1 Whatchamacallit? Thingamajig?
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Abby whispered to Maggie. “Maybe now is the time to call our parents.”
Grandma overheard the whispering. ‘You do not need to call your parents but since you have discovered my secret I better explain.”
“Grandma, first explain how you got into this attic and how you called us. We haven’t been able to call you on your cell phone since.”
Grandma sat down on the furry pink rug in the middle of the attic floor. “I decided to come up to the attic and visit the past. I couldn’t find the key. I looked all over the house, under the lamp shades, in the kitchen cupboards and under the mattress. I always hide the key so no one else can get into this room. Today I couldn’t find the key. Finally I found it tucked away under the sardines in the refrigerator. I knew none of you would find it there because you don’t like sardines but I didn’t remember that until I found the key.”
“Sam and I climbed the stairs to the attic. I opened the door, made Sam stay outside because he tries to jump on me when I start dancing, and as I shut the door the door knob fell off. It’s been loose for a while. I should have fixed it. Anyway the door knob fell off and Sam ran away with it. That’s when I called all of you, but then my cell phone went dead, and I couldn’t use it anymore.”
“But Grandma, why did you use such strange words when you were trying to explain what we needed to find to help you?” asked Abby.
“I couldn’t think straight. I was excited and scared because you were going to find out my secret.”
“Why didn’t you call our moms and dads?” asked Maggie.
“I didn’t call your moms and dads because they are such fuddie duddies. They wouldn’t understand my secret but you would.”
Maggie, Abby, Brady and Jake all looked at each other, raised their eyebrows in silent communication. Fuddie Duddie? Grandma was talking in a foreign language again.
“Grandma you need to talk so we can understand you,” said Brady
“You look kind of funny Grandma “Jake murmured in a low voice not sure what Grandma’s reaction would be.
They stepped back with surprise when Grandma burst out laughing. “Oh I forgot I still had my 60”s duds on. Duds are clothes, since you can’t understand what I am saying. And a fuddy-duddy is a person that is boring and not always fun.”
“Grandma, why are you dressed like that,” asked Abby “and why do you have all these weird clothes up here?”
“Grandma, why are your eyelids blue?” asked Jake.
“Grandma, why do the walls have padding on them? Why are they decorated with flowers?”
“Well, I don’t care about that,” announced Maggie,” I want to know what these electric boxes are.”
Maggie, Jake, Abby and Brady were all chattering at once and it was hard for Grandma to understand them. Grandma laughed even harder and said “Now who’s talking gibberish?”
At the word gibberish they all stopped asking questions, looked at each other, and started laughing too. The tears started rolling down their cheeks and Jake started rolling on the floor. Sam started barking and jumping over each little body on the floor. If anyone had peeked in the Window at the strange scene they would have fell off of their ladder in shock.
Grandma clapped her hands and turned the strobe lights on to get their attention. “I suppose I better explain.” This is my secret room. This is where I go if I am sad or mad or just plain bored with my life.”
“Grandma we didn’t know you ever felt sad or were bored.” Said Abby
“When you get to be my age Abby, you forget that even though your hair is gray it doesn’t mean you are any different inside.” Grandma explained. “These clothes are clothes that were worn in the 60’s when I was a teenager. These machines play my music that I used to and still dance to. Sometimes when you get to be a grown up you forget that you can still have fun.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” asked Brady.
“I was waiting to tell you until you were older and I saw you becoming a fuddy duddy.” Grandma explained. “I was waiting for the right moment to bring you up to this room and teach you that when you grow up you should always keep a little bit of who you are right now in your heart. I was waiting until you would understand.”
“Do our moms and dads know about this room?” asked Maggie.
“No,” Grandma answered. “I didn’t learn any of this until your dads were already grown up. Then it seemed too late. I learned to play again from the four of you. I watched your faces when you saw a snowflake for the first time. I listened to your excitement when you discovered you could walk. I laughed when you jiggled and danced the first time you heard some music. I remembered being young and I knew my heart still had that wonder and excitement and laughter inside of me. So I created this room to make sure I always remembered.”
Brady jumped up “Now that we found the do dad that fits the thingamajig and we were able to open the whatchamacallit we better grab some duds and start dancing before we become fuddie duddies.”
With that Grandma cranked up the music and turned up the strobe lights. Abby, Maggie, Brady and Jake grabbed some of grandma’s clothes and jived with Grandma to the stroll, the twist, the mashed potato, the hully gully, the watusi and the pony.
And that’s how Jake, Maggie, Abby and Brady’s parents found them hours later learning how to be forever young.
GLOSSARY
Barreled: to go forward at high speed
Chandelier: a fancy light fixture hanging from the ceiling
Conservative: acting in a normal manner, not weird or strange
Conversations: talking between more than one person
Displeasure: not approve, annoyed
Disapproving: to think something is not right
Dramatic: amazing and larger and more exciting than it is
Encounter: to come upon or meet when you didn’t expect it
Exaggerate: make something seem larger or more exciting than it really is
Foreign language: talking in words from another country that is not English which we speak
Gasping: a short breath used when surprised
Hinges: a piece on a door or gate that swings or swivels or holds the door to the doorway
Imaginary: pretend
Intruder: someone that comes in without being asked
Muttered: to speak in a quiet voice as if talking to yourself
Round Metal Thing: Known as a spindle which connects two old doorknobs through the door.
Sardines: a type of fish in a can preserved in oil and used for food
Silent Communication: A look exchanged between people that shows they understand what the other is thinking.
Soundproofed: Putting something on the walls so people outside cannot hear the noise
Strobe Lights: short, colorful bursts of light that flash on and off.
Tempted: to invite someone to do something they shouldn’t do
The Twist, Hully Gully, Watusi, Pony: Dances from the years of the 1960’s
Tornado: a big storm that blows things in and out and upside down
Urged: to ask to hurry
Victorian House: A house that was built in 1870 to 1875 which was known as the Victorian Period
Wailed: to cry out
Julie Seedorf
is a wife, mom, grandma, computer technician and columnist. Writing has always been a dream and a hobby. She believes in reaching for your dreams. Julie’s column, Something About Nothing, reflects that. She believes when we are carelessly talking about nothing, there is always something of substance in what we are not saying. Her columns bring a lightness to life. She is known as the “Pink Grandma” because of her love for bright colors and unusual things. She decided to go for her dreams and finally finish a book to publish before she kicks the bucket. Her books are silly, light hearted and not meant to be taken seriously. She believes we have too much seriousness in life,. The light of her life are her grandchildren. She believes letting them know who you are inside that crinkly body brings under
standing and closeness despite the age differences. Whatchamacallit, Thingamajig is the first in a series of children’s books.
OTHER BOOKS BY JULIE:
Fuchsia, Minnesota available at Amazon and soon other downloadable options.