Recently, Suzanne threatened to make me a new cape. She didn’t actually say she was going to sew one for me. She simply laid out the fabric and put the pattern on top of it. That was a week ago, and since then, Suzanne has not gone near the project. Now, the cape-in-process just lays there, all stretched out and staring at me—looking exactly the same as the day it was set out. I’m beginning to feel it’s mocking me. It seems to taunt me every time I walk past it. It just lays there, like a smooth trophy pelt from some fabric beast Suzanne slayed on a hunting trip to a fabric store—which is exactly what it is. Often, I hear it calling to me like a bratty child: “I’m not your cape yet! I’m not your cape yet! I’m still not your cape. Still not your cape.”
I have no clue why there seems to be a work stoppage with the cape. Maybe I’m in the doghouse and this is Suzanne’s way of punishing me for an indiscretion, but I don’t recall doing anything that would make her mad enough to leave me in cape limbo this way. Perhaps, after she so carefully laid out the cape caper, she suddenly got too busy with work and doesn’t have the time to create it right now.
I could make it simple: I could ask Suzanne what’s up with the unborn and overdue cape. But that would be too easy. There’s no fun in being direct about solving this mystery. I’d rather attempt to figure it out for myself. Trying to figure out what goes on in Suzanne’s mind is a challenging game, and I’m always much wiser after I come up with the answer on my own. The answer is usually surprising, so decoding her behavior is a fulfilling form of entertainment for me—like pondering a logic puzzle. I’ll keep you updated if I stumble upon the answer. If it turns out Suzanne really is just miffed at me for some reason, I can’t wait to decipher what offense I committed that warrants the seemingly permanent installation of the ever-mocking cape-to-be. Whatever it might be, I certainly don’t want to do it again. 😇
