Alexandra's Castle

         "Knock! Knock! Is anybody home?''

         Four-year old Alexandra poked her blonde head out the flap/door of her cardboard castle nestled against a wall in the toy-strewn livingroom.

         "Nanna," she shrieked. "Whatcha doin'?"

         Her grandmother crouched down to eye level and explained, "I'm here to visit you. May I come in?"

         Her hair swung as she shook her head. "You no fit, silly Nanna."

         "What? Are you saying I'm too big?"

         A giggle tinkled followed by a snort. The listing door showcasing scribbled artwork was pulled shut by a tiny hand.

          It burst open with a proffered plastic tea cup. "Wanna sip of tea, Nanna?"

         "Why thank you. I do enjoy a cup of fresh tea. Slurp, slurp, glug, glug, aah. May I have another?"

         The door opened a crack and the cup still full of make believe tea was snatched.

         "Wanna cookie Nanna?"

         "Yes please. I hope it's chocolate chip. Did you bake some in there? I can smell them."

         "What?" squealed Alexandra. "Here."

         The grandparent accepted the blob of pink Playdoh and mimed biting and chewing all the while exclaiming it was delicious.

         "Nanna, don't eat it. It's not real."

         Nanna's eyes opened wide and she feigned surprise with her mouth agape in an exaggerated 'o'.

         "Don't you have a kitchen in there with a stove? How did you make my tea? Where's your bed? You must sleep in there."

         Alexandra crawled forth from her hiding place. Almost collapsing the play structure she yanked the door and gestured, "See Nanna? Nobody lives here."

         Nanna smiled. "Oh, is Nobody your friend? Can I meet her? Does she live in there?"

         In answer Alexandra stomped off to the actual kitchen.

         A voice hollered from that direction, "Mom, she doesn't understand sarcasm."

         (290 words )