Ruth the Hoolabadina

Ruth the Hoolabadina

 

          One day I went downstairs to get a spaghetti sauce can for dinner.  When I walked passed the furnace I heard a strange noise.  It sounded like  thumping  feet.  "What is that?" I exclaimed.  I slowly pulled out the furnace filter and looked inside.  Inside there was a little teddy bear/elephant creature that stood about 5 inches tall.  "Hello," it said. "My name is Ruth the Hoolabadina,"

          "Hi," I said.  "Where did you come from?"  "I came from the planet E3CPO," said Ruth.  "Oh," I said. " Do you want to come upstairs? You can stay in my room."  "That sounds fantastic," replied Ruth.  So I grabbed the spaghetti can and took Ruth upstairs.

          "So, Ruth, why did you come to Earth?" I asked.  "Is that where I am?, well E3CPO is at war so my parents sent me here in a special space ship, so I would be safe," she replied.  "Will you ever go back?"  I asked.  "I can go back in three days, which is three years in E3CPO time," she said.  "How do you get back?" I asked.  "You just have to press the return button on my space ship," she replied.  "Where is your space ship?" I asked.  "It's in that dark room that you found me in," she said.  So we went downstairs and found her space ship.

          "Well," I said.  Now all we have to do wait three days. What do you want to do?"  Just then Mom called, "Ella, it's time to eat dinner!"  "Sorry, I have to go eat dinner, I will bring you a few noodles," I said.  After dinner we were going to watch Duck Dynasty.  "Ruth," I said. "We are going to watch a movie. Do you want to come? We can sit on the back couch so no one will see you."  "What is a moovee? " asked Ruth.  "Um, it's where we watch people on a screen," I replied.  "Sounds fun," said Ruth.

          So we went and watched the movie.  Ruth was in awe.  After the movie we went to bed.  I made Ruth a bed out of a basket.  She slept in my closet so no one would see her. 

          The next day we went on a walk by the river.  I carried Ruth in my coat pocket.  Then we went to our property and I showed Ruth our new house that we were building.  She thought it was a castle. 

          It was the third day much too soon.  Today I had to send Ruth home.  "I had a great time with you Ruth," I said. "I wish you could stay,"  "I promise to come and visit you again," said Ruth.  "I will listen for you," I said. Then she climbed into her space ship, and I pressed return.

          From that day on I checked the furnace for Ruth every time I was downstairs.  I also kept my ears open for other thumps in the basement.  Who knows how many different creatures could appear down there.