On the third day Todd was sitting in his play pen in the lounge, playing with his blocks under Lucy’s strict supervision when the doorbell rang. When his mother opened the door he heard the unmistakable voices of some of the neighbours. He paused suc-king on his soother while he listened.
“Come on in to the sitting room”, his mother invited them. “Nnnggghhh!” he exclaimed through his soother. They were going to see him in his pink dress and nappy! His mother walked in smiling down on him, followed by three ladies. They stopped dead when they saw Todd sitting in the play pen staring wide-eyed up at them, suc-king on a soother, wearing a frilly pink dress and playing with baby toys. The ladies stood there open-mouthed, looking at each other for reassurance that they were really seeing what they thought they were seeing.
Todd wanted to die. Suddenly his private punishment was out there in public. These three ladies were going to tell everyone about this! There was no undoing it. He was exposed. His friends were going to hear. His life was over – just like that.
They probably didn’t even realise that he was actually wearing a nappy but it was only a matter of time. Still, he tried to hold his dress down firmly.
“I’m afraid that Todd was very bold and teased his poor little sister about her training pants. So I thought that a few days in nappies would teach him a lesson”, his mother explained. Todd winced. Now that secret was out too!
The ladies recomposed themselves after the shock. “Well I should think so too”, Mrs Hamilton agreed. The others tried to maintain a serious approving look but he could see they wanted to titter and giggle.
“Show the ladies!” his mother instructed. Todd’s shoulders sagged. He had no choice but to do as his mother told him. He turned onto his hands and knees with his bottom towards the ladies so they could see his plastic pants and the thick nappy beneath. He heard the gasps.
Mrs Brown looked out the window onto the patio. There were three nappies and pairs of plastic pants pegged to the rotating washing line outside. She stepped towards the window gazing in disbelief. “Is he …. using the nappies?!!!” “Well of course!” his mother confirmed as if it was the most normal thing.
Mrs Timmons’ hand went to her mouth but she couldn’t help smiling at the thought of this fourteen-year-old boy being forced to wear and use a nappy! “Do sit down!” his mother invited. The women sat, still looking stunned by the discovery.
Todd cringed, realizing that this was not going to be a brief encounter. Lucy instructed him to pick up his rattle. He winced but knew that he had to do everything he was told or it might only make things worse. The ladies giggled as he shook his rattle. Then there was another smirk from them and he realized that he had obviously suc-ked on his soother, having become so used to it now.
“We had wondered why it was so quiet in the neighbourhood”, Mrs Hamilton commented. The other ladies nodded agreement. His mother was a little puzzled by the remark. “Why is that?” she asked. “Oh well”, Mrs Hamilton clearly wasn’t sure if she should explain and looked to the others for confirmation. They didn’t give any indication that she shouldn’t continue.
“He is a little bit of a problem”, she offered, understating the situation. Todd didn’t like the way this was going. “Problem?” His mother was clearly surprised. “How so?” Mrs Hamilton hesitated. They hadn’t mentioned this to his mother before. She was so nice they didn’t want her to have to feel responsible for his misbehaviour. But there was no way out of it now.
“Well he keeps climbing over the walls into our gardens and robbing fruit and breaking things”, Mrs Hamilton continued. “He put a football through my greenhouse”, Mrs Timmons added. His mother glared down at him while he gently suc-ked on his soother guiltily.
“To be honest”, Mrs Brown chipped in, “we dread the summer holidays as we never get a bit of peace from him.” “Well you won’t have to dread this summer holiday I can assure you”, his mother responded. Everyone looked at her with interest – none more so than Todd. What did she mean?
“He’ll be staying right here in his play pen for this summer!” she announced. Todd was shocked. The women were delighted. “Oh goodie!” Mrs Brown clapped. “And will you be keeping him in nappies?” Mrs Timmons asked. “Of course!” his mother replied. Todd was just stunned.
“And pretty baby dresses?” Mrs Hamilton asked. His mother frowned. “I don’t really have any others that will fit him.” “Oh we can help with that” Mrs Hamilton added excitedly. “First of all he really needs a pretty bonnet!” “And I can make a matching nappy cover”, Mrs Brown added. “And I’ll knit some pretty pink booties!” Mrs Timmons concluded.
Todd looked aghast but then looked down in panic. He was wetting his nappy. “Oh I think Baby is having a little accident due to all the excitement!” Todd sniffled and suc-ked on his soother as the ladies chatted about what kind of lace would be most suitable and whether they had quite the same shade of pink.