Smurfette

With a drawing tablet and handful of markers, Abby disappeared into the bedroom. A while later, Jedi got off the computer and went to find his sister to play. He found her all right. Then came in and said in an alarmed tone, “Abby’s colored herself blue, I don’t want to play with her like that”.

Assuming she maybe marked a bit on her hands, it wouldn’t be the first time Jedi overreacted, I didn’t heed his warning right away. Because it couldn’t be that bad. Whatever it is, it washes off. “Is it just on her?”, I made sure to ask him, because I’d hate to have to wash the bed sheets or scrub color off the wall. “Yes”, he replied. Nothing to concern myself over then, so I thought.

Abby finally emerged after a few more minutes passed. Vibrantly illustrating why I should have went back to check on her.

For once, Jedi was not overreacting. She was blue. Blue as blue can be.

Smurfette blue.

I tried to scrub it off with a sponge, but it was a futile effort. It was on her face, she gave herself a mustache, all over legs, the bottom of her feet, arms, hands. You name it, she covered it with gusto. She had markered herself so extensively that I could do nothing else than give her an impromptu bath. And I was worried about washing bed sheets.

As I set my Smurf in the tub, the abundance of pigment began to rinse off of her like a backwards Easter egg. It was so plentiful that it even turned the water around her a stunning shade of ultramarine. One more memory I have to fondly recall. “Remember when you were 3 and turned yourself blue? Good times.”