Eliot was startled back to reality by a soft voice asking him where Bunty was and was she coming later. It took every ounce of control he had to look at Mariamne without scowling and answer her questions. Mariamne continued on. "It's dreadfully cold outside, so I'm here for a sweater. Have you had a piece of pie yet? No? Amabel's going around telling everyone to order the Apple Fritter, but I'm leaning toward the Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream. Do you know where Harold is? I'd like to buy a blue necklace, or maybe a gre--" Eliot interrupted. "He's over there." Eliot wished he had one of those Elven Cloaks that kept people from being able to see you.
Sioned and Mina were still at it, and it looked worse than ever. Eliot was himself again. The direct approach is always the best approach.
Sioned and Mina were still at it, and it looked worse than ever. Eliot was himself again. The direct approach is always the best approach.
"Hi, Mina! Excuse us, but I need to talk to Sioned. Hey, Sioned, got a minute? I need to talk to you . . . in private. Let's step over here." Eliot led Sioned by the arm to a quiet corner, and poor Mina threw her hands in the air in despair. She really hadn't expected to find a buyer for the set of dishes, but here was Eliot . . . ruining her only chance to actually sell it. What's he doing? He's ruining everything. And he's the one who found the wheel for me. Oh, this could only happen to me.
Mariamne had moved on to Mabel and Joan's stall, where there was a flurry of Christmas-gift shopping going on. She and Sonja bumped into each other and giggled. "Sorry, Sonja! It sure is crowded in here today. Isn't it wonderful? I wish we had events like this all the time. Don't you?" Sonja stood there for a second, staring at Mariamne's bare arms. "But Mariamne, aren't you freezing?! Where's your jacket? You're going to catch cold like that!" "You bet I'm cold! I couldn't get out to Lori's Thrift event, but Kitty told me that Mabel and Joan were going to be selling sweaters to support the RBST project. I haven't had time yet to go through the rack, but it looks like they brought plenty of nice things. Sure, you go ahead. It's been great talking to you. If you see Harold, would you send him over? I need a couple of necklaces for my gift boxes. Maybe we could lunch together. I can't resist good pie, and Eydie's are the best! Bye-bye!" Sonja turned around and looked in all directions before moving. One more "bump" or "fall" might be one too many . . . Besides, Steviekins was nuzzling her boots, and she didn't want to step on him. She knew what he wanted, but she didn't have any, so she just bent down and rubbed his chin. He was okay with that.
Meanwhile, Mina left her clay drying (that's a bad thing) on the wheel and continued to stare in alarm at Eliot and Sioned as they moved away. Noticing the opening, Harold burst in to Mina's stall, asking if she wanted to buy a necklace. "Not now, Harold!" was the only response he got, but Mina had that "me last Mohican" black cloud look about her. "I'll come back later, Mina . . . Hey, Wendy Penny!" (Harold always calls Wendy that. No one knows why.) "Wanna buy a necklace?" Mina didn't hear him leave. She just stood, under her black cloud, staring at Eliot.
Mariamne had moved on to Mabel and Joan's stall, where there was a flurry of Christmas-gift shopping going on. She and Sonja bumped into each other and giggled. "Sorry, Sonja! It sure is crowded in here today. Isn't it wonderful? I wish we had events like this all the time. Don't you?" Sonja stood there for a second, staring at Mariamne's bare arms. "But Mariamne, aren't you freezing?! Where's your jacket? You're going to catch cold like that!" "You bet I'm cold! I couldn't get out to Lori's Thrift event, but Kitty told me that Mabel and Joan were going to be selling sweaters to support the RBST project. I haven't had time yet to go through the rack, but it looks like they brought plenty of nice things. Sure, you go ahead. It's been great talking to you. If you see Harold, would you send him over? I need a couple of necklaces for my gift boxes. Maybe we could lunch together. I can't resist good pie, and Eydie's are the best! Bye-bye!" Sonja turned around and looked in all directions before moving. One more "bump" or "fall" might be one too many . . . Besides, Steviekins was nuzzling her boots, and she didn't want to step on him. She knew what he wanted, but she didn't have any, so she just bent down and rubbed his chin. He was okay with that.
Meanwhile, Mina left her clay drying (that's a bad thing) on the wheel and continued to stare in alarm at Eliot and Sioned as they moved away. Noticing the opening, Harold burst in to Mina's stall, asking if she wanted to buy a necklace. "Not now, Harold!" was the only response he got, but Mina had that "me last Mohican" black cloud look about her. "I'll come back later, Mina . . . Hey, Wendy Penny!" (Harold always calls Wendy that. No one knows why.) "Wanna buy a necklace?" Mina didn't hear him leave. She just stood, under her black cloud, staring at Eliot.
Eliot looked Sioned right in the eyes and got straight to the point. "You don't want to buy those dishes, Sioned. Bunty wants them. Well, she would if she saw them. I helped move them over here yesterday and couldn't sleep for thinking about it. I came early to buy them for her as a surprise, but it took me fifteen minutes just to convince those three girls to stay home with Truannie while I came by myself. I've been here for more than an hour already, but it took me this long to make my way to Mina's stall. Everyone wants to ask where Bunty is and have a casual chat. By the time I got here, you'd already laid claim to them. Now I'm asking you to let me buy them. For Bunty. Please." There. It was done. Eliot was afraid to look at Sioned for fear she would burst into tears. He just stared down at his old, comfy boots and kicked at the floor.
Sioned burst out laughing and squeezed the life out of his hands. "Oh, Eliot! I wasn't going to buy them for myself. They were for BUNTY! I'm so glad you said something to me, because I wasn't sure how to keep it a surprise. Wanna go halve-sies on them? Okay, just thought I'd offer. Then she'd know that BOTH of us love her. As if she doesn't know already." (Giggle giggle. Sioned giggled, that is. Eliot never giggled in his life.) "Can I do anything to help? Want me to go to the house and make sure she doesn't decide to leave early or anything? You're so right! It's not likely she'd leave Truannie with someone else or bring her out in this miserable weather, is it? Well, I'm going to line up at Eydie's right now. Can I get something for you? Okay, if you change your mind, just let me know. And don't worry . . . I promise not to say a word until you tell me it's okay. You'd better keep an eye open for Kitty, though." Sioned turned to leave but stopped and looked back at her friend. "And, Eliot? You're a really special brother . . ."
Sioned burst out laughing and squeezed the life out of his hands. "Oh, Eliot! I wasn't going to buy them for myself. They were for BUNTY! I'm so glad you said something to me, because I wasn't sure how to keep it a surprise. Wanna go halve-sies on them? Okay, just thought I'd offer. Then she'd know that BOTH of us love her. As if she doesn't know already." (Giggle giggle. Sioned giggled, that is. Eliot never giggled in his life.) "Can I do anything to help? Want me to go to the house and make sure she doesn't decide to leave early or anything? You're so right! It's not likely she'd leave Truannie with someone else or bring her out in this miserable weather, is it? Well, I'm going to line up at Eydie's right now. Can I get something for you? Okay, if you change your mind, just let me know. And don't worry . . . I promise not to say a word until you tell me it's okay. You'd better keep an eye open for Kitty, though." Sioned turned to leave but stopped and looked back at her friend. "And, Eliot? You're a really special brother . . ."
Eliot blushed, then walked up to Mina. "About the sheep set. I'll take it."
Mina slid into high gear the minute he finished. "Oh, Eliot. You had me there for a minute. I'm sorry for all the things I thought about you. Um . . . er . . . ahem . . . You know these dishes are really heavy, right? How silly of me. You helped move them yesterday, didn't you? Hey, that's right. Why didn't you say something then? You didn't know what volunteer rules? Well, why didn't you SAY so?" Eliot did not want to discuss it.
"I've been thinking, Mina. Can we pack them into a couple of those baskets in a way that will camouflage them? You could put a SOLD sign over the stack, and I'll get some of the chaps to help me pick them up later. They're a surprise for Bunty, you see, so we're going to hide them at Harold's place for a few days." Mina smiled up at Eliot (black cloud gone, of course) and said, "You know, Eliot? You're a really great brother."
Eliot was glad that no other girls were in on the secret. This was getting mushy. And Eliot doesn't do "mush". It's just a present for my sister. Can't a fellow do something nice for his sister without everyone going all gooey? Mina started on the SOLD sign, while Eliot looked around to make sure that no one else could see what he was doing. He really wanted this to be a secret. And keeping a secret on Islandshire is . . . well . . . You all know about the Luau Laundromat . . . and that wasn't even a secret. Actually, it wasn't even true, but things have a way of spreading. Maybe Harold will have an idea. "Harold! Over here!"
Mina slid into high gear the minute he finished. "Oh, Eliot. You had me there for a minute. I'm sorry for all the things I thought about you. Um . . . er . . . ahem . . . You know these dishes are really heavy, right? How silly of me. You helped move them yesterday, didn't you? Hey, that's right. Why didn't you say something then? You didn't know what volunteer rules? Well, why didn't you SAY so?" Eliot did not want to discuss it.
"I've been thinking, Mina. Can we pack them into a couple of those baskets in a way that will camouflage them? You could put a SOLD sign over the stack, and I'll get some of the chaps to help me pick them up later. They're a surprise for Bunty, you see, so we're going to hide them at Harold's place for a few days." Mina smiled up at Eliot (black cloud gone, of course) and said, "You know, Eliot? You're a really great brother."
Eliot was glad that no other girls were in on the secret. This was getting mushy. And Eliot doesn't do "mush". It's just a present for my sister. Can't a fellow do something nice for his sister without everyone going all gooey? Mina started on the SOLD sign, while Eliot looked around to make sure that no one else could see what he was doing. He really wanted this to be a secret. And keeping a secret on Islandshire is . . . well . . . You all know about the Luau Laundromat . . . and that wasn't even a secret. Actually, it wasn't even true, but things have a way of spreading. Maybe Harold will have an idea. "Harold! Over here!"
Harold thought the baskets were a great idea and told Eliot that the Merry Men would meet him later to move them out. So, while Mina and Eliot made arrangements to hide the dishes, Harold went back to his corner and waited. He'd promised Bunty that all the necklaces would be gone by the end of today, with a plan to approach each and every person as they came through the door. That didn't last long. It was cold standing out there by that door. But Harold had found a place just inside the hall, from where he could pounce out as they arrived. Having been distracted by Eliot's call, he now had to play the crowd a bit as well as watch the doorway.
Harold scanned the crowd for new faces. "Hey, Sioned! Like to buy a necklace? It supports a good cause! How 'bout some extras, just in case you lose them or something? Thanks! Hey, Mariamne! I found another blue necklace in the tray. Weren't you asking for a second one earlier? It's all for the sheep, you know. Boy, thanks a lot!" It was time to make a pit stop (no, not that kind) at Mabel and Joan's to clean out the donation can. The kids were being very generous today, and this was already his third trip to empty out.
(While Harold makes his way back to the sheltered place near the front of the hall, the Islandshire girls would like to say a word about him. Harold is always like this. Energetic but patient. Efficient but not dogmatic. Adorably sweet but confident. Kind and . . . well, just kind. Harold is always in a good mood, one of the least selfish people you'll ever meet, and always ready to help a person out. The only thing he loves more than his sheep is his baby sister, Truannie. With her, he is loving and gentle, often holding her all night long when she has the colic. He is generous and thoughtful to a fault. He's strong as an ox, but that's probably because he eats like one. He is, if nothing else, all boy. And what would the boys like to say? Not much. They think Harold is "a good chappie, a great Merry Men Club President, always ready to have fun and help out". And it was like pulling hen's teeth to get that much out of them. Harold would be embarrassed if he could read this. We'd probably better get back to the Bazaar, anyway.) Looks like Harold has found a new quarry . . .
Harold scanned the crowd for new faces. "Hey, Sioned! Like to buy a necklace? It supports a good cause! How 'bout some extras, just in case you lose them or something? Thanks! Hey, Mariamne! I found another blue necklace in the tray. Weren't you asking for a second one earlier? It's all for the sheep, you know. Boy, thanks a lot!" It was time to make a pit stop (no, not that kind) at Mabel and Joan's to clean out the donation can. The kids were being very generous today, and this was already his third trip to empty out.
(While Harold makes his way back to the sheltered place near the front of the hall, the Islandshire girls would like to say a word about him. Harold is always like this. Energetic but patient. Efficient but not dogmatic. Adorably sweet but confident. Kind and . . . well, just kind. Harold is always in a good mood, one of the least selfish people you'll ever meet, and always ready to help a person out. The only thing he loves more than his sheep is his baby sister, Truannie. With her, he is loving and gentle, often holding her all night long when she has the colic. He is generous and thoughtful to a fault. He's strong as an ox, but that's probably because he eats like one. He is, if nothing else, all boy. And what would the boys like to say? Not much. They think Harold is "a good chappie, a great Merry Men Club President, always ready to have fun and help out". And it was like pulling hen's teeth to get that much out of them. Harold would be embarrassed if he could read this. We'd probably better get back to the Bazaar, anyway.) Looks like Harold has found a new quarry . . .
"Patty! It's you! Haven't seen you in a coon's age. I'd like to welcome you to the Wool Week Bazaar. All proceeds benefit the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and their 'Love a Longwool' campaign. How'm I doin' with my patter? Doesn't that make you want to jump right in and buy one of these necklaces? Right, pick any color you want. Take as many as you want, too. Just put your donation in this can. Hey, I heard you had a swell time at Lori's Thrift event. How's the little bear?" Patty blushed and wondered how he knew about her little bear. "Before you leave, Patty . . . have you heard the '10 Wonderful Reasons to Love Wool'?"
Patty doesn't get out much, and she'd missed last year's Wool Week. "No, I haven't Harold. Where would I sign up for that seminar?" Harold almost dropped his tray. Swish! (That was the sound of the paper coming out of his back pocket.) He didn't wait to be asked twice. Once again, in his best sheep-calling voice, Harold began to read (before the others could rush out):
Patty was so inspired by Harold's '10 Reasons' that she went straight to Mabel and Joan's rack of sweaters to look for something made from such amazing fiber. And there it was. Her "dream sweater" from the Wish Book. Right in front of her eyes. "Oh, my goodness! It's MY SIZE, too! Mabel, where's your donation can? I can't thank you enough for bringing this today. It's just what I've always wanted. I used to dream I was living in the woods, and all the little animals came to me for food and help. One very, very cold winter, when I thought I should freeze to death, the sheep took their best wool to the other animals, and they all surprised me with the most beautiful sweater that ever was. And it looked JUST LIKE THIS! Oh, Joan, I'm SO happy! It's not every day that your dreams come true!" Patty dropped her donation into the can and rushed to the Gazette office to tell Trudy about Harold's '10 Wonderful Reasons' speech and suggest that it would make a great article for her paper. Joan didn't think Trudy would be as excited about it as Patty was, but she didn't have the heart to spoil her fun. Mabel wondered who'd given Harold permission to read that paper out loud in front of her booth.
As the day wore on, the line at Eydie's Gourmets continued to grow. And Steviekens continued to eat the whipped cream so generously offered by every customer. Eliot and Mina were still making plans for hiding the dishes, in low tones and lots of head shaking. (It looks like they should lower their voices or go to the other side of the stall, because Joan looks awfully intent on their conversation. She's probably just bored back there, waiting for someone to ask for a cut of wool batting.) Harold had rounded up another customer, but Jerri wasn't sure she had enough money to buy a necklace and a piece of pie. Sweet Harold didn't say a word but just picked up a necklace and handed it to her. "Guess what, Jerri? I bought a bunch of necklaces for Christmas gifts, but you'd save me some postage if you'd take yours today. I hope you like the color." Jerri smiled and started for Eydie's. She'd only gone a few steps, though, when she turned back and gave Harold a big hug, whispering in his ear, "I know what you did. And thank you. I'm ever so hungry." Harold thought pie sounded good just then, but he had a mission here. Giving his '10 Wonderful Reasons" speech to Patty was a great warm-up, but he didn't like to disappoint all the others. On his way past Eydie's, he had a quick word with her about giving Jerri something hot to drink with her pie . . . and to put it on his tab . . .
Not far off, Nautilus saw Vesey sitting by himself at a table and asked if the other seat was available. They chattered away about this and that. The awful weather. Eydie's good food. The big crowd at the Bazaar. Harold and his tray of necklaces. But most of all they talked about Wool Week's Thrift event.
"Were you and your brother there when I grabbed the buy of the day? No? I didn't think I'd seen you there. I was pretty early getting in, because I really needed a sweater for this awful weather. It's awful, isn't it? Just awful. Well, you won't believe what I got! Did you go back by the washer and dryer? It was leaning right up against them. I wonder how you missed it---" Nautilus quietly interrupted and tried to put him out of his misery. "Vesey, if we came in after you had come and gone, how could we have seen your treasure, regardless of where it'd been sitting? By the time we got there, your "buy of the day" wasn't there anymore. You'd already left with it. So, what was it you found? Must have been something nice." Vesey almost dropped his fork, as he blurted out, "A LaCrosse net!" Nautilus was unsure how to answer. "Oh, I didn't know you played LaCrosse." "I don't, but what's that got to do with it? You don't have to play LaCrosse to need the net." Nautilus just stared at her Apple Fritter and thought to herself. Aha, I get it. It might be Vesey's face saying that, but it's Lori's voice. It's her 'bowling-ball pitch' all over again: "It's a handy thing to have around, just in case. In case . . . in case you ever need one!" Nautilus wished she could've warned Vesey ahead of time, but he seemed so genuinely pleased with his purchase that she just smiled and nodded.
The two sat in silence for a minute, finishing their food, when Nautilus asked Vesey, "While we're on the subject, did you hear about Lori and that bowling ball? She was trying to palm it off on us as a new kind of anchor! Word is that someone actually bought the thing. I wonder what they're gonna do with it? Oh, and did you hear about the new Laundromat we're getting right here on the Island? No kidding! Benny bought a washer and dryer as a surprise for Nanea, and they're going to open a Laundromat at their house that we can all use. Seriously! They're calling it the 'Luau Laundromat', and Benny's going to barbecue for you while you wait, and Nanea's going to provide the entertainment. Yeah, I'm gonna be one of their first customers. I just hope I don't have to eat the poi. Yeah, me too. Ma Kettle got it right when she said, 'Best wallpaper paste I ever ate.'
"Were you and your brother there when I grabbed the buy of the day? No? I didn't think I'd seen you there. I was pretty early getting in, because I really needed a sweater for this awful weather. It's awful, isn't it? Just awful. Well, you won't believe what I got! Did you go back by the washer and dryer? It was leaning right up against them. I wonder how you missed it---" Nautilus quietly interrupted and tried to put him out of his misery. "Vesey, if we came in after you had come and gone, how could we have seen your treasure, regardless of where it'd been sitting? By the time we got there, your "buy of the day" wasn't there anymore. You'd already left with it. So, what was it you found? Must have been something nice." Vesey almost dropped his fork, as he blurted out, "A LaCrosse net!" Nautilus was unsure how to answer. "Oh, I didn't know you played LaCrosse." "I don't, but what's that got to do with it? You don't have to play LaCrosse to need the net." Nautilus just stared at her Apple Fritter and thought to herself. Aha, I get it. It might be Vesey's face saying that, but it's Lori's voice. It's her 'bowling-ball pitch' all over again: "It's a handy thing to have around, just in case. In case . . . in case you ever need one!" Nautilus wished she could've warned Vesey ahead of time, but he seemed so genuinely pleased with his purchase that she just smiled and nodded.
The two sat in silence for a minute, finishing their food, when Nautilus asked Vesey, "While we're on the subject, did you hear about Lori and that bowling ball? She was trying to palm it off on us as a new kind of anchor! Word is that someone actually bought the thing. I wonder what they're gonna do with it? Oh, and did you hear about the new Laundromat we're getting right here on the Island? No kidding! Benny bought a washer and dryer as a surprise for Nanea, and they're going to open a Laundromat at their house that we can all use. Seriously! They're calling it the 'Luau Laundromat', and Benny's going to barbecue for you while you wait, and Nanea's going to provide the entertainment. Yeah, I'm gonna be one of their first customers. I just hope I don't have to eat the poi. Yeah, me too. Ma Kettle got it right when she said, 'Best wallpaper paste I ever ate.'
As Nautilus and Vesey cleaned the table for Jerri to sit down with pie and hot chocolate (both lost under mountains of whipped cream), Harold headed for Kitty, sure that she'd be one girl who needed a lot of necklaces. The crowd had thinned a little, so he figured he'd stop for a lunch break after Kitty. Better yet, maybe Kitty wants to eat lunch with me, and I can accomplish two things at once. Eliot and Mina were busy carefully packing all the dishes into the large baskets. "I've got plenty of packing materials, Eliot, so use freely. We don't want anything to break. Boy, these baskets are he-e-avy! Let's just put them over here on the floor at the end of the table, and I'll put a SOLD sign on top. Bunty will never guess what's inside. The donation can's right here. If it's full, let me know, and I'll hand it to Joan. She and her sister are the quasi-treasurers for the event, so we all just take our full cans over there. Eliot, how can I ever thank you enough? When I got here this morning, I was hoping to sell a few Yarn Bowls and spread the word about my new venture. I couldn't be happier, knowing that these dishes are going to Bunty. And your surprising her with them is just the sweetest thing." Eliot said, "You're welcome." A man of few words and generous to a fault. Why do they always have to get mushy . . .
Eliot and Mina had just enough time to stack the baskets and mark them SOLD! before he spotted Kitty watching them from the table where she and Harold were sitting. Something started nagging at him. What was it he'd heard about Kitty? Something about her and a new laundromat? It came to him in a flash. "Oh, no! Mina, I've got to run. Don't let ANYONE know about this. I want Bunty to be surprised. And I've got to catch Kitty before everyone knows." In his haste, he nearly knocked someone down . . . "Excuse me!" . . . Hurry, Eliot!
Does Eliot get to Kitty in time? Or does it even matter? Will the SOLD sign keep Bunty from looking? Does Harold have enough time and shoppers left to sell the rest of the necklaces? Join us tomorrow for the final episode of the Wool Week Bazaar.
(If you would like your dolls to show support for the Longwools, you can send a message through the contact form on this blog to donate $6.00 for a necklace of your own. Color choices vary by availability. All proceeds will go to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust LOVE A LONGWOOL campaign. For real.)
(If you would like your dolls to show support for the Longwools, you can send a message through the contact form on this blog to donate $6.00 for a necklace of your own. Color choices vary by availability. All proceeds will go to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust LOVE A LONGWOOL campaign. For real.)