Carrot-Top to the Rescue

by Yvonne Singer

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It was raining and damp in New Jersey, which meant it was good sleeping weather. Sarah, still living at home as a physically disabled young adult, had fallen into a deep depression and decided there was not a reason to get out of bed, except for an occasional visit to the bathroom. A few days ago, she had to fire another full-time aide. She strongly believed that there must be a better way of choosing reasonably educated people to be good aides. Since her mother advertised, interviewed, hired, and trained aides, Sarah did not feel in control because she was not involved in the process. After all, she was nearly thirty years old and had a razor sharp mind. And after all, she was a senior at Krew University. Why couldn't she untangle the apron strings and lasso qualified assistants? What was the big fuss! "NO" was always the barrier that left her feeling helpless and trapped in a world full of darkness. To say the least, having these meaningless arguments with Mother only made Sarah exhausted, want to curl up in a ball, and die.

She was laying flat on her belly, snuggled underneath three blankets, and her was head propped up on a nice, soft feather pillow.

"I just wish I could live in my own apartment and hire full-time aides without Mother's assistance. I don't know what to do." Sarah whimpered as she hugged and kissed Carrot-Top, who was lying beside her.

Carrot-Top was a stuffed bunny who wore navy blue overalls and jogging sneakers. Even though he was only a doll, she sensed that he was always listening to her silly jokes and sob stories. Sometimes, she had a hunch that he either smiled or frowned.

She kissed his toddler-shaped body and sobbed, "Oh Carrot-Top, you're so cute! I love you very much. I really wish you were alive so that you could help your mamma. You could be my aide. I would feed you plenty of carrots while you assist me. It would be terrific if you could drive me to school, right boy?"

She giggled, rubbed his little pink nose, and began to cry into her pillow, "IT'S HURTS SO MUCH!"

Suddenly, she heard a child's voice cheerfully humming, "Don't worry, mommy, I'm here to help. I'll take you to school every day and we will have carrots of fun!"

She lifted her head off the pillow and she turned to the left to look at the door, the window, the manual wheelchair, the rocking chair, underneath the computer table, and underneath the bed. Nobody was there, Sarah began to panic. As soon as she turned her head to the right, Carrot-Top was tap dancing on the firm mattress and singing, "I love mommy! Oh yes, I do even when she is blue, yellow, or green!"

Her baby blue eyes bulged out. She did not know whether to laugh, cry, or both as her mouth fell wide open.

"OH MY GOD, MY TANNED BUNNY RABBIT IS REALLY ALIVE!!! WAKE ME UP, I MUST BE DREAMING!" she muttered in disbelief as tiny busts of laughter were filtering in from the den.

"Yes, your tanned bunny is alive and kicking. Can I please stop dancing, now? Time is quickly ticking away and you are not even dressed for school," replied Carrot-Top as both of his ears flopped up and down.

"Take a rest in my arms and I'll kiss you all over," Sarah slowly answered as she rubbed the sand out of her eyes.

He sat in her lap, placed his right ear on her chest, listened to her heart, and whispered, "You'll never have to depend on another silly aide ever again. I'll do whatever I can for you as long as you give me ten yummy carrots a day."

Sarah was still in a state of shock. She glanced into his chocolate chip eyes, chuckled hysterically, and wondered if she had entered some kind of looney bin. "Mommy, you have to believe in order to receive. I think I should have enough carrot juice to tidy your room and do your morning care," he continued to whisper.

He munched on a carrot that he had stole from the kitchen's refrigerator. After Carrot-Top cleaned and dressed Sarah for the day, he pushed her into the kitchen to get more carrots.

"How come you never told me how much I've to help you. Whew, this is too much for one bunny, but it's worth it! It really broke my heart seeing you sulk. So, tell me all the things you want to do," he hummed as he fed her freshed cooked carrots and carrot juice.

She smirked and happily replied, "Well, I've to go to college to speak to my advisor about which classes to sign up for. Oh yeah, I've to deliver letters to the president and deans concerning making the stupid library handicapped accessible."

So, off they went.. Sarah was amazed that Carrot-Top drove her van like a pro and was able to physically assist her with such loving care. He even wore florissant orange sunglasses and neon orange racing gloves.

He also sang, "Orange roses for my mommy," as ten frozen, baby carrots stood up in his breast pocket.

Fear of being locked in an urine-smelly nursing home no longer existed in Sarah's mind as hearing munching sounds from the back of the van created long periods of simple laughter. Red, yellow, blue, green, and of, course, orange painted the sky brilliantly with a dash of sugar as the van's wheels went round and round. After they arrived at school, they had a jolly good time.

Sarah bumped into her advisor, named Dr. Musk, a balding man in his late forties, in the parking lot and immediately asked, "I've been trying to contact you for two weeks. Could you please tell me what classes I need to take so I can graduate on time?" as Carrot-Top hid in her book bag.

As usual, Dr. Musk, wearing his raggy gym clothes, did not understand her. So, Carrot-Top repeated what she had just pronounced.

Suddenly, Dr. Musk surprisingly replied, "Wow, this is the first time that I understood every word you said! Will you please follow me to my office so that I can check your file and specifically tell you what you must take?" as smiles were exchanged.

After meeting with Dr. Musk, Carrot-Top helped Sarah to deliver all of her letters.

Carrot-Top sighed, "After we deliver your last letter, we gotta go back home because I am running low on carrot juice," while he snuggled in her lap. On the way back to the van, Sarah met her friend Sally, a teenie bopper ready to be a cheerleader, near the Student Center. Once again Carrot-Top slipped into the book bag.

Sally exclaimed, "I've not seen you for a while. Is everything okay? What happened to your aide?"

Sarah grinned and replied, "I no longer need an aide because I'm able to get around all by myself. Say, do you want to meet at the mall for lunch? I really have missed you."

Sally looked confused and asked, "Huh, what did you say?"

Carrot-Top repeated Sarah's words as he breathed heavily.

Sally still looked puzzled and answered, "Hmm, your voice sounds different."

Sarah giggled, "Well, that's because I'm a different person. Everybody changes. If everybody stayed exactly the same, life would be very boring." Carrot-Top closed his eyes.

Sally shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I guess. Sarah, I'll give you a call later on. I must scoot to my class. See ya!"

After Sally ran off, Carrot-Top hopped out of the book bag and began to load Sarah into the van.

"I'm slowly fading away. I hope we'll make home before I'm forced return to Carrot La La Land."

"Carrot La La Land, huh? You are my silly bunny. What a sense of humor! Awe, you are so cute!" she gleefully replied without realizing what he meant.

He glanced at her with tears in his eyes and jokingly muttered, "Let it rain carrots so that all of the bunnies can sing and play with mommy. Orange skies turn all of gloom and doom into bursts of sunshine." He drove the van in zig zags.

"SLOW DOWN! BUDDY BOY! YOU ARE GOING TO CRASH UP! LET'S PULL INTO THE FOODTOWN STRAIGHT OVER THERE SO THAT YOU CAN MUNCH ON CARROTS." she nervously cried as she bit her lower lip.

"No, don't be silly, mamma. I'll be okay." he sang as they swerved a little bit to the left and a little bit to the right.

As soon as Carrot-Top brought Sarah home, he passed out onto the kitchen floor with his empty carrot bag. No signs of life! Just a stuffed animal!

She sat, still strapped to the wheelchair, in the middle of the kitchen howling, "CARROT-TOP, MY BABY! YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! WHO WHO IS GOING TO HELP ME, NOW??? OH GOD! I AM SO SCARED OF BEING LOCKED UP AND ALONE! WAKE UP, PLEASE!"

She managed to slipped out of her wheelchair onto the cold concrete floor. He just lay there stiff as a board without contracting a muscle or making a sound as she laid next to him failing to feel his heartbeat.

"OH, WHAT DO WE DO, NOW? LIFE WAS GREAT WITH YOU. AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sarah screamed while she lay there feeling helpless once again.

Five minutes later, she suddenly remembered there were carrots blossoming in her sister's garden, which was located in the backyard.

"Perhaps, if I feed him my sister's carrots, he would come back! It's certainly worth a try." Sarah whimpered to herself as she hopped onto her knees and kissed him.

It had been years since she knee walked. One knee and then, the other as her flushed teary face was full of sharp steak knife, physical pain. Snap, crackle pop went her bones as she glanced at her bunny once more. He certainly looked quite pale just laying there.

Sarah huffed and puffed until she crawled to the automatic glass doors, which magically opened and closed for her. Once outside, she fell into the garden and instantly became covered with mud and soil from head to toe. Picking carrots with her bare teeth was hard work because she could not use her hands very well. It was even a strenuous struggle hauling carrots all the way to the kitchen as Sarah was sweating. Carrot-Top did not move one inch as she looked at him.

She asked, "OH, WOULD YOU LIKE A TREAT, BOY?" while placing one lonely carrot upon his chest and laid down beside him completely exhausted. "Maybe, I'm still napping in my bed... AAAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHH!!! Ma, where are you? I'm so sorry! I hate my life!" she cried and trembled.

"Mommy, I'm back! Stop your crying and put on a happy face!" Carrot-Top cheerfully sang as he hopped to his feet, twirled around, and chomped on the carrot.

Sarah opened her eyes and breathlessly yelped, "OH MY GOD, YOU ARE ALIVE!" as she hugged him.

She sighed loudly, "THANK GOODNESS FOR SMALL MIRACLES! IF YOU HAD STAYED IN CARROT LA LA LAND, I WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT YOU. OH BABY, I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!"

She kissed and gently rocked him in her arms. Within five minutes, they both fell asleep.

It was close to noon. Mother tip toed into Sarah's bedroom and sat on the edge of her bed. Sarah, in the fetal position and still hugging Carrot-Top, opened her eyes. Carrot-Top had safety returned to Carrot La La Land as he just lay so peacefully underneath her right arm. When she rolled over to check the time, she noticed Mother sitting so quietly next to her.

"Hi mom, I just had a marvelous dream. So, what's on the agenda for today?" Sarah yawned.

"Well, I think that it's time for you to start making all decisions concerning your life. If you want to live in an apartment, I won't stand in your way. If you wish to hire two part-time aides to help you at home, feel free to do so. Honey, I am sorry for hurting you. I just want you to have the very best." Mother stated while rubbing Sarah's legs.

Sarah grinned while glancing at Carrot-Top. She felt confident now knowing that she finally gained full control of her life.