A Suburban Holiday Miracle Part 2

Mrs. Manatee had moved to the suburbs with her family from further east. She and her daughter Vanity and her baby son Hannity and husband Todd were ready to start anew. Earlier that year the entire Manatee family had been in a boating accident and the experience had scarred all of them.

So, they moved, drawn to the suburbs by the promise of good schools and the chance to find work and a change of scenery. Even the name of the Elementary school seemed perfect. Something Bay...they soon learned that this was a misnonmer and that they were the only Manatee family in town, and there wasn't even a bay. However, surely this was a place where the entire family, Mrs. Manatee, and her children Vanity Manatee, and Hannity Manatee would start over while Mrs. Manatee's husband Todd would look for work. His previous job slowly bobbing in slow moving currents had prepared him for the difficult job market. However it had been several weeks now and Todd Manatee still hadn't found a job floating aimlessly. His savings were getting low. Mrs. Manatee had taken some jobs as a substitute teacher, yet they were struggling.

Life in the suburbs was harder than they expected. Doorknobs proved to be a challenge. Vanity's piano lessons were a disaster. Now Todd Manatee came home to announce that they were down to their last week of sea grass and they would have to spend the money they put aside for Manatee Christmas on lettuce. Mrs. Manatee would not get her knitting needles, and Vanity would have to quit piano lessons. What little money they had would have to be spent on diapers for Hannity, (for which the family had to drive all the way to Palm Beach County to find the proper size) and all the lettuce.

Lettuce was not their first choice. However with the seagrass gone it was all that they could buy if they wanted to eat. (They were vegan for religious reasons). And so Mrs. Manatee took her baby son Hannity Manatee, leaving her daughter Vanity Manatee at home with her dad. And that is how Mrs. Manatee made the blunt aqcuaintance with Mrs. Hoggingham in the produce aisle of the Publix.

End of A Suburban Holiday Miracle Part 2.