Who's Lost His Head Now!

Chapter One

Beebo came home with his head hung low. He didn't know how he was going to explain it to Mummy Biddy. She always reminded him. And he always forgot.

“Beebo! Did you have a good day at Kindy? Where's your water bottle?'' asked Mummy.

Beebo just stared at his feet.

Mummy busied herself around the kitchen, and Beebo hoped that Mummy would forget what she had just asked him.

No such luck.

“Beebo!” said Mummy raising her voice a bit.

“Did you lose another water bottle?!”

Beebo just kept quiet.

As Mummy put her hands on her hips, Beebo knew there was no saving him now.

For the next five minutes -- it felt like five hours to Beebo -- Mummy went on to scold him. This was, you see, not the first thing that Beebo had forgotten. He had already lost two lunch boxes and three water bottles.

He glanced over at Beezy and Milly and wondered if Mummy would let him go out and play with Peeper when she was done scolding him. It was always the same scolding:

“Do you know how hard it is for your Daddy and I to earn the money to buy these nice things for you? Yet, you just keep forgetting these things. Do you think we're planting money on trees? Or that it just falls from heaven? Young man! Are you listening to me?”

Beebo snapped out of his own thoughts just fast enough to catch the last question.

“Yes, Mummy,” replied Beebo, trying to sound as angelic as he could.

This time, Mummy had a new line to her scolding.

“One of these days, Beebo, you're going to lose your head as well!”

Beebo gasped. What a thought! Losing his head in Kindy School!

Chapter Two

That night, while everyone was sleeping, a magical sprite entered Beebo's room. Nobody saw her. But she weaved a powerful spell on Beebo.

Sprites, you see, are playful little fairy-like creatures. They like to cause trouble now and then. And for this special occasion, this particular sprite had chosen Beebo to cast a spell on.

Sprites like to cast spells on children who are … let's just say, naughtier than the rest.

Chapter Three

Beebo was late waking up the next morning. He was late and Mummy was already screaming at him. He quickly put on his T-shirt and jeans and cap, and jumped out of his room, rushing past the kitchen and out he was through the front door.

He was late for school.

He managed to catch the schoolbus where all the kids were looking at him strangely. Not just the Strange children, but everyone else as well, including Peeper.

Must have been his hair which he hadn't had time to comb.

At Kindy School, the teacher looked at Beebo strangely.

Was it his breath? Could she smell it all the way from the front of the room? Beebo smiled sheepishly hoping his teeth were not all black as Mummy said they'd be if he ever forgot to brush his teeth.

The day ended as strangely as it had begun and Beebo was thankful at last that it was time to go home. Nobody had spoken to him at School that day.

Chapter Four

As soon as Beebo stepped into the house, Milly dropped the biscuit she was holding, Beezy gasped and Mummy screamed.

Aarrrrgggghhhhhhhh!!!!

“Beebo! Where's your head?” asked Mummy.

Beebo rolled his eyes in disbelief. Was Mummy trying to trick him? Did she think he was such a baby as to fall for that old trick.

He was not having a good day. So, he just went to his bedroom and looked into the mirror.

That's when a loud thud came from Beebo's room. When he discovered he really had lost his head, Beebo fainted. There was just nothing there. There was his cap sitting on his shoulders. And … no head!

Mummy ran to Daddy's shop to tell him all about it. Daddy then rushed home with Dr Whoopee.

“Whoopee!” said Dr Whoopee, like there was anything to whoop about!

Beebo was not pleased with the fine doctor's attitude. Did he think this was a party or a joyous occasion for him to be whoop-ing every five minutes?

“Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him. Whoopee!” said Dr Whoopee.

Mummy and Daddy continued looking at Dr Whoopee seriously, while Beebo couldn't believe this was happening to him.

“All you have to do -- whoopee  -- is take two of these pills and come see me in the morning.”

“Er,” asked Daddy, “how is Beebo supposed to take pills when he has no head and no mouth?”

“Oh, I had forgotten about that. Whoopee!” remarked the doctor.

“Tell you what,” he continued. “Maybe you should go see the old hag Lifewithyou? Whoopee! She might be able to help you with this one. Whoopee!”

So much for being able to help Beebo.

Chapter Five

The next morning, Daddy, Mummy and Beebo went to the forest looking for Lifewithyou. The forest was dark and cold and … scary.

Beebo did not like the looks of this. He was also feeling hungry since he had not eaten for a day now.

Growl. G-R-O-W-L. GRRRROOOOOWWWLLLLL!!!!

“Whose stomach is making that awful noise and what do you want from me?” asked Lifewithyou, appearing from almost nowhere.

After Daddy and Mummy had explained what the matter was with Beebo, Lifewithyou nodded solemnly.

“This,” she said, “is the work of a sprite. It happens to naughty children who have a problem. Are you having a problem, Beebo? Have you been giving your parents trouble? Fibbing? Stealing? Not eating your vegetables?”

Beebo would answer but he had not his head on his shoulders. So, he just stood  there quietly.

“Well,” said Mummy. “He's been very forgetful. He forgets to bring home his lunch box and his water bottles. And yesterday I told him that one of these days he'd even forget his head!”

Lifewithyou smiled. She knew what had to be done now. She made Beebo stand in the middle of a clearing in the forest with his hands outstretched. He had to turn around five times and repeat the words: “I will not be so forgetful. I will not be so forgetful ….”

Of course, when Beebo made the final turn and his head magically appeared again, everyone just assumed he did really repeat the words because nobody could hear the headless boy.

And when his head appeared, you wouldn't believe the scolding Beebo got:

1)  for not combing his hair

2)  for not brushing his teeth (although they were not black as Mummy said they would be)

3)   well, just for good measure, Mummy scolded him. She said good things come in threes like her three children and so she refused to scold him in twos!

Beebo was good after that, always remembering to bring back his water bottle and his lunch box. He didn't want to ever lose his head again!