REAL MAKE-BELIEVE

‘I am Princess Whatshername.’ ‘You are my Lady in Waiting, Charlotte. ‘Harold, you Sir, are Sir Runnamuck. Let’s see, kneel down, let your head touch the ground. No, I’ve changed my mind. You are Lord of the Castle.’ ‘But- but- I wanted to slay the Gray Speckled Dragon. What do I get to do as Lord of the Castle? ‘ ’You will be in charge of the castle, of course. Be sure the moat is filled, the kitchen is stocked, the battlements are armed. Do not try me. Do as you are bid.’

Charlotte hurries home, delves into the cellar, and brings back one panel of her mother’s old sheer bedroom curtain. She makes a dunce cap out of newspapers and tosses the curtain over it. Magic happens. She is Carlotta. ‘Jack, you are the Gate Master and Duke of the Dungeon. Watch out! There will be friends who are not friends trying to get in. Do what you must. Keep them away!’

The sun is almost at high noon. Carlotta is hot under her long veil. The new Sir Runnamuck, Harvey, bows to the Princess. ‘I will return with vittles, your Highness.’ From his mom’s pantry, he takes an unopened bag of Oreos and a six pack of Coke that has not yet been cooled. The Court devours the cookies and squirts each other with the warm drinks. Jack, the tallest, strongest of the group comes to attention, folds his arms against his chest, looks around and shouts, ‘I am the Gate Master. ‘Who goes there? Friend or Foe?’ Two girls he recognizes from class, wave and say, ‘Friends. Friends. Can we play?’‘Be gone, Ladies. We have no room for new comers. Go Away!’ ‘Please let us in. We have nothing else to do all day.’ ‘Out. Out. I say or the Gray Speckled Dragon will slay you. They make ugly faces at the Gate Master and run away fast.

At that very moment Frankie, the Sir Runnamuck replacement, appears. He brandishes a single white plank that he pulled off a neighbor’sdilapidated picket fence. She’ll never miss it. “Look up! Look up!’ he shouts. ‘There is the Gray Speckled Dragon. Take cover. I will slay him.’His sword zooms in the air. He runs in circles. Princess Whatsernameapplauds. Carlotta holds onto her veil. The Dungeon Duke cheers. The wooden sword stands erect in the grass. In unison, the friends shout, ‘The Gray Speckled Dragon is dead. Let’s go get cold Cokes!’

‘Carlotta whines, may I be Princess Whatshername Saturday? I’ve been lady in Waiting twice and I’m tired of waiting.’ ‘Sure,’ says the Dungeon Duke, ‘OR you can replace the Gray Speckled Dragon and be the Yellow Yawning Pipsqueak. Take your choice.’

They march out of their garden and head for those cokes.