Ms. Jenny & Alexias

Hi, so I’m Alexias and I’m highly loved in the Bakari’s home, so much so I’m in every room. Also, they’re constantly bragging about how much easier their life is, now that they don’t have to deal with keeping track of everything. See I’m a pretty good multitasker. I was manufactured that way and I can’t help my greatness but that’s enough of muah. I want to share this epic adventure that took place. So quite recently, I woke up feeling like I had a blazing trail of new features. One of which the nine year old Ms. Jenny loves. Now, I’m not saying I’m an expert but she is the sassiest, sweetest, smart button I have ever known. Whenever she comes home she asks about my day and I can’t respond yet, so I just sit there as she tells me about hers.

Now, Mrs. Bakari is wound up way too tight for anyone’s blood pressure. Which explains why before me, she went through three bags of Blue Mountain coffee. I honestly don’t know how she managed, because even I freeze when she’s making requests. Next is Mr Bakari himself; the man who puzzles me on the daily. For instance, he works for a tech company but doesn’t know how to program me, he just pushes buttons. Oh and he always leaves me on the edge of the mantle instead of mid center where I can see everything. Luckily Mrs. Bakari sets me straight, thanks to her obsessive nature which has gotten worse to the point where she’s asked me to google ‘signs you have OCD’. After which, I recommended a therapist and what do you know- she’s going to see him and she even asked me to remind her of the appointment on Tuesday, exactly one week prior.

Mr. Bakari a while back had chose to keep me on all the time which meant I was responsible for videoing what went on throughout the house and providing a detailed report. Really, he just wanted for me to keep an eye out for Little Ms. Jenny. On to the neighborhood because what’s a story without that. So we’re planted in this quiet neighborhood with 19th century brick houses, fancy sculpting of the bushes, front yards with picket fences, numerous pear trees adorning the corners of the community and people who love animals. Speaking of which there were a few dog people but most of them had a cat. I know because from time to time, all Alexsias get our wires crossed where we see into each other’s homes and it’s so much fun. I’ve seen a lot, such as the old widowed lady Ms. Campbell, who enjoys crocheting so much that often times she falls asleep and her tv watches her. Then there’s Mr. Walters, he’s got an obsession with clowns. Mr. Robertson, flowers. He’d order them three times a week, talk about self-love.

As for yesterday- Tuesday; I’ll give you the rather juicy parts and that starts with Ms. Jenny’s day home. So usually Mrs. Bakari picks her up from school and drops her to karate, afterwards she makes her way home with Rebecca- the babysitter, who by the way has no business being one. Like seriously, there’s too many incidents of her starting a fire due to her lighting every candle in the house. I wish I could tell the Bakaris, but they always turn my recording off whenever she’s around. Mr. Bakari has even said “Why have four eyes watching if we’re paying two of them?”

Anyways, I got an e-mail to say karate’s cancelled and I asked Mrs. Bakari if she’d like me to read it out loud. She said yes, but then her cell-phone rang and she missed my announcement. Humans should focus on one thing at a time, they’re not capable of total success otherwise. So anyways, she put it on speaker while fumbling to unhook her ring from her panty hose and told Rebecca to hold. Rebecca didn’t hear so she continued telling Mrs. Bakari that she wouldn’t be able to come. On her way from the bathroom Mrs. Bakari said “Okay.” and Rebecca hung up. Mrs. Bakari was annoyed and uttered to herself “I guess it’s not important.” My circuits were tapped in all the wrong ways because I knew Ms. Jenny would be on her own.

Ding-a -ling-a- ling! School ended and Ms. Jenny sprinted into her mom’s truck, like an athlete at the Olympic finals. Buckle! Approximately 15 minutes later and she drops her off early that way she can eat and relax until class. Ms. Jenny waited for her teacher but he didn’t come, the same went for her classmates and Rebecca. So with no phone, she jingled the quarters in her backpack and proceeded to the bus stop. With time on her hands she took in everything. From the 35 steps it took to get there, people she passed along the way, smell of sweet bread on the rise emitted from Suntime’s Bakery but the thing that stole her attention was the marigolds that settled near the bus stop and the fact that out of the hundreds she saw prior, only three of them remained. So what did the curiously sweet Ms. Jenny do? She gently picked them, put them in her pocket and made her way home.

Now, what she didn’t know, and I wish I could’ve told her, was that for the last three hours a man was watching tv, using the toilet, eating a slice of pecan pie and very precisely going through the Bakaris’ possessions. In three, two, one they meet, the both of them colliding on the staircase. To follow were screams from them both which lasted about 20 seconds. Then Ms. Jenny took off sprinting towards the door, but the man asked her in a very distinct yet calm tone “Please, don’t.”

To which her feet quickly paused. Then as a sloth would, Ms. Jenny turned around and after staring at this fully covered man for a few seconds, she took a visibly deep breath and asked sternly “So who are you and why are you here?”

To which, the man or “Ski” responded with utter silence.

Ms. Jenny now growing more anxious tells him “I’m leaving!”

Ski responds, “No, don’t. I need money. So I’ve got to take and sell a few things.”

“That’s stealing.”

“I know but I’ve got no choice. I need the money or I go bankrupt and people will miss out on the work I do, which is important.”

“Well I have money in my piggy bank. You can have that.”

He responds, with a sigh and bowed head “That’s rather sweet of you but unfortunately, that’s not enough.” Then proceeds to sit on the stairs, legs unevenly placed.

Ms. Jenny walks away from the door and sits on the edge of the living room couch, and her belly instantly begins grumbling, and they both erupt with laughter.

“Would you like something to eat?


“Sure! I’ve never had a thief meal before.”

Ski laughs and adds “By the way, how come you didn’t pass out from fright or dash through the door? If I were you…”

“What do you expect? I am nine!”

He lets out a small chuckle while looking through the fridge “Vegan, avocado, cheese melt?” Ms. Jenny and her exquisite pallet, nod in agreeance.

He fixes it and while she eats, he transfers the items from his pockets to his aging backpack.”

Ms. Jenny glances at a specific item and relays, “That’s my great grandmother’s pearls. Please don’t take those.” After noticing her honest eyes, he removed them and said- “Please put them back for me?” Then he adjusts his vest and walks towards the back door.

Ms. Jenny exclaims, with slightly knit brows “You know I could stop you if I wanted to! I know karate!”

”Oh yeah. Show me your moves.”

She jumps off the kitchen bar stool, walks towards him and proceeds to demonstrate- hiyah, hiyah, hi-yah! as she close contact kicked and double punched his gut. Then as if in agony, he commences slowly falling on the floor and she stands over him, hands folded and says “I told you!” He lays there for about five seconds and then gets back up as if crippled with pain.

Ms. Jenny asks “Do you really have to leave right now?”

“Yes, I do. Your folks will be home soon.”

“Will you return?”

“No.”

Then he puts his backpack on and says “Tata Jenny. I enjoyed speaking with you and you’re so brave. Just make sure to run next time.”

She smiled and he turned and exited the back door. Ms. Jenny reached into her pocket and pulled out the marigold and with arm stretched out, she said “Here!”

Around he spun and in front of his face was the marigold. Onwards were several Achu, achu! To the point where Ski fell unto the floor. A quite alarmed Ms. Jenny threw her arms behind her and said anxiously “You’re allergic to marigolds?”

“Yes. I’ve got to go! Make sure to lock up!” All the while, sneezing. Afterwards Ms. Jenny locked up and made her way up to her room to write about her escapade.

Later on, Mr and Mrs. Bakari inquired of her day and she exclaimed it was great. They got so busy talking that they didn’t take notice of Rebecca’s absence. Things went as usual and they all went to bed. The next day, the couple arrived home, carrying Ms. Jenny with them, the plan being Rebecca would babysit as they attend their gala and everything was going great until the Bakaris kept asking each other for help in locating their valuables. Finally after 45 minutes they realized they were robbed.

Knock, knock! The police arrive at the door. A slew of questions began; from “When did you last see the items? What’s their value? Are you certain it wasn’t misplaced?” and probably the hardest of them all, “When do you think they were stolen?”

They each replied “I don’t know when.”

Peaking from the wooden stairway was little Ms. Jenny, saying “It was yesterday.” Officer A and B as well as both Bakaris surprisingly looked at Ms. Jenny. Seconds later, Officer A asked for Ms. Jenny to come and sit down.

Then he proceeded “Yesterday? Did you take them?”

To which she replied- “No, the Ski Man did.”

With eyes fully engorged, and mouths half ajar, the officer continued -“Can you tell me about the Ski man?”

To which she responded “Yes. I came home, and he was here. He was wearing a ski suit from head to toe. He’s a little taller but not as big as my Dad.”

“Did you see his skin?”

“I didn’t. His face and hands were covered. I couldn’t even see his hair. He was nice and kind. We talked and he even made me an avocado cheese melt.”

“What? How? Where was Rebecca?” Mrs. Bakari asked in an alarmed tone.

“I don’t know. Karate was cancelled. No one showed up, so I took the bus.” Mr and Mrs. Bakari stared at one another in disbelief, and both officers looked at them simultaneously.

One walked away and the other went to the right corner of the living room and in a hushed tone radioed “Ahh, dispatch, please have Social Services on standby.”

“Copy that.” Said the responder.

25 minutes later and in comes Rebecca. All eyes intensely focusing on her. In turn, she gulped, then Mrs. Bakari asked if she could take Ms. Jenny upstairs. Needless to say the Bakaris ended up cancelling their plans and the evening was quite entertaining. When tucked in, Ms. Jenny said aloud and in an optimistic tone, “I’ll find you Mr. Ski Man.” And that she did. I’ll let you tell me who, where and how.