Fred, Oscar and Light

Luigi has made a new friend. He is super-cool, 5-years old, loves racing cars and playing trains. His name is Fred and he loves to talk on the phone, although he usually wants to talk to me instead of Luigi. He never stays for dinner, but he around almost all day every day. He has "scratchy spots" (excema) all over, just like Luigi, so they do a lot of scratching together. They are best buddies. The thing about Fred, is that you probably won't ever actually see him, seeing as how he is imaginary and all.

Fred made his debut not long ago in a dinner conversation. Luigi went on and on about his friend Fred and how he just couldn't stay for dinner because his Mommy wanted him to come home. At first, I was very confused. Our neighbor has a little boy the same age as Luigi, but his name is not Fred. Could he have forgotten his friend's name? Then he went on to explain an elaborate race course that was set up in the basement and this car did this and this car did that and Fred made one car jump all the way over the tracks! It suddenly dawned on me that my little Luigi had made an imaginary friend.

I love imaginary friends. I think they are one of the coolest parts of childhood. I fondly remember my own little friends, Owl and Pussycat. Owl and Pussycat were named after a poem that my parents would read to me at bedtime when I was a little girl.

**I am now going to post a link to "The Owl and The Pussycat" by Edward Lear. BUT, I want everyone to PLEASE remember that there was once a time when words were innocent and nonsense was guiltless. A time when minds didn't head straight for the gutter. That being said, this poem is even more awesome as an adult than it was when I was a child. I digress... **

I also remember, very fondly, Mario's imaginary friends, Oscar and Light. Oscar was Mario's very best friend EVER. They did everything together. Light was Mario's wife. Yes, my darling 4-year-old had a wife named Light. Oscar and Light were a very integral part of my young son's life. We had to make room on the couch for them when we watched movies. (Trust me, one time, I accidentally sat on Light, and Mario's poor heart was broken!) They needed plates at the dinner table with us. They had to wear their seatbelts in the car. They needed to be tucked in at bedtime right along with Mario. At a time when many of Mario's friends were getting baby brothers and sisters, he had Light and Oscar. They were awesome and I have to admit, I was more than a little sad when I was told they "moved away."

But, now, we have Fred. And Fred is a silly little boy, who likes to cause trouble and make mischief almost as much as Luigi. In fact, I can hear Luigi and Fred singing some Green Day upstairs as I type. I am looking forward to getting to know him a little better, and I do hope he doesn't move away too soon. I'm glad my Luigi has found his first best friend.

Cheers!
~Daisy