THE 45TH ARMORED BRIGADE REUNION (AN ARMADILLO PARTY)

A little story for you all to enjoy.

Love,
Betty

THE 45^TH ARMORED BRIGADE REUNION (AN ARMADILLO PARTY)

Mildred and Claudie lived under an old blue car that had been there since before time began. They had built their first home there years ago. At first it was just a tunnel and a single compartment, but every year they had added to it until today it had no less than ten rooms. All the compartmentsran off the main hallway and there were many nooks of cozy attraction and comfort. All along the hallways were pictures of their long and happy life together, and shelves of Mildred’s many artistic accomplishments over the years, and trophies that Claudie had won, and awards their children had received.

In one little nook, was a library of all the stories they enjoyed, and in another, two chairs by a fireplace where they enjoyed their tea every morning time, and in another was Claudie’s Armored Division Trophy’s and keepsakes. It was a very comfortable and happy place.

Mildred and Claudie had been very busy for a week. Mildred swept and dusted and Claudie polished all the root supports and cross supports until they gleamed. They washed the rugs, and dusted the drapery. They shopped for the best white grub and worms and beetles they could find. They cleaned out the grub cellar and put in new leaves to keep the grubs fresh. This took some time, because they had to put down a layer of brown leaves and then a layer of grubs and then another layer of leaves, and then a layer of worms, another layer of leaves, and then a layer of beetles, until it was full.

Mildred and Claudie were very tired, but when they finally went to bed, they talked far into the night of old times and the people they hoped to see at the party.

Early the next morning, Claudie went off to rent the fireflies and Mildred started preparing the table and the food. First, she spread the table with a beautiful tablecloth that her mother had given them as a wedding present. It was white with little embroidery flowers in blue and yellow with a lacy edge. Then, she got the grubs and worms and beetles from the cellar and washed them all very well and put them on clean towels to dry. Next, she went out to the garden and picked some flowers and arranged them in blue vases on the table. She was smiling and humming a little tune to herself as she got out her best dishes and crystal glasses and set the table all around with the name of each guest beside their plates.

When Claudie got back with the fireflies, she had just finished cooking the delicious sauce for the worms.

Together they put each kind of beetle in separate beetle dishes and arranged the napkins next to each plate. They arranged the fireflies on the overhead roots that Claudie had polished so well. Finally, the grubs were arranged on a big platter, and the worms were put in a bowl and covered with the sauce. Sparkling Spring Water was poured into the crystal glasses and a large pitcher was at one end.

At last, everything was finished, except for Mildred and Claudie to get themselves ready to greet their guest.

They polished all the bands on their armor and cleaned their claws and brushed their teeth. They did look very nice as the guests arrived, very nice indeed.

Soon all the invited guest had arrived and had exclaimed over and over again how nice the table looked and how delicious everything smelled and how everybody had not changed since the last reunion and other such nice things to hear as these. They had all found their name by their plate and sat down to eat.

Armadillos are a quiet lot, as a rule, and very polite and very keen on proper etiquette and table manners, so the party was going on without a lot of trouble. Each guest held his pinky claw out when selecting a juicy grub and twirled the worms around their pointer claw before eating it and when they ate a beetle, they discreetly spit the legs into their napkins. They sipped their Sparkling Spring Water and had conversation of the most genteel kind.

Mildred and Claudie mingled and talked and offered more of everything and the fireflies blazed overhead.

It was at that moment that… The door burst open and in blustered Willy ‘Dillo and his new wife Nilly. Everyone gasped! It was a heart stopper, I can tell you!!!

Willy ‘Dillo had been over the road a lot of times and had finally made his home in Lester’s Field, a wild, uncivilized country, and had met and wooed Nilly until she had agreed to become Mrs. ‘Dillo. They were finally wed and pronounced Willy and Nilly ‘Dillo about a year ago. And they were as alike as two peas could be! They never said anything but that it was in a SHOUT. They were both as loud as loud could be. They had NOT been invited to the 45th Armored Division Party, so when they burst into the room, it was a surprise to everyone, especially to Claudie and Mildred. Mildred almost rolled into a ball.

Willy was shouting, “I NOTICED YOUR FIREFLIES AND SMELLED THE FOOD, SO WE CAME TO JOIN THE PARTY!!!!”

Nilly was already on the table eating grubs out of Mildred’s best dishes, and Willy went for the worm bowl and started SLURPING worms. In no time they were up to the beetle dishes and grabbed great paws full of beetles and chewed them, WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPEN, and then SPIT THE LEGS ON THE FLOOR!

Mildred was feeling a little faint. All the invited guests were giving Willy and Nilly their best beady-eyed glare.

Willy and Nilly kept on talking with their mouths full at the top of their lungs, paying no attention to the other guests at all, who were sitting there in, what is known as, astounded silence.

Finally, Claudie had had enough! He grabbed Willy and Nilly by their first bands and shoved them out the door, quietly saying, “And, stay out!” He shut the door behind them.

Willy and Nilly had just gotten up and dusted themselves off with a lot of commotion and noise and were shouting to each other about how rudely they were shown the door, when Wooffer came around the front fender of the old blue car. With the loudest Armadillo shriek you have ever heard, Nilly took off running toward the road. Willy was close behind and Wooffer was right on their tails. He chased them to the road and they were over it in a flash and back in Lester’s Field.

Wooffer was not allowed to cross the road, so he watched them run until they were out of sight and came back home.

Inside, Mildred and Claudie were putting on the old music and everyone was dancing and singing the old songs and having a fine time. The party was a success.

Betty,

I thoroughly enjoyed your story while having my morning coffee. Very cute.

Willy and Nilly Dillo sounds like some people I once knew. Perhaps they will return in the form you described.

Really nice, Betty.

From the time I first read it, this has been one of my favorite Woofer stories. When Mildred almost rolled herself into a ball it brought back many memories of the armadillos at Camp Polk who tended to do that when the presence of a hundred men carrying rifles proved upsetting to their daily routine. They are great little creatures and this is a great story.
Keep writing them, Betty. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I gave you and Woofer a little boost yesterday on a site for mystery writers. Hope they listen to what I said. I'm sure some will.

Your stories are always a delight to read, and reread, Betty! I like this one very much. Give Wooffer an extra hug for me!

And don't you ever quit writing your stories!

Thank you to everyone who read the Armadillo's story and each of you for your kind words.

Dick, THE 45TH ARMORED BRIGADE REUNION (AN ARMADILLO PARTY) 986286

THE 45TH ARMORED BRIGADE REUNION (AN ARMADILLO PARTY) 986286

what a kind and wonderful thing to do! I can use all the boosts and help I can get! Thank you very much.

Love,
Betty

I really enjoyed that, Betty. So... armadillos DO have a life - besides sleeping in the middle of the road!

That was great fun Betty - I am fascinated by armadillos (we don't have them around here). I wonder if I'll come across some in Florida in a few weeks...hmm!

Dear Pam,
Where are you going in Florida? I hope it is close enough that we can meet.

Love,
Betty

Betty I'll be at a conference at Delrey Beach, which according to Mapquest is about 3 hours from you. If I was driving down there I would definately stop in and see you on the way, but I am flying in and out. I would LOVE to meet you!

Do you suppose the hurricanes will stay away? sunny

Thanks Betty! That was fun. I was invited to an amardillo party once, but I couldn't make it, the chipmunks were having a get together on the same day. lol!

Betty -
One of the people on that forum for mystery writers looked up your website and posted it for all to see.

Dear Dick,
You have some powerful clout! Many of the good people you mention have spent 12, 14, and even 27 minutes perusing my little Wooffer site. I really wish that I had dressed it up a bit for company!

Truth: You make me feel so good about my stories. I am overwhelmed that you find beauty in Margaret, and the squirrels, Ho Chi and Sandra Crane. For you to tell others about my stories makes me blink. What a good and gentle soul you are, kind and one of a kind, for sure.

Love,
Betty