Mawmoos
4247 Maplewood Dr.
Saturday, August 17, 1991
1:00 PM
“Daddy.” A little hand tugged at his. “Daddy—I want.”
Lee looked down at his daughter. Only moments ago she’d been happily playing with her blocks in the center of the room, routinely giving him blocks and taking them away again. It was her new favorite game. And now—
I want. He knew from experience that what she wanted could be almost anything. Longingly Lee cast one last glance at the football game on the television. The Redskins vs. the Browns would have to wait. No big loss really—only an exhibition game and besides, the Redskins were losing anyway.
“What do you want, munchkin?” he asked her.
“Want mawmoos.”
Mawmoos? The word threw Lee. By now he thought that he knew all his daughter’s little words. ‘Nana meant banana, box meant blocks, ‘real was the word she used for cereal and cookie usually came out sounding more like ‘tookie’. But this was a new one altogether.
“Mawmoos?” he repeated.
“Uh-huh.” Jenna nodded solemnly.
He racked his brain. “Do you mean Mommy?”
“Not Mommy. Mawmoos.”
“Grandma?”
“No—no ‘Ma.”
‘Is it bigger than a breadbox?’ Lee thought. He had the distinct impression that he and Jenna were playing twenty questions.
“Is it in this room?” he asked her.
Another tug on his hand—Jenna was getting frustrated. “Daddy, pease—pease come.”
Lee rose from the couch. “Can you show Daddy what you mean?”
“Uh-huh—dis way, Daddy.” He let her lead him into the kitchen and over to her high chair—she pointed upwards.
“Mawmoos.”
Something on her high chair? Lee looked at the tray. All that he could see were the remains of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with—that had to be it. He plucked the stuffed animal from the chair where it had fallen.
“Here’s Mr. Moose, munchkin.”
“No!” Jenna threw the toy moose on the floor. “No moos. Mawmoos. Up in the net.” She let go of his hand and perched precariously up on her toes, fingers pointing. “Up ‘dere.”
Mawmoos up in the net? What in the world could she be saying? Lee sighed as he ran both hands back through his hair. What he wouldn’t give for Amanda to be here right now. She should be back soon, he knew. And if anyone could decipher this, it would definitely be her.
“Daddy, mawmoos now. Up—up.” Jenna jumped, arms still up, fingers still pointing. At that moment the doorbell rang.
“Thank God,” Lee muttered. Bending down he scooped Jenna into her arms—definitely not what she wanted. She wriggled and kicked, trying to escape from his grasp.
“No, mawmoos dis way, no—pease!” Her last word came out in a shriek. One little foot made contact with the upper part of his leg—just barely missing his— Lee gritted his teeth and sucked in his breath, stifling a grunt of pain. Who would’ve thought that one little foot could kick so hard—
“Stop it,” he told her. “Now behave. We’ll get what you want in a minute.” Managing to hold the squirming body with one arm he unlocked and opened the door.
“Francine? What are you doing here?”
“I came to pick up the Reynolds Report, Scarecrow.” She raised her eyebrows. “We talked about it on the phone this morning. Remember?”
Remember—he had completely forgotten.
“Mawmooos—” Jenna cried, twisting—her back arching.
Francine stared at the toddler, then at Lee. “What on earth is she saying? Mawmoos?”
“I only wish I knew,” Lee said. “This is a new word for me. All I know is that whatever it is, she really wants it.”
“Mawmoos? Hmm...” Francine mused. “Well, you know, if all else fails—maybe crypto can help.”
“I’m glad you think this is so funny, Francine.” Lee replied. “I doubt even cryptology could handle toddler-speak.”
“Well you never know until you try.”
“Oh really? Well here—you try.” He thrust a now-wailing Jenna into her arms. “I’ve got to run upstairs to get the report. Do you mind?”
“Scarecrow,” Francine was clearly flustered. “I don’t—”
“I’ll only be a couple of minutes.” Without waiting to hear what she had to say he dashed upstairs to the bedroom. Now where—there it was. Right beside his pillow where he’d been working on it earlier this morning. He picked it up the stapled sheath of papers and leafed through it, eyes scanning. No errors—not that he could see, anyway. His phone rang—Lee picked up the bedroom extension.
“Stetson residence.”
“Lee, it’s Augie. Are you busy?”
“Mawmoos!” Jenna’s voice floated upstairs. Lee drew in his breath and let it out in a whoosh.
“Yes, Augie—I’m busy, so get to the point, huh?”
“I can’t. This isn’t a clean line. Can I meet you somewhere in a few hours? Say Rock Creek park at 4 PM?”
“Sure,” Lee replied. “Oh, and Augie—whatever you have better be worth it.”
“Have I ever let you down before?”
“You really want me to answer that?”
“This is worth it, believe me,” Augie said. “Meet you at 4, all right?”
“I’ll be there.” Lee hung up the phone. He turned off the bedroom light and left the room, going downstairs.
“Miaow.”
Strange noise—it sounded like a cat and yet not a cat at all; more the sound that a person would make pretending to be a cat.
“Miaow?”
It came from the kitchen. And it almost sounded like—only it couldn’t be.
But it was.
Francine wasn’t holding Jenna anymore. Now she knelt beside her—miaowing—taking one hand she rubbed it across her face—perfectly mimicking a cat cleaning itself.
“Is that what it is, Jenna?” she was asking the toddler. “Is mawmoos the noise a kitty makes?”
“Kitty!” Jenna clapped her hands excitedly.
“Yes, you know. Like this. Miaow—miaow. Is that right, Jenna?” Jenna giggled, putting her hands over her mouth. Lee couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across his face.
This was just priceless.
“Siddy Fwanceen,” Jenna shook her head.
“That’s what I would say too,” Lee replied. “Hello, Francine.”
Francine’s head jerked up in response as Lee spoke. Her blue eyes widened as they met his—hastily she rose to her feet, smoothing down her skirt.
“Ah—Lee,” Francine began. “I was just—”
“I saw, Francine—and thank you.” Amanda’s voice surprised them both as she walked into the kitchen.
“Mommy!” Jenna’s face lit up. “Mawmoos, pease?”
“Yes, I’ll get them for you , sweetheart,” Amanda replied. “But just one. You don’t want to ruin your dinner.”
“ ‘kay.”
Lee watched as his wife reached up into the top shelf of her cabinet, grabbing a small tin and popping it open.
A marshmallow—mawmoos in the cabinet. Suddenly it all made sense.
“Here you go.” She placed the marshmallow in Jenna’s palm. “Here’s your mawmoo.”
“Miaow,” Jenna replied with a smile.
The End
Story Notes:
*Thanks to Jan and Cheryl for the idea and the brainstorming—the usual disclaimers apply—hope you enjoy*