The Sheila Variations

Scenes from a sleepover

Tattooed goddesses getting ready for bed. Cameo by Checkerboard.

Checkerboard is a black and white cloth hippo who has been in our lives, as friends, since we were 10 years old. He originally was Betsy's. He says one thing: "BEP." And sometimes he intersperses "Bep" with his own name. As in: "BEP. CheckerboardBEP." With his huge red-cloth hippo mouth gaping wide. In the month following 9/11 - when all of my friends back in Rhode Island had considered airlifting themselves down into the city in order to extract me from the madness - Betsy decided that I shouldn't have to go it alone. So she gave me a freakin' care package the next time I saw her - a delicate gift bag, with tissue paper emanating from it in a girlie type manner ... I opened it carefully - got one glimpse of Checkerboard - lying in a bed of tissue paper - and nearly LOST it. I have had him ever since - but I think if one of my friends was in dire need I would have to pass Checkerboard along (and you know what, I am now thinking of the radiator that smashed Mere's toe ... and Beth's MS ... perhaps you two could have used a Checkerboard gift bag at that time?) My bad. I promise not to HOARD Checkerboard Bep to myself in the future. In tough times, we all could use a Checkerboard.

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