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Carolina glanced at the door marked Whimsy, then at the thick, substational letters of the door marked Comfort. She thought of the wooden tables inside with the gingham and lace tablecloths, the thick white bowls of creamy, rich macaroni and the perfectly baked chicken fingers.  She thought of the thick slices of pie, cookies the size of her face and milk out of a mason jar.

Every day since she was six, it had been that way.

But now…she looked down at her pink dress.  Her grandmother was not here.  It was not a normal day.  In six months, she would be off to college where Comfort and Whimsy would become a weekend treat, and dorm food the rigeour.

“And surely, before I go off to study, I should have a bit of whimsy?” she murmured to herself.  “Because during college it’s all tests and midterms and roommate and boy drama, and then after college it’s grad or law school drama, and then it becomes first job, first apartment, first serious boyfriend drama…There’s no fun in any of it!  It’s all work and studying and dullness.”

“Dear, are you all right?” Emmaline asked.  Her old ears could only catch every third word of Carolina’s muttered tirade, and she was more than a bit confused.

Carolina looked up at her, her porcelain chin set.  “I’ve spent my whole life hiding behind chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese and peanut butter cookies, Emmaline.  Today, I’m going for a bit of whimsy!”

Emmailine gasped.  “Are you sure?  But you always go for Comfort!  Your grandmother…what would she think?  Oh, dear, this is a disaster!”  Her face puckered and her voice rose to a wail.  “I don’t serve over in Whimsy!  I only serve in Comfort!”

Carolina’s porcelain face turned even paler, her large blue eyes the color of the ocean.  “I’m sure.  I’m sorry Emmaline…but today I need a bit of Whimsy.”

“That’s my girl!” Josh crowed, popping the last petite four in his mouth.  Grabbing a hot pink and golden menu, he lead Carolina to the door marked Whimsy in gold filigree.  “Ready?”

Carolina took a deep breath.  She gave a final glance at Emmaline, whose ancient fingers were wringing her lacey white starched apron.  “Ready.”

“Welcome to Whimsy!”  Josh threw the door open, ushering her inside before she could change her mind.

Carolina glanced around, timidly creeping inside as the golden door shut quickly behind her.  She had not known what to expect, but even if she had, she wouldn’t have guessed this at all.

The walls were painted a brilliant cotton candy pink, with canopies of white and silver material draping down across the ceiling. Mechanical butterflies made of exquisite gold craftmanship and tiny jeweled birds with intricately carved silver wings fluttered about the room, the birds chirping like silver bells ringing.   Crystal chandeliers dangling with colorful beads and baubles hung above white tables that looked like blooming flowers, with chairs that looked like colorful toadstools.  A pond with lily pads and quacking ducks burbled in the center of the room, with frogs zooming across it in tiny ships wearing grand captain’s hats with colorful plumes. A few ladies and their daughters looked up at her and smiled, wearing elaborate gowns covered in sequins and rhinestones with matching tiaras.  One little girl waved her parasol and wiggled the edges of her pink tutu.  Carolina wiggled her fingers back.

“What do you think?” Josh asked, smiling behind the golden menu.

“I think my grandmother would hate it here,” Carolina replied with a grin.  “No wonder she never complained about Comfort.”

“Oh, this isn’t all,” Josh said, his eyes crinkling at Carolina’s shocked look.  “There’s more.”

“There’s more!” she gasped.  “How many more rooms?”

“As many or as little as it wants to be,” Josh replied.  “It is Whimsy, after all.  Things are done whenever and wherever, for whatever reason.  It’s all about magic and dreams and wishes coming true here.”

“And we haven’t even seen the food yet!” Carolina marveled.

“The food is an adventure in itself,” Josh grinned.  “But suppose you’d like to see the other rooms?”

Carolina clapped her hands, beaming.  She knew for sure now she hadn’t made a mistake choosing Whimsy over Comfort.  “Oh yes!” she cried.

And they did.  There was the ocean room, with mermaids and singing fish where diners dined underwater wearing scuba masks at seashell tables with seaweed lighting fixtures and coral chairs.  Then there was the Ice Cream Parlor, with a gold and hot pink checked floor and enourmous counter with every flavor and topping imaginable.  The dishes were so grand they were larger than the tables, and the straws for the milkshakes nearly reached the ceiling.   There was the tea party room, for young children, with tiny tables and teddy bears waiting in velveteen suits and porcelion dolls in their best silk dresses to dine.  And then there was the enchanted garden, where one ate at a large stump dangling on vines from a tree while tiny fairies and elves scampered about and giggled as the fireflies twinkled in the bushes like stars.

“This is amazing!” Carolina cried, spinning around so her pink dress fluted out.  “I can’t believe I’ve never come here before!”

“Ah, but you haven’t even seen the greatest part,” Josh replied, laughing in a mysterious way.  “The Menu of Whimsy.”

“What’s so grand about the Menu of Whimsy?” Carolina asked, her brow knitting together.

Josh beamed.  “I thought you’d never ask.”

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  We have more whimsical fun next week!

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