Mom trained us a long time ago,
that when the three of us
come into the house
from outside,
single file and move move move
through the door fast,
(“No bugs, No bugs!
Hurry! The door’s open!”),
we each get a cookie.
And then another one.
Two cookies each.
We sit in a line and get our cookies
because we did a great job.

If Mom ever forgets to give cookies,
I remind her by
PLAYING LOOK
at the bag of cookies.
And then she laughs and
gives me another one
because I am THAT GOOD.

I’ve spent years perfecting clever ways
to get cookies out of Mom.

I have a stomach and bladder befitting an old girl
who’s seen a lot of life.
(And I am well aware of it, believe me!)
Mom never truly knows my urgency to GO.
(I know the situations, and
I play the situations.)

Roll camera:
There’s a lull in the day.
I ask to go outside,
and Mom opens the door.
“Are you OK, Till?”

I march four steps out onto the deck,
Turn around,
March four steps back, and
Scratch the door to come in.

Mom opens the door and I come inside, and…
I get A COOKIE!!
Mom laughs, “Tilly, you’re a real character.”
Mission accomplished: Mom laughed. I got a cookie.

Going outside (for cookies) is one way
I poke fun at getting old,
because Mom doesn’t know if
I need to go potty.

If you want to stay young,
this game can delay the aging process,
because play is fun,
and cookies make you dance for joy!