Adventures of Sally and Londy

The visitor to the general store saw the playful, almost magical couple in the corner by the door on her way in. Two girl figures made of hay. They presented her with three pumpkins at their feet The visitor thought, how cute.

On her way out, with the one hand balancing a bag of Indian corn for her own display, she looked at the girls again. They were well dressed in pressed farmer's jeans and orange plaids. Hair was immaculate. They had smiling white faces. She even noticed a twinkle in one's eye. The other winked.

Without setting her bag down, she took out her mobile phone and SHA-CLICK. She took a photo of the still lifes. Under the photo, she put a caption "Sally and Londy" and sent it to her daughter.

The autumn winds were blowing briskly around her, but in the briskness there seemed to be voices.

"She took our picture," one voice said.

"Wish we could see it," the other commented.

The visitor to the store looked all around and saw no one. No one except the hay children that she had named Sally and Londy.

The day wore on. Customers came in and out of the store, which was also a sports bar in fall where friends and neighbors could gather to watch the college football games on Saturday nights. Everyone who visited that day commented to the owners what a beautiful job they had done for the fall display. They all talked about mounting hay and pumpkins and cotton in their own yards. And making table centerpieces with squash and Indian corn and shucks.

When the crowds came back late that evening and the parking lot was full, and the store was livelier than it would be during the day, something magical happened. When the darkness fell, and the winds crept to a low low hum, and the fall leaves built up and gathered around anyone's feet who stood outside, . .

Sally said to Londy, "let's ditch this pose and watch some football!"

The two loved to greet customers, family and friends when they came to to the store everyday. They would speak "good morning," to the owner when he came first thing in the morning. They always complimented the visitors who were dressed nice. "Love that outfit." And while no kid could be as cute as them, there were some babies who were definitely precious. "Ah", they would say, "he is so beautiful."

Sally and Londy's words could not be heard. The wind always swooped in and took them away. It was for the best. They didn't want news reporters and television cameras and all that stuff bringing attention to them. They just wanted to have fun.

And that's what they did, as soon as everybody was packed in the store/sports bar, drinking and eating snacks and talking loud. Sally and Londy loved football as much as they did.

The two girls dove onto the floor and crawled over to the big bay window where they could see the 72 inch big screen. Their team was playing that night. They didn't want to miss it. No one would see them peeking in. If anyone got ready to leave, well, Sally and Londy would just run and jump into their spots by the pumpkins.

That didn't happen tonight.

Their team won.

You should have been there to watch them do their victory dance.