The Tell Tale Busy Bee

Alas! A tragedy has befallen us.



Do you recall Busy Bee? T'was nearly a month ago when I posted the above photograph and told you all about Cooper's beloved plush toy. When you squeezed Busy Bee, his cheeks would blink red and the lullaby, "Rock-A-Bye Baby" filled the air.

Now...the house is filled with silence. The Silence of the Bees!

After countless hours of being drooled on and chewed apart, Busy Bee was looking rather grungy. I knew it had a magical sing-songy microchip inside, so the washing machine was not an option. My mother suggested that I hand wash it. I took a sponge and some Dreft detergent and went to town. SCRUBBA SCRUBBA SCRUBBA. Then I hung Mr. Bee up on the shower curtain rod to dry.

An hour later, Cooper was napping and I was watching the Jennifer Anniston thriller Derailed. (BTW, it ain't that good. I only watched it to see Clive Owen. He intrigues me. Don't judge.) All of a sudden, I hear Busy Bee whining in the bathroom. The toy started singing non-stop like it was possessed! Not knowing what else to do, I kept squeezing the thing in hopes that it would cease. Finally, it shut up. I assumed that once the toy was dry, all would resume normal.

Hubby came home from work several hours later. After we had put Cooper to bed, Jakob was working on the computer and I was painting. Then, we heard it. It startled both of us. Busy Bee was relentlessly sounding off.

"Did you put Busy Bee in with Cooper?" he asked.

I explained that Busy Bee was malfunctioning and it was all my fault. In my efforts to clean the bee, I got him wet and now he was wailing like a banshee in our shower. We could NOT stop it.

"Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top. Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top. Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top. Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top. Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top."

We couldn't throw Busy away. This was Cooper's favorite thing. There was only one option.



I couldn't bring myself to perform the surgery. Jakob made a careful incision in the bee's midsection and removed the microchip thingamajig.



We gutted Busy Bee and through his innards in the trash. His cheeks no longer blink. He no longer sings. He's mute.



I did suture the wound.

Here's the kicker. The next day, as Cooper and I went for our daily walk to the park, we passed by the dumpster. And what did we hear emanating from beneath the stacked garbage bags? I kid you not! The sickly warped tune of 'Rock-A-Bye Baby'. I had to laugh.

The question is, will Cooper notice a change in BB?



Nah. Coop's fine. But sometimes, during these chilly autumn nights, I think I still hear the bee sing.

Must you haunt me the rest if my days, Busy Bee?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Grannemarie says,
I had a good laugh over this one. Edgar Allen Poe would too. Can't we just buy a new Busy Bee? I wonder what would happen to tickle me Elmo if you gave him a sponge bath? Hang in there Cooper. Your Mom & Dad have it under control.

Anonymous said...

I'm still laughing!!! And I agree, Grannemarie, can't this innocent toy go on Cooper's Christmas wish list?
Anyway, I think the parental team work at the White House is phenomenal! Keep up the good work!
Cooper is cracking up keeping you two jumping!

Anonymous said...

Too Too Funny for words!!!!
Cooper you are the luckiest boy!!! We allready can see your ever inceasingly grand sense of humor. Keep it up!!!!!!Great GranMA