The Misplaced Slippers

Cara was excited to use her new ballet slippers. Ballet lessons were in thirty minutes, but she couldn’t find her slippers anywhere. She’d left them outside her ballet bag, but they were gone!

“Mom, have you seen my ballet slippers?” Cara asked her mom, whose attention was fixed on the wall.

“Sorry, honey,” said her mom, distracted. “Your sister managed to put this sticker on the wallpaper. I haven’t seen your ballet slippers. Did you check your bedroom?”

Cara set off upstairs thinking I don’t remember bringing my ballet slippers to my room, but I’ll check. She looked under her bed, in her closet and in every drawer. No slippers.

Mom was no help, but maybe Dad would be. Cara sashayed down the hallway and into the bathroom where her dad was lying under the toilet.

“Dad, have you seen my ballet slippers?” asked Cara, feeling sorry for her dad. Dads always get the most disgusting jobs in the house.

“Nope. I’ve been working at fixing this clogged toilet all day. All I’ve seen is the bottom of this white bowl,” joked Dad. “Maybe check the family room. Everything from socks to pencils winds up under the couch.”

Cara searched the family room high and low. Cara found no slippers but only her older brother, Ryan, playing with their toddler sister, Paige. “Ryan, have you seen my ballet slippers?” asked Cara, worried.

“No. Mom told me to play with Paige ever since she put that sticker on the wall,” replied Ryan. Cara felt exasperated. “Don’t worry, Cara. We’ll find them. Paige, have you seen Cara’s ballet slippers?” joked Ryan.

Paige, who could barely talk, wobbled over to Cara. With a big smile on her face, she nodded a big nod and said, “Uh huh!” Cara and Ryan were shocked! Paige grabbed Cara’s finger and led her to the bathroom.

“Where are they?” Cara asked. Paige pointed to the toilet. “You flushed my ballet slippers down the toilet?”

Paige smiled even bigger and nodded her head.

“Well,” sighed Cara’s dad, putting down his wrench. “Now we have two mysteries solved!”