by Mari Trimble

Created on: July 31, 2008

God Is A Pink Flamingo

My granddaughter Ashley was 12 years old this year and one present she had asked for was a trip to a store called "Build A Bear". This is a fun, adventurous little store that looks exactly what you would expect a Santa's Workshop to look like. The name "Build-A-Bear", however, is kind of deceiving because you can choose from literally dozens of different animals. Once your selection is made in this tiny magical shop you get to completely design your own stuffed animal right down to the color of eyes, how much stuffing, all the way to the contents of it's little voice box.

It so happened that on the day Ashley's little birthday adventure was also the night her little cousin Raven was going to spend the night. Raven is my youngest granddaughter almost six and, although enchanting, a whrirlwind of activity every moment of the day. Ashelys parents decided they should go along to help. And, that's how it happened that all five of us piled in the SUV and headed to the little shop on this warm summer Friday evening.

The teeny store was captivating as was the energetic young college student acting as guide and mentor through this process. First she told them to choose an animal from the vast selection that felt really special and magical to them. So, off they went in separate direction circling and digging and scopeing out what was to become that special buddy. Eventually, after what seemed like an hour, Ash brought forth a very cute and cuddly Giraffe who she named "Buddy". A long while later (after much encouragement from her aunt to please get on with it) Rav held out a long ,skinny legged, black hooked beaked, honky tonk, hot pink, Flamingo she said was a girl but named her "Fred". Shocking as it was, it was, after all, her choice.

Ok, so we carry on to the next step with Buddy and Fred. The sweet little guide walks them over to a chest full of tiny boxes that are full of different colored eyeballs. Ashley chose some lovely bright blue eyes for Buddy which I fantasize might be because of her Mom's or my eye color. "Now Buddy can see", the Guide said as she snapped them into place.

Now, it was Fred the Flamingo's turn as she was flopped by her owner onto the counter hard enough to make her teeny little wings jet out momentarily. Rav then tossed a red eyeball and a green eyeball down like she was throwing craps. "Oh, how interesting", said the little Guide. "Are you sure Fred wants "two" different colored eyes?"
"YEP!", answered Fred's owner. So,

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