Mr. Boy’s spirit animal, this stuffed elephant, recently had her first bath in nine years. Followed by a tumble dry. It was Mrs. Charm’s idea. Get rid of her familiar smell, the thinking went, and Mr. B. would be less inclined to carry her about and sleep with her. Not that we mind that, especially, but he still sucks his fingers, despite our best efforts to stop it, and her comfortin presence seems to play a role in it. Anyhow, it didn’t work. The precocious pachyderm, Miss El, remains immortal. And the rising fourth grader’s finger sucking, alas, continues.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 