Fred & Froggie
by Papoose Doorbelle
"Fred dear, would you grab my bag for me?" Asks his mother.
"But mother! I'm in the middle of playing galactic squares with my friends," answers Fred.
"I left it on the table in the foyer," his mother replies, ignoring his complaint.
"Hang on guys, I have to help my mother one second," Fred informs his two friends, sitting on the floor in front of the board game. He walks over to the foyer. On the table is a witch's bag of potions and incantations and her purse.
"Fred, what's taking so long?" She calls out from the kitchen.
"Do you want your purse or this dark bag of potions?" Replies Fred.
"Oh my," she answers, making her way across the entryway to the foyer, "I forgot I left that out. You weren't supposed to see that."
"Mom, are you practicing witchcraft without a permit?" Fred asks his mother.
"Of course not dear, never fear, I would never do anything illegal," she reassures him.
"You saw what they did to our neighbor across the street," he reminds her, frowning at the thought of the trouble they would get into if a sheriff or zen master were to seize their home.
"I promise Fred dear, I don't use magic," she assures him again.
"Then how come dad is missing and I keep seeing a frog jumping around the house with dad's glasses on?" Fred questions her.
"There could be any of a number of reasons for that Fred," his mother replies.
"Like what?" Fred asks.
"Well, a frog could have stolen his glasses because of problems with double vision, for one."
"That's not likely mom, what else?" Fred asks.
"Well, let's see now. Did it ever occur to you that we have a serious frog infestation throughout the kingdom and we should consider ourselves lucky that only one managed to get passed our security system?" His mother asks.
"No mom, that didn't occur to me, but you know what did occur to me?" Fred asks.
"What's that dear?" His mother replies.
"Maybe dad made you mad so you turned him into a frog!" Fred accuses his mother in anger.
"Fred! That is a terrible thing to say. I loved your father, frog or not!"
"So you admit it?" Fred asks.
"No dear, the truth is..."
"Oh you have another one?" Fred asks.
"Yes, the truth is, if you'd let me speak," she explains, "that your father is away on business and left a frog wearing his glasses by accident until he gets back."
"That's barely believable mom," Fred says.
"I know dear, go play with your friends," his mother orders.
"And dad?" Asks Fred.
"Assuming Froggie behaves himself, he should be back next week," his mother admits.