135 Pulling the Rug

The Little Red Haired Girl

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135 Pulling the Rug

Body started to work differently since they had got home. Smarter by knowing what was possible for Body to do on her own and what they needed skilled help to correct from the previous builder’s shambolic work. Together with Brain, they investigated the time and money needed for corrections and advancement, and whether or not it was worth doing. Brain and Body’s perpective had shifted. They were working to sell the house now instead of making it a home.

Some work could be left for the next owner to do. It could be made to look saleable and appealing to a buyer and showing and being honest about the work left to do.
Spirit and Soul encouraged Brain and Body to work even when things went wrong or exhaustion took over with meditation, prayer and rest. Brain became more positive about the outcome of their work even though it had no answers to many questions about the recent past, and with Souls encouragement lost anxiety about the future and where they were headed. It didn’t matter anymore. They were free to do whatever they wished with any direction and with the money they raised from the potential house sale.

Most of the time they worked alone and the Little Red Haired Girl talked of happier memories of the long distant past which kept them amused and a little more ‘playful’ in their approach to the endless work ahead. Even with the heavier work that Body struggled with.
“We cannot lift that chest of drawers out of the way to paint but it needs to be moved somehow” Brain stated. “Perhaps we can ask the neighbour to come and help for a minute?”
“No” called Spirit “there is something perculiar about the man’s aura. It gives me the creeps.”
“Oh Ok” stated Brain as it conceded to Spirits opinion. “The chest of drawers doesn’t even have legs so there is no gap to even get Body’s fingers under it, and it’s so big and heavy Body cannot lift it.”
“Can we not push it?” called Spirit.
“NOOO!” shouted Body “it will permanently scratch all the new floor tiles and leave terrible marks. We have to think of another way.”
“‘I’m trying” stated Brain “let’s remove all the drawers for a start, then it will be lighter and provide purchase for Body’s fingers from the top.”

The chest of drawers still sat there looking like a monsters mouth with the teeth missing. Body tried to lift it from the top but the small lift meant the bottom of it dug into her ankles and made it impossible to move her feet forward let alone the pain it instantly caused.
“Yikes! that hurts and I cannot walk with it” as Body sat on the tiled floor in dismay rubbing her ankles to relieve the pain and noting the large linear red bruises appearing instantly from the bottom of the chest of drawers. The monster.

“it’s hopeless” cried Heart “how can we keep doing this to Body? It’s so unfair.”
“Stop crying Heart” Brain cajoled “we will find another way.”
“How?” called Spirit.
“We will paint around it for now and come back to the problem later. I may get an idea.” Brain was hopeful for a change and it was a new concept for them all including Brain!
So they carried on painting around the monster with the missing teeth.

The Little Red Haired Girl sat on the rug playing in the cardboard house she had made out of large boxes. Its roof was splattered with white paint as she sheltered from the paint drops from the roller. She watched them work occasionally looking up from her only toy, the doll Nana had made for her and that she had brought home from the Pumphouse. It felt nice to be home and clean and sitting on the plush rug instead on the concrete floor in that dirty dark place.

She looked up when she heard Heart cry “it’s hopeless” and she watched Body become more and more exhausted painting and lifting stuff around. She knew Brain was thinking hard about how to move “the monster” and sometimes she thought adults were really not clever at all but she knew when to keep quiet.

“You ok little one?” Heart cried.
“Yes, but I don’t understand why you don’t use the magic carpet. You can move anywhere and anything on the magic carpet.”
“Oh Ok although I don’t feel that will help with this particular monster. It’s very heavy” Heart replied.
“Just a minute” Brain stated “I may think on that child.”
“It’s true. The magic carpet can take anything anywhere. You just have to use it. Nana used to beat hers to get all the dust off it and then it would look all fluffy too and all the colours would come out. It looked just like new. A new one flown all the way in from Dia.”
“Dia?” Brain asked.
“A faraway country called Dia.”
“India?” Brain guessed looking at the Indian rug she was sitting on.

“That’s what I said, don’t you laugh at me” the child said as Spirit chuckled at her stubbornness.
“It’s rude to laugh at people”
“I’m not laughing at you child, I am laughing with you” called Spirit who was lifted to the ceiling with the sound of its own laughter.
“The child has a point” sighed Soul.
“What do you mean? Are you saying I was laughing at her?”

“No, No” sighed Soul “she is pointing out a direction, a path with the carpet.”
“I am on it” stated Brain “and ahead of you Soul.
“Really” Soul laughed which surprised them all. It was rare for Soul to laugh.

“Get up child, we need to borrow your magic carpet please” stated Brain.
“Will I get it back? Coz I will have to get rid of my cardboard house if you want to borrow it.”
“Yes, yes you will get it back and rebuild your house.”
“You promise?”
“Yes, that promise I can keep completely” Brain reassured.
“Ok then” and the child moved.

Body gently removed the cardboard placing it upwards so the paint on it did not transfer to the floor, and dragged the rug to the monster. It was heavy but canvas backed and slipped easily across the tiled floor. Body placed it next to the monster and Brain instructed Body to fetch the broken broom handle back from next to the rubbish bin.

“Do I really have to walk down the lane to fetch that? What do we possibly need that for? I’m tired and I don’t want to walk down the lane to the bin” Body whined.
“Just go and get it please” Brain asked “you will be pleased you did. You will get to finish the painting” Brain teased.

Reluctantly Body went to fetch it, still tired, still nonplussed, still aching and yet forced a smile at the neighbour who appeared at his door every time she left the house.
“I’m sensing some inspiration afoot” called Spirit on Body’s return “don’t look so glum.”
“Just overtired” Body replied.

“Right” Brain took charge “lay the broom handle on the floor next to the monster, no not on the carpet, in the gap between the carpet and the monster.”
“Don’t get techy with me Brain, I’ve had enough of today.”
“That may well be, but how much do you want to finish this painting?” Brain asked.
“A lot. It would be an achievement to finish the day with” Body admitted.
“It would be lovely” cried Heart.

“Then ask yourself Body” Brain continued “how much strength have you left? Enough to lift this one edge of the monster? High enough just to kick the broom handle under it?”
“I can try” answered Body.
“I can see the direction and path” sighed Soul.
“It’s inspirational” called Spirit.

So Body wearily did as it was told, and with one last supreme effort lifted one side of the monster and balancing kicked one end of the broom handle under it, then transferring her weight and changing her feet, hastily kicked the other end under too, till she could hold the monster no more and it thumped to the floor.
Body stood back and caught her breath, and looked at the now tilted and askew toothless monster. It now looked drunk and misplaced like it too was overtired and looking just as shabby as Body.
“Now we roll it, we can roll it onto the magic carpet” Brain stated.
“But I need it across the other side of the room not on the rug!” Body was impatient.

Body did as she was asked and pushed it from the opposite side till the broom handle appeared near her feet and the monster was completely on the rug.
“Now it can fly” the Little Red Haired Girl clapped her hands in excitement.

“Fly is a maybe” stated Brain “but pulled across the tiles without scratching them and with relative ease, possible.”

And so it was. Body finished the painting and later soaked in her salt bath with a sense of fulfilment and achievement.
Brain was proud of itself and the Little Red Haired Girl for giving it the idea.
Spirit was lifted by the inspired choice.
Soul was pleased with the direction they had taken.

Heart was quiet. The disappointment of this house not becoming a home for her and Noswad, still remained. No matter now, at least the crying had stopped.
“A good direction” sighed Soul “and if we work together, where there is a will there is a way.”

“There is” said Big voice “you just have to chose it.”