Today's Scene by My Desk

Wendy and Possum had one of their arguments today, conveniently near my desk. I believe Wendy said she'd like to join the Tea Party because it sounds so civilized and British, and because they probably cared a lot about cupcakes and scones.

Possum was provoked by her statement and assumed his "possum" expression: his nose becomes longer and pointier, his eyes turn into little slits, and his head seems to flatten. He transforms into a ferocious arboreal marsupial; no one would mistake him for Javier Bardem (as happens all the time when he's in a better mood).

Smacking him in the head when he's in a state is seldom a good idea.

Wendy found this out the hard way.

I was sorry to discover that neither of my youngsters is a Quaker by nature. They have no principles of tolerance, non-violence, pacificism, or reaching agreement by consensus. 

They believe in trying to bite each other's head off.

It's hard for Wendy to look like intimidating when she's got polka-dots on her feet and that Vegas-showgirl tail.

How can you frighten your enemy if you're beating him with dainty little paws?

Still, she puts up a good fight. But Possum despairs of her political ignorance.

I keep telling him we must excuse her lack of judgment because she's not even 2 years old. Thomas Jefferson wasn't built in a day. And he wasn't covered in adorable little splotches.