Special Cookies for the Puppets

Just over two weeks. That's how long until the ballots would be counted. The referendum will determine whether or not British Columbians will get a Proportional Representation voting system.

It's ordinary people wanting a more democratic system up against big money which supports the First Past the Post system. Big money gets its way more easily under First Past the Post.

For months, people have been demonstrating, posting to social media and canvassing their neighbourhoods.

As November becomes colder and darker, the puppets and their friends are getting tired. Time to rest, to dream and catch up on some reading. And to eat some special cookies.

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NOWCA, Per and Good Time were sitting in the living room reading. Per's feet were up on the ottoman with the newspaper spread out -- still no letters in support of proportional representation. So many people had sent them in -- why weren't they being printed?

NOWCA was engrossed in a novel by Thomas King, and Good Time was reading articles and messages from friends on Facebook.

GOOD TIME (looking up from the laptop): Oh, this video's really cute! And I've got to say, I'm so grateful for everyone's favourite tool, the referendum guide quiz. When people say the options are confusing, wham! It shows which options align best with their values, and their confusion is gone.

image courtesy of Pixabay

PER (sighing): I know pro rep's a big deal, but gee I'm getting tired.

GOOD TIME: Me too. And losing my inspiration.

PER: Is all this work worth it? What if we're doing all this and the no side wins?!

NOWCA: Maybe it's time to take a few days off and recharge: relax, do a bit of reading, put our feet up, drink tea...

AND I made some cookies! Some very special cookies, with a very special ingredient ... maybe it'll help us to dream, and to come up with a strategy that'll win this referendum!

Per, will you give me a hand? If you can bring the tea pot and a couple of cups into the living room, I'll bring in the plate of cookies.

PER (getting up and walking to the kitchen): Sure, NOWCA -- really? You made them with the special ingredient I'm thinking of?

NOWCA (bringing in a plate of cookies): I think you're hot on the trail, Per: the special ingredient was illegal in Canada until about a month ago. The other ingredients are standard peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie ingredients.

GOOD TIME (reaching for a cookie): NOWCA! You surprise me. But since you went to the trouble of making them, I'll give one a try.

PER (taking a cookie): Thanks, NOWCA. I'll try one too.

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA (pouring them all tea and taking a cookie): I like mine dipped in tea and sogged up a little.

PER: Tastes pretty good, but there's a bit of an earthy aftertaste.

GOOD TIME (taking a bite of a cookie): I taste it too. Not bad, really, just a little different.

NOWCA: Aw, that's the special ingredient! It does alter the flavour a bit.

After they each ate a cookie, the puppets went back to what they'd been reading. About half an hour later MR. PIPELINE walked into the room.

MR. PIPELINE: Cookies? Don't mind if I do.

NOWCA (holding out the plate): Help yourself, Mr. Pipeline. But they're very special cookies.

MR. PIPELINE (popping one into his mouth): Hmm. It has a slightly unusual edge to it.

NOWCA: Yes, it's a bit of an odd flavour isn't it? Another?

MR. PIPELINE (popping another into his mouth): The taste is growing on me.

GOOD TIME (starting to giggle): Mr. Pipeline, don't you want to know what makes them special?

MR. PIPELINE: I care about results, not details. They're good cookies and that's all I want to know.

PER (giggling): Oh, I think you'll be getting results. What are you up to?

MR. PIPELINE (walking out of the living room): Bookkeeping. I'll be in my office.

PER, NOWCA and GOOD TIME all burst out laughing.

NOWCA (gasping for breath): Well, good luck with that, Mr. Pipeline.

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA, PER and GOOD TIME, in a fit of uncontrollable laughter, had tears streaming down their faces. Finally, NOWCA and Per put down their reading material and Good Time turned off the laptop.

PER: We should have told Mr. Pipeline what the special ingredient was, don't you think?

GOOD TIME (between giggles): We offered to, but he didn't want to know.

PER: I wonder how his bookkeeping is going...

NOWCA (giggling): I imagine he'll be changing his activity before too long.

Anyways, I spy with my little eye something that is pink.

PER: That pink cushion?

NOWCA: Good guess, Per, but nope.

GOOD TIME: I know! Is it that beautiful blossom on the Christmas Cactus?

NOWCA: Yes! Isn't it exquisite?

PER: It's so complex -- amazing really. Even though the world is in such a crazy state, there are still bits of profound beauty here and there.

The puppets sat and stared at the blossom. After some time had passed, Mr. Pipeline walked back into the room.

MR. PIPELINE (looking around): What are you doing?

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA (pointing to the Christmas Cactus): Looking at the beautiful blossom on the Christmas cactus.

MR. PIPELINE: It's extraordinary! That blossom is divine! I've never really looked closely at one before.

Funny, I feel a little odd. Just can't wrap my head around the books for some reason.

NOWCA: Here, I'll pour you some tea, Mr. Pipeline.

MR. PIPELINE: I can't take my eyes off that blossom. It's like a small miracle right under my nose.

NOWCA: Yes, we're so lucky to be able to see beauty when it presents itself, aren't we?

MR. PIPELINE: I've never thought of it that way but, yes, we are.

NOWCA: It's such a wonderful thing to be able to drink tea and look at the beauty around us, isn't it? What could be nicer?

MR. PIPELINE: It almost makes me want to cry.

PER: Beauty does that to me sometimes too, Mr. Pipeline. It makes me so happy to be alive.

MR. PIPELINE (looking around): I look into your faces and see such indescribable loveliness. How have I missed this before? My companions, and I only just noticed that each of you is a universe I barely know. How does that happen?

NOWCA: How do so many things happen, Mr. Pipeline? How do we take life for granted? How do we lose our ability to appreciate? Where do those things go?

MR. PIPELINE: So many of us have stopped noticing, haven't we? We have deadlines, and bills to pay, and we miss out.

GOOD TIME: I hope it's not too late.

MR. PIPELINE: What do you mean, Good Time?

GOOD TIME: Well, I worry that the way we're destroying life around us, we'll pull the plug on the future, and we'll be some the last ones to be able to enjoy these simple things.

MR. PIPELINE: No need to worry, Good Time, things aren't so bad...

PER: Why do you say that, Mr. Pipeline? Our planetary situation is dire, and everyone I know is worried sick and scrambling to make things better. Right now we're focusing on proportional representation here in BC so citizens will have more control. But nothing feels like enough.

MR. PIPELINE: You have to be patient.

image courtesy of Pixabay

NOWCA: Maybe we've been too patient, Mr. Pipeline. We should have put our foot down long ago. No matter how bad the situation gets, corporations keep mining and drilling and fracking and building pipelines. When's it going to stop?

MR. PIPELINE: Maybe sooner than you think. Have you seen the price of oil lately?

PER: Maybe you're right, Mr. Pipeline. Maybe we're just a flimsy membrane away from a breakthrough. Not just with pipelines and fracking, but with a worldview that honours all of life instead of seeing everything as a way of making money.

MR. PIPELINE: Maybe, Per. Maybe.

NOWCA: So many of us have been pushing so hard for so long. Something's got to give.

GOOD TIME: Maybe a push or two harder and things will start turning around.

PER: In many ways, they're already turning around. We just have to speed things up. Maybe groups like Extinction Rebellion will give us the extra oomph the world needs.

MR. PIPELINE: And with the price of oil there could be a confluence of factors that trips the switch so to speak. Why am I talking like this, anyways? Why can I suddenly see your points of view?

NOWCA: I think it was the special cookies, Mr. Pipeline. An ingredient recently legalized in Canada is what makes them special.

MR. PIPELINE: No wonder my bookkeeping was so confusing! I've put smilies in places where I should have put numbers!

The three other puppets burst into giggles and soon Mr. Pipeline joined them.

NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline, I like you. And I apologize for giving you those cookies, but am really grateful to be getting to know your gentler side.

MR. PIPELINE (bursting into tears): NOWCA, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.

The puppets surrounded Mr. Pipeline in a group hug as he sobbed, and as the sun shone brightly on the Christmas Cactus.

image courtesy of Pixabay