Hazel slowed at the school's entrance and maneuvered the station wagon into a parking spot that gave her a good vantage point to see her daughter Jenny when she would, as usual, come skipping out, surrounded by little friends. Hazel smiled, anticipating the moment. They put her in mind of little birds, all chattery and flittery and tippy-toed and full of energy.
The "little birds" in question emerged now. Soon Jenny was at the car, with one of her friends, Kathy, right beside her.
Jenny had been lonely as an only child, but now, almost since the very day this kindergarten year had begun, she hadn't once mentioned her imaginary playmate -- the one she had invented and loved and included in their family group since she was two years old.
"Hi, Mummy!" Jenny said. "Can we take Kathy home with us? Her mummy says she can come play with me this afternoon."
"Sure! Get in, girls!" Hazel said.
Once home, Hazel set out milk and cookies. "Have your snack, girls," she said. "Then you can go out and play."
With happy heart, Hazel watched the two of them together, dunking their Oreos and trying to get them to their mouths before the cookies fell, soft and saturated with milk, into their glasses.
Later, Kathy's mother came to take her home. Hazel went out to the car to greet her. "Did she behave?" Kathy's mother asked, as Kathy got into the car.
"Oh yes, as always! She's welcome here anytime!" Hazel said. "She and Jenny get along so well together."
Kathy and her mother left, and, taking Jenny's hand, Hazel walked with her up the slope of the lawn toward the house. "She's so nice!" Hazel said. "Isn't it fun to have a good friend?"
Jenny nodded.
Hazel remembered another friend, and smiling affectionately, asked, "Honey, what ever happened to Gluggly? You never talk about him anymore."
Jenny said nothing.
"Remember how you even used to have me set a place for him at table every day?"
The hint of a smile played around Jenny's mouth, but still she made no answer.
Hazel persisted. "Please tell me, Jen, what DID happen to Gluggly? He was such a good buddy!"
Jenny dropped Hazel's hand and ran ahead of her up onto the porch. "I don't know!" she called over her shoulder. "Fell down a big hole, I guess!" With that she opened the screen door and ran into the house.
Hazel grinned. "Sic transit gloria," she thought. "I shall miss you, dear Gluggly!"
Jenny ran up the stairs and into her room. She belly-flopped onto her bed, lifted the side of the bedspread and poked her head under the bed.
"Glug?" she whispered.
No answer.
"Come on!" she said. "I know you're under there. I can see your green tail!"
No answer.
"Please Gluggly," she said. "Are you mad at me?"
"YES, I'm mad!" Gluggly said. "I heard what you told your mother out there! You wish I would just go away, don't you? Well, don't you? Don't you? Oh sure, I was good enough when you were all alone, but now you have your people friends! Sure! Forget the old alligator! Forget Gluggy! Who needs him anymore? Fell down a big hole you guess! What made you say that? Is that what you wish?"
Gently, Jenny grabbed hold of his tail and pulled him out from under the bed. "Oh Gluggly!" she said, and wiped her wet cheek with her open palm. "I don't wish that at all! I love you, Gluggly! You're the dearest little alligator friend a girl ever had! You taught me all you know. I will love you forever! It's just that I can't let Mummy or anyone else know you're still around. They'll say I'm nothing but a baby."
She picked him up in her arms and brought him onto the bed. She smoothed his long black coat tails and straightened his green bow tie. "Please say you understand, Glug," she said.
"Well...."
"Please? I don't know what I would do if you weren't here waiting for me!"
"Well....," he said. "I guess so. But no more talk about falling down a big hole, you hear? Scared the bejeebers out of me! Just the thought of it!"
They heard Jenny's mother's footsteps on the stairs. Soon she appeared in the doorway of Jenny's room, a pile of folded clean laundry in her arms.
"Who are you talking to, Honey?"
"Nobody," Jenny said. She gave Gluggly a quick wink.
"Humph! Nobody indeed!" Gluggly said.
"Shhh," Jenny whispered, hugging him close. "Be good."