Unfortunately, it would come back in the form of birthday presents, Christmas gifts, and the inevitable creep ins that are a near constant reminder of the stuff heavy, responsibility free, consumerist society we live in. But this story is not about that.
It is about my last ditch effort to inspire self-driving behaviors of cleanliness in Espen that resulted in the emergence of the mythical creature and devouress of toys, The Mighty Morgansia.
The Mighty Morgansia made her appearance this year after one too many nights where the number of toys left strewn about exceeded either parents' energy levels for cleaning them up. Over the night, she began to take shape, feeding upon the bodies of untended toys until the morning light showed her swirling form and an ominous proclaimation to Espen.
"The Mighty Morgansia has an endless appetite for toys that are not in their places. She eats them and becomes stronger, looking for ever more toys to fill her belly."
Espen looked interested.
"So, she gets bigger when there are toys? Can you make her disappear forever?"
I thought about that for a minute. Theoretically if there were no toys out for her to eat, she'd just waste away...but that would mean a child would be fastidiously clean forever and I'm betting that's about as likely a spotting flock of unicorns so....
Espen cleared up his toys in a jiffy.
The questions abounded.
"Does The Mighty Morgansia talk to you?"
"Does The Mighty Morgansia eat toy swords?"
"Do you think The Mighty Morgansia would eat my library books if I put them...HERE?"
Over the year, The Mighty Morgansia has been accused of being none other than mom herself, but there is never sufficient evidence to justify leaving toys out, just in case.
I reminded Espen of a key quality of all magical creatures tonite as he prepared his shoes for St. Nicholas's arrival.
"You know, Boo, all magical beings talk to each other. It's kind of a thing they do."
Espen looked slightly disturbed.
"So if I leave my toys out, The Mighty Morgansia will tell St. Nicholas?"
"Well, it stands to reason that if there are toys out, she'll be here when St. Nick arrives and he's not going to feel too good about leaving gifts if he knows that The Mighty Morgansia is having to hoover them all up because they get left untended, right?"
Her name has never been shortened to just Morgansia. She is The Mighty Morgansia and she is my new best friend.
"Mom," Espen said tonite. "Do you talk to The Mighty Morgansia?"
"Oh yes." I replied."All parents are able to contact magical beings like The Mighty Morgansia and St. Nicholas. We might not be full fledged magic creatures ourselves, but we are like a bridge between this world and the world of magic, just like children."
"But no one else has The Mighty Morgansia at their houses." he pointed out.
"Oh, she has many names to the children of the world." I told him. "All great goddesses do."
Satisfied, he tucked away his last toy, set out his shoes, and went to sleep.
More or less in that order.
