowing in the bathroom so, I hear him and come out.

He is having a conversation with himself, “I just called Marshall, I just had the damn thing, I was sitting in my chair and put the phone on the snack-tray, but, it’s not there.”

He is wearing a heavy hooded sweatshirt and pants. I am dressed similarly. There is a cold wave in Florida. This morning’s outside temperature is 52 degrees; inside the thermostat reads 65. It is much too early to turn the heat on, besides if I remember correctly, AARP reported Arctic air increases life expectancy and being cold burns more calories. Maybe it was not AARP, maybe it was . . . whatever, who can remember; I’ve agreed to enjoy the cold or at least to pretend.

“Did you look in your sock draw?”

“Why would I look in my sock draw?”

“You put on clean socks; did you look in your sock draw?”

He looks at his feet, frowns, and checks his sock draw. The phone is not there, nor on the bureau top, and he says, “This is ridiculous I just had it. It’s in this house, somewhere.”

I pick up the land-line, “I’ll phone you.”

“It’s off, I turned my cell off.”

“Are you sure? I dial his phone and listen as the call goes directly into a message box, and say, “Well maybe ‘The Borrowers’ have it.”

“The Borrowers?”

“You know, ‘The Borrowers,’ little tiny people who live in walls and borrow people’s stuff to survive.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You never read the book, ‘The Borrowers’ by Mary Norton? The dad, Pod, risks his life daily getting a potato, afraid he’ll be ‘seen’.”

“No, never heard of them.”

“Pod is a handyman, makes furniture from thread spools and kitchen sinks from Altoids Mint tins. Their home is wallpapered in discarded notepaper and birthday cards. That’s why I’m not upset one of my favorite earrings is missing. The possibilities are many.”

“You’re right it could be anywhere.”

“No, the re-purposing possibilities; the earring is made of wood, and is probably now a table or firewood. The Borrowers like having company for Thanksgiving dinner.

Not amused, Mr. Wonderful does not get it and says, “If they’re so tiny how could they talk on a cell phone?”

“Your cell is more likely their big screen television; they’ll add an app and stream the football game.”

Mr. Wonderful’s retort, “Will they be paying the bill?”

 

. . . just saying

*Mr. Wonderful is my husband, aka, Bob.

10 thoughts on “The Borrowers and Re-purposing”

  4. Claudia,

    I am just finishing up with a great class from Great Smokies Writing Program and am attaching my last revised piece. It’s long …9 pages(but double spaced) so you decide. I’m not as good on the computer as you but I applaud your continued effort in the field of interest where we met. We are both still working on our craft. I’m planning to put my house up fro sale next Spring. May do 50/50 Fl. thing. Time will tell.

    nena——————————————–

    Liked by 1 person

    • Comment from Marshal

      Please pass on my sympathies to Mr. Wonderful, my friend Bob.. I understand how trying these things are when it comes to our prized possessions- “Cell Phones, Channel Changers, Wallets, watches, Golf Clubs, ball markers, underwear, socks etc!!!! Our wives just don’t get it and end up making us look dumb.. BOB, you are not the only one that has had this happen to you.. Of course it’s some little Borrower, or so called Pod according to all wives.. I apparently have these Pods all over my house, but I am like you, I am sure, the Wife always happens to know where the D–M things are.. It’s a conspiracy.. I am glad to know that you were on the phone with me prior to the disappearance.. Could that be a tell tale sign, as golfing buddies, that something is amiss?? Maybe we ought to go on the Show- Shark Tank and come up with some invention that will keep up with what our wives hide / when we are not present, or maybe in the bathroom.. I noticed in her writing that she apparently didn’t care what happened to your phone, because she failed to tell us that she found it for you, and returned it to it’s rightful owner.. Men, we need to watch carefully who these Borrower really are.. Bob, ask Claudia how many of the male population, other than myself, responded to this piece of literature.. CONSPIRACY!!!!!! By the way, you haven’t answered your phone the last 12 times I’ve called.. She or the Borrowerers hid it good this time!! Marshall

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.