Sunday, April 15, 2007

The First Note from Thomisina Basilina

My dear friends:

I know you have been worried about Sir Chidester, noble duke, etc. of Gumberry Castle. Only last week, as I was eating my spaghetti, I dropped my fork in surprise as I read:

MISSING! NOBLE CHIDESTER THE GUMBERRY disappears from Gumberry Castle! Castle has been put up for sale, and has been bought by Lady Limabeard. Where has Chidester the Gumberry gone? NOBODY KNOWS.

I have been unable to sleep, even though I drink lots of warm milk before bedtime. Where has Sir Chidester gone? I often wonder as I lie in bed, counting mice as they skitter across my floor. One, two, three--oh, where can Chidester be?

I was his nursemaid. Perhaps you have heard of me. My name is Thomisina Basilina. I taught the noble boy how to add two and two.

2 + 2 =

I taught dear Chidester how to fold his socks and put them neatly away in his drawer. It was I, Thomasina Basilina, who patted Sir Chidester on his neatly combed head when he ate all his peas. And where is he now? Three, four five--is Chidester alive?

And then, one bright spring morning when the mice were hanging their wash out to dry in the sunshine, I reached into my post box and pulled out a letter. I held it with shaking hands.

I would know Chidester's handwriting anywhere! (Wasn't I, Thomisina Basilina, good nursemaid, the one who taught him to curl his Bs just so?)

Just to be sure, I flipped the envelope over and read the return address:

It's Chidester! I cried. The mice dropped their nice clean tablecloth into a mud puddle in surprise.

Six, seven, eight! I swung open the gate and hurried into the house to make myself a nice cup of basil tea. Then I sat down to open Chidester the Gumberry's letter.

Would you like to know what it said?

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