In the city of Torrance laid the last wetland known as the Madrona Marsh in LA County. It wasn’t uncommon for people to drop off raccoons, skunks and even bunnies since their habitat had been removed with the induction of condos and strip malls. Though it was in the middle of Town, people wondered when they dropped off a possum or a mouse if it’d survive.
An apartment manager in Torrance had frequented the preserve to drop off animals and one day she found her answer to a question she often pondered about. The girl named Aggie loved the rodent family and had adopted a rabbit found not far from the marsh but she had never actually gone into the park to see how they live. One day as she was digging through the tool shed she found a scrap of paper detailing the story of two mouse sisters titled: Family life inside the Marsh. So Aggie sat down to read about it.
A long time ago there lived two mouse sisters named Cream Puff and Taffy. They were frightened when a property owner dropped them off in the middle of town one day. “Go find your family,” said the old man.
“But we don’t know our family only you.” Cream Puff started crying looking to Taffy for help.
“Now look Mister what you’ve done to my sister this isn’t fair we have done nothing by you but good for all your days.” The man started to tear up. He knew the two mouse twins had always woke him up when they heard something amiss.
“Now I told you two I dropped off your older sisters long ago- they must be (18) eighteen now that was when your Father’s wife passed. He had started courting that Ms. Silver and she already had (2) two daughters that were at-least seven years older than you too.” Taffy was starting to get mad and told Cream Puff to stop crying.
“Well than why didn’t you drop us off all together? Can’t you see how sad we are?” She jumped up on the box and waited for an answer. But the man was quiet, slowly he started to speak.
“That 2nd wife of his was mean to you too and worse so was her children. I told Taskey I’d drop you both off later but I never did.”
“Now you want to drop us off when you know our Step Mom was mean. What do you expect Cream Puff and I to do?”
“I’ve got to sell my property and I’m moving back East where you two wont survive in the cold. I heard Ms. Silver died. So you see your Father will not allow you to be abused. Plus this marsh is the best place for you to live.”
As he stopped the truck he carried the two delicate creatures to their new home. He gently dropped the box by the gate. The sun was already out and he told them to run for cover under one of the Sycamore trees. He directed them to the house of a rat by the name of Kavarone for he knew everything about the Marsh Park.
After the two sisters passed the lake they knocked on the tree of Mr. Kavarone’s house. Cream Puff and Taffy could smell the pork and beans from outside. When he opened the door he looked at the both of them with stern discernment behind thick rimmed glasses.
“If you’re looking for the Silver house it’s over there further down the lake. Right past the cemetery.”
“Are you sure Mister we won’t get lost?”
“Well you can’t miss it, it’s the largest tree in the park but I’ll call Whiskey and Brandy to let them know your on your way.” He then shut the door as if he didn’t want to say no more.
“I haven’t seen our Father Taskey in years,” said Cream Puff. Do you think he’ll remember us?”
“That is silly now your really acting like a Cream Puff. Oh look who is ahead it must be Whiskey and Brandy.”
“I can smell them Taffy like grain and sunflowers. I wonder if they’re cute?”
Taffy grabbed her glasses out of her satchel and after she’d put them on she squealed. “Oh Cream Puff one is Gray and the other is a soft brown like you.”
The elder Whiskey walked up to both of them and introduced his friend Brandy. “Kavarone called me and told me you’d be coming. Your looking for the Silver house right?”
“Yes we are,” said Taffy. Have you seen our Father Mr. Taskey?
“The two girls that live there are Priscilla and Lucy, but you must be the two twins your Father talked about?” Then Whiskey paused and felt sad as he could see they didn’t know. “Don’t you girls fret you have each other and now us plus even Mr. Kavarone and he looks out for everybody in the park!”
As they approached the large house the branches looked scary. Whiskey quickly knocked on the door. Priscilla came out and was as sweet as pie. “Oh thank you so much for bringing our family back together.”
“Well I’ll let you (4) four get acquainted I gather it’s been a long time.” Whiskey and Brandy then walked away.
“Those two girls are sweet.”
“I know Brandy you like Cream Puff she’s the same color as you.” The two friends laughed for it was love at first sight.
“But Whiskey she is (14) fourteen and I’m years older.” He shook his head. “She is endearing an innocent so much different than Lucy.”
“Your right those two are sweet, I can’t say Priscilla is as cute as Taffy either.” The two friends continued walking home hoping Kavarone dropped off some pork and beans. After they ate they dreamed of their (2) two new sweethearts and fell into a deep sleep.
Cream Puff and Taffy soon found out they had no Mother and Father. Thou the house was beautiful they were treated as paupers. When Christmas came they made presents and the other mice friends of their sisters would laugh at them. ‘Doesn’t your sister give you money to buy decent gifts?’ Taffy got sick thinking about it but she knew Whiskey and Brandy were as true as their Mother was.
Cream Puff cried to Taffy jumping up and down. ” I know let’s get a tree for Christmas.”
“But we have no money.”
“We can ask Whiskey and Brandy for money to get a tree.” Taffy looked at her sister’s doe eyed look. But it worked. Before they knew it Whiskey had proudly brought over a tree and soon Taffy was happy seeing her sister joyfully decorate their tree.
When their big mean sisters came home from a party they said: “Nonsense!” They threw it out the window. When Cream Puff and Taffy went to bed they cried and when they woke up they were sad again. The mean sisters yelled telling them to get to work and that they’d better clean the house well as it was Christmas Eve. Taffy tried to defend themselves but it only infuriated them more.
“Get to work,” Priscilla yelled. “We have company coming over and we are going to a ball.”
“Can we go?”
“No!” They both then screamed at them to get to work. They reminded them they have no decent clothes- anything that could be worn to a party.
But Taffy and Cream Puff knew their sisters were rich and never shared anything, money or clothes as they were selfish. So one day Cream Puff and Taffy went to Whiskey and Brandy and the two gentleman bought them shoes, and ribbons and jewels. They ran back thru the Madrona Marsh park and gave Whiskey and Brandy the presents they had hand-made to thank them. Just when they were saying there good-byes Taffy spotted the two mean sisters.
“Oh please Whiskey let us come in again and stay awhile.”
“Well of-course but what is wrong Taffy?” But Taffy told him a lie because she didn’t want him to feel sorry for her.
“Well since you’re here I was going to wait till Christmas Eve but I’ll give you your presents now.” He went to the back room and brought out (2) large boxes and placed them in a bag.
“But you must not open till your home.”
“But you’ve already given us enough.”
It was starting to get dark and the two mouse sisters got afraid so Whiskey called Kavarone and he agreed to come home even though he was on a scavenger hunt for food.
“I’m at the supermarket so it’ll be about ten minutes.”
Soon Kavarone arrived with lots of food and he proudly escorted the young girls home. He knew they had a surprise and he promised Whiskey to keep his mouth shut.
When the girls arrived home they went upstairs and put on the dresses that were inside the boxes. There was even a faux fur coat and gloves with matching hats.
“This was very nice of Whiskey and Brandy,” said Taffy.
“Look at the bottom of the package,” said Cream Puff. At the bottom of the bag was a dark blue box with a purple flower and an invitation to the Christmas Eve Ball. Right then their mean sisters walked in.
“The ball I hear you say?” Priscilla looked at the two with scorn.
“And how dare you put up a tree without asking,” said Lucy. Lucy threw out the decorations and then the tree. It flew right out the window. Then Priscilla and Lucy threw out the gifts from Whiskey and Brandy.
“And take off those dresses too,” demanded Priscilla. “Put on your rags and clean our bedrooms that’s your punishment for not keeping up with the housework!”
The two mean sisters went downstairs. Then Cream Puff and Taffy put their heads to the floor. They could hear knocking at the front door.
“Hurry we better get ready so we can go to the ball, I’ll tell them their sick.” The door kept knocking.
Finally Lucy opened it.
“Where is Taffy?”
“Oh Whiskey those two are very sick upstairs and were out much too long in the cold. But you can take us we would love to go and they are so sorry they can’t accept your invite.” Priscilla was so mean and it reminded Taffy of a robot the way she talked.
“Oh Cream Puff do you think he really is going to believe that?” But soon the door shut and the sisters could hear them walk outside and drive away.
“Christmas Eve and were home alone,” shouted Taffy. Cream Puff started to cry.
“Taffy we could have went to the ball. If only we had something to wear.” Then all of a sudden down the chimney came a loud thump.
“Ho, Ho Merry Christmas to all!” It was Santa.
“Oh I forgot about Santa Clause,” said Cream Puff. And yes Santa came thru and brought them lots of presents. The two sisters looked out the window and saw it was snowing. They saw Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer. The clock struck twelve and Santa was on his way out so the girls watched him ascend in the sky his voice trailing Christmas Cheer to all.
“Let’s go downstairs and see what he brought us Taffy.”
There were beautiful dresses everywhere and Santa brought there tree back in. There was a sleigh and it was white and not even wrapped. The most glorious dresses were draped over the sleigh. Then Taffy had an idea.
“We should get dressed and look Cream Puff there is a reindeer outside. He can take us to the ball.”
They got dressed and their dresses were as white as pure snow.
“Oh I can’t wait till I get there,” cried Taffy. Cream Puff just stared straight ahead then she squealed….
But the girls were really already there. They walked in. The Ballroom was like a Palace and it sparkled like the moonlight on the snow.
“I hope we can find them,” said Taffy. She looked around and then she spotted them by the punch bowl. She gasped. Whiskey was dancing with Priscilla. But Brandy had already noticed them. He immediately walked over.
“We thought you two were sick?” But there was no room for words and as he reached for Cream Puff’s hand Whiskey was right behind asking for Taffy’s hand. They danced the night away and lived with the real family the old man had envisioned and Santa knew they’d have. But who deserved it more than even I can find words to say.