is anyone out there???

You'll have to make do because this is it.

I watched my friend's two little kids today. I have them over pretty often so it isn't a big deal. But today I had a headache. The little girl is a year and a half old and afraid of the cats, so we never play in the basement. After they arrived, I brought up the usual two boxes of little people for us to play with.

We set up in the living room and right away I realized there would be a problem. The last time the kids were over, Heather had taken the little boy down to the basement to play. He had seen all the little people we have down there. He knew the paltry two boxes I had brought upstairs was nothing compared to what we had.

"There are only THIS many little people here," he informed me, pointing to the pile he had made. "I'm sorry," I replied. I continued setting up my little people, purposely ignoring the hint that he wanted me to go downstairs and bring up more stuff.

After the third time complaining that things were missing, he started looking around. "Where is she?" he asked. "Who are you looking for?" His sister was sitting on my lap and no one else was home.

"I'm looking for the other Mindy," he replied. "The fun Mindy that gets all the toys for me." Oh right. That Mindy. My head still hurt and we had plenty of little people to play with. I wasn't about to drag everything upstairs.

"Where is she?" he persisted. "Sorry, but you're stuck with me today," I told him. He looked disappointed. It was okay. He wasn't the only one who was disappointed. I wish the fun Mindy was around too.