Flora & Ulysses

Her father was standing on the top step in front of the open door. He was wearing a dark suit and a tie and a hat with a brim, even though it was Saturday and summertime.

Flora’s father was an accountant at the firm Flinton, Flosston, and Frick.

Flora wasn’t sure, but she thought it was possible that her father was the world’s loneliest man. He didn’t even have Incandesto and Dolores to keep him company anymore.

“Hi, Pop,” she said.

“Flora,” said her father. He smiled at her, and then he sighed.

“I’m not ready yet.”

“Oh, that’s okay,” said her father. He sighed again. “I’ll wait.”

He walked with Flora into the living room. He sat down on the couch. He took off his hat and balanced it on his knee.

“Are you in the house now, George?” Flora’s mother shouted from the kitchen. “Is Flora with you?”

“I am inside!” shouted Flora’s father. “Flora is with me!”

The clack-clack-clack of the typewriter echoed through the house. Silverware rattled. And then there was silence.

“What are you doing, George?” her mother shouted.

“I am sitting on the couch, Phyllis. I am waiting for my daughter!” Flora’s father moved his hat from his left knee to his right knee and then back to his left knee again.

Ulysses shifted underneath Flora’s pajamas.

“What are you two going to do today?” Flora’s mother shouted.

“I don’t know, Phyllis!”

“I can hear you perfectly well, George,” said Flora’s mother as she came into the living room. “You don’t need to shout. Flora, what have you got under your pajama top?”

“Nothing,” said Flora.

“Is it that squirrel?”

“No,” said Flora.

“What squirrel?” said Flora’s father.

“Don’t lie to me,” said her mother.

“Okay,” said Flora. “It’s the squirrel. I’m keeping him.”

“I knew it. I knew you were hiding something. Listen to me: that squirrel is diseased. You are engaging in dangerous behavior.”

Flora turned away.

She had a superhero under her pajamas. She didn’t have to listen to her mother, or anybody else for that matter. A new day was dawning, a girl-with-a-superhero kind of day. “I’m going to go change now,” she said.

“This will not work, Flora Belle,” said her mother. “That squirrel is not staying.”

“What squirrel?” said Flora’s father again.

Flora went halfway up the stairs, and then she stopped. She stood on the landing. The Criminal Element suggested that anyone truly invested in fighting crime, in besting criminals, should learn to listen carefully. “All words at all times, true or false, whispered or shouted, are clues to the workings of the human heart. Listen. You must, if you care to understand anything at all, become a Giant Ear.”

This was what The Criminal Element suggested.

And this was what Flora intended to do.

She pulled Ulysses out from underneath her pajama top.

“Sit on my shoulder,” she whispered to him.

Ulysses climbed up on her shoulder.

“Listen,” she said.

He nodded.

Flora felt brave and capable, standing there on the landing with her squirrel on her shoulder.

“Do not hope,” she whispered. “Instead, observe.”

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She held herself absolutely still. She became a Giant Ear.

And what Flora the Giant Ear heard was astonishing.