No Noose is Good Noose (Part 1)

The Everyday Adventures of: Ether Gray and his sister Anesthesia

No Noose is Good Noose 

On the horizon, they appeared to be two dull grey smudges - with a happy dog in tow. 

The “smudges” and their spotted companion approached the blossoming rural town of Cowsill.

When six-year-old Ether Gray and his four-year-old sister, Anesthesia took their little brown and white doggy, Femur (Woof! Woof!) for his morning walks down tree-lined Sunny Lane, the street was normally empty.

 The two Grays were not welcome.

Innocent seven-year-old Red-haired Theodore “Squiggy” Martin was walking along the flowering gardens, toward Ether and Anesthesia. He was too busy performing a “cats cradle” on his new Imperial Duncan Yo-Yo to notice them in time.

“Hi, Ether! Hi, Anesthesia! Are you going to the Big Fair tonight? They got bumper cars and a giant slide!” said the good-natured young boy, dressed in blue overalls.

“Yes. That may prove diverting. Don’t you agree, Ether?” said the drab four-year old Anesthesia who was looking up at her equally drab older brother. 

Ether approached the red-headed young boy. “Pay close attention, Squiggy? Do you know where the bumper car ride came from?”

“N-n-n-no, Ether.” said the now apprehensive boy. He felt trapped.

“The bumper car ride was invented in 1917 by Victor Levand, an inventor who was employed General Electric or by, two siblings, Max and Harold Stoehrer, who called their company ‘Dodgem.’  They started their version of the flat amusement park ride in Massachusetts in the year of 1919. Electrical contacts established on the .....” 

Within twenty minutes Squiggy was falling asleep on the sidewalk. Even with the crows pecking at his eyes, Squiggy played dead. 

That was okie dokie with “Squiggy” Martin. 

He’d heard, many times, (He’s been warned!) that Death was always preferable to one of the Gray children’s droning monologues. 

Saying “Hi” to the Gray children was a very serious mistake; a lesson that he should have learned from the “stories.” 

“If only ... If only...” thought Squiggy.

A great light came on in the boy's head. Squiggy understood that he was too stupid to live. So, he let the crows keep pecking at his smiling face until he was dead. 

Esther and Anesthesia only lived for chocolate. Squiggy didn’t have any in the pockets of his new blue overalls. Ether and Anesthesia had a sweet tooth that needed satisfying. The Duncan Yo-Yo was something that they might be able to trade for chocolate later on. So Ether took Squiggy’s Yo-Yo and the Gray children headed for Wingnut’s. 

Wise old Alvin Wingnut hid behind the counter when he saw the children out on the sidewalk,  approaching Wingnut’s Drugstore and Soda Fountain. The two colorless tykes and their friendly dog, Femur (Woof! Woof!) waited patiently as the Gray children wanted to negotiate a trade with Alvin; a Yo-Yo for some chocolate snacks. They had a very special speech prepared for the cranky old skinflint.
(To be continued.)