The Plasma Burnt Penguin

When we went to the Newport Aquarium, my mom bought Ev this pink, plastic glow in the dark penguin. This is a special penguin. Mainly because it's just one of her many possessions but. mostly because it came from Grandma.


Now, Ev has been sleeping on the floor in her closet. Okay , that's weird but there it is, kids do weird stuff. It's her "secret place" and she wants to be there. So we let her. She has lanterns and , glowing penguins, link posters and ameeuhls and many, many blankets, a thermos of water, a small chair, her pillow, and 2 baskets full of chopsticks, bits of paper and stickers in there. Yes, it's a moderately sized closet. hum hum okay. my point is....


The penguin lost his glow. He needed recharged. I was appointed this task. I had many instructions and we had to make definite plans about his return to the secret place. I promptly forgot most of my instructions. I was tired and edgy and well, really? I have to now pay attention to the needs of a plastic penguin from Kentucky?!?!?!


I went into the bathroom, realized I still had the penguin in my hands, looked around, (I really had to go) saw no shelf or anything near a light to charge him. So I did the next best thing. I turned him on his back and laid him directly on a light bulb over the vanity. Smart right?


Then I forgot that there was even a penguin in the house, let alone one in mortal danger. One that I had been entrusted to keep safe.


Nothing happened right away because I turned the light off and went down stairs to watch a movie.


1.5 hours later, I come back upstairs for my evening ablutions and then....I remember the penguin when I smell him melting.


I had to sort of ooze him off of the light bulb and run him under cold water.


Yes, I plasma burnt my daughters precious penguin.






I kept this dark secret for 3 days.


Tonight I confessed.


I am in the dog house.


Ev immediately got her Hello Kitty Emergency Kit and put a band aid on him. She then started to murmur things like "well, she never burned me", "you will be alright I am sorry that your back burns like hell fire". I have had several sidelong glances and I fear that I have lost the privilege of taking care of any of her animals again.


It's a mixed blessing to be sure.

(Does anyone else wonder why I am in such trouble if Penguin was able to be hid away on the top shelf in the hall closet for 72 hours without her remembering? If he was all THAT special shouldn't she have questioned me thouroughly that next morning? Why was a tired, strung out Mom put in charge in the first place? Who holds the real blame here people?)