Meet the family

The other day, I walked into the Dance Room Quiet Room to say “good morning” to my friends there.  As I entered, I spotted Fiona holding a delicate stuffed bird in her hand, strikingly colorful and beautiful.  I asked her what its name was.  She answered: Robert.

A word about Fiona.  She combines two extraordinary talents.  One of them has been widely known at school for some time: she is a consummate artist.  She has had a gallery showing at school, and one of the pictures displayed there is now seen by everyone who climbs the main staircase.

To this native talent, Fiona adds another: she knows a whole lot about animals - their appearance, their habits, and their life stories.  The two talents combine in this way: she has a photographic memory of any animal she has encountered, either in person or in illustrations, and the ability to render them artistically or create imaginative fantasy creatures in paintings, drawings, or three dimensions.  Like the unicorn that hangs over my desk in the office.

Which brings me back to Robert.  As I was admiring him, she mentioned that Robert has a girl friend and that she is at home.  “Bring her in,” I said, so next day Fiona brought her to school. Her name is Bluebell.

A lovely looking couple, and a loving one, as I soon found out:

Seeing that I was enjoying her handiwork, Fiona volunteered that Robert has a cousin.  Which is how I met Beelzebub:

and his girl friend Clarice:

Then there is Robert’s aunt:

who has a darling toddler:

I have now met the entire family, a delightful gang, as you must admit.  If you want to meet the family in person, you’ll have to ask Fiona to arrange it.  I should warn you that they are a little shy.

The views expressed on this page are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Sudbury Valley School.