"Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day"

Blogging Friends.... One of the positives that comes with creating monthly fictional children's stories is every challenge it ensues. There's Writer's Block. {I love it!! Seriously!! I do!!} There's attention deficit disorder. {I usually always allow my wayward mind to wander a little here and there, because otherwise it feels incarcerated!! Does that make any sense?} And, occasionally? I do not know what I'm going to create until about midway through the month before writing it!! That is exactly what occurred with this story!! My creative Brain Juices did not completely envision it until about the second week of February!! Then --BAM!!-- I had my story!! I also felt, for the very first time as an artist, like I'd been given a "deadline", as I wanted to be finished before Thursday, February 27th!! {Why? Because we were watching my two-year old niece, "Amethyst", on February 27th!!} Also. I challenged myself by writing about twain subjects that I do not have firsthand knowledge of!! Twins. And leprechauns. So this story required quite a lot of research!!

    

For my dear Blogging Friends who have children. You may print this story off and read it to them!! I am alright with that!! Enjoy!!

"Creating beautiful mosaic artwork" with the broken, shattered pieces of my dream to be a published author....

"Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day"

There's a popular saying. It goes something like this. "Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day." Why? Because it is St. Patrick's Day, and everyone wants to join in on the fun of being Irish!! Well. Identical twin brothers, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin take this saying quite literally!! See, they were born, five years ago, on St. Patrick's Day. Now, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin are just like any other twin brothers or sisters. They can read each other's minds. That being mentioned. Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin can also finish each other's sentences. As far as personality goes, though? These brothers could not be any different!! Zacchaeus-Michael is very friendly toward people and Austin seems much more shy. But they are the best of friends!! Every St. Patrick's Day, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin magically change into little leprechauns.

It happens overnight. Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin fall asleep, then wake up in the morning with their light blond hair orange as carrots. They are no longer boys either, but men. For on their bare faces Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin grow scruffy bright orange beards. The twin brothers look a bit like little Irish elves, too, with pointy ears. Their river-blue eyes turn green. Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin's modern-day clothes change, as well. They are turned into green old-fashioned looking outfits. From top hats. To matching jackets, vests, baggy pants and brown buckled shoes.

But that is not all. Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin talk like leprechauns, too. While usually obedient, well-behaved boys, on St. Patrick's Day, they are sneaky mischievous little tricksters who enjoy playing practical jokes. As leprechauns, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin love to hide from people. Whether behind couches, underneath beds, or inside closets. But it is nothing like Hide 'n Seek!! Because Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin cannot, cannot, cannot be found!! As leprechauns, they'll do everything to distract those around them. Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin will even copy sounds of wild animals or family members screaming. But when you turn around to look, they disappear. Oh, those twin brothers are very, very, very fast runners!! As leprechauns, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin make shoes for girls who live in their neighborhood. Of many different styles. They call these girls "fairies". As leprechauns, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin are also rich, rich, rich!! For they own lots of gold hidden in pots. As leprechauns, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin's favorite food of pepperoni pizza becomes mushrooms, nuts or wildflowers. Grape juice? Forget about it!! Because as leprechauns, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin make all kinds of creative drinks for each other, including dandelion tea.

Now this is not just two children using their wild, but clever, imaginations. Because. The next day, on March 18th, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin magically turn back into blond-haired, blue-eyed little boys!! Just as before, it happens overnight. Three years ago, on Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin's second birthday, the very fact that they turn into leprechauns worried their Mom, Kathleen. So, she made an appointment with Dr. Seymour. He is their big-bellied, blond-haired, sky-blue-eyed, bearded pediatrician.

"It's as though, all of a sudden, Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin turn into the Lucky Charms character!!" Kathleen explained, "What's wrong with them, Dr. Seymour? Do my little boys have some sort of 'leprechaun disease'? If so, is there a cure? Or some medicine that they can take?"

But Dr. Seymour just frowned. He, too, was confused by all of this!!

"I am sorry, Kathleen," said Dr. Seymour, "I have no answers. But Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin are otherwise perfectly healthy!! Now. They only turn into leprechauns once a year. So take your boys home, love them, and accept this mystery as what it is. Magical!!"

Kathleen smiled at Dr. Seymour. But deep down inside, she felt very, very, very sad for Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin. Very, very, very sad.

Will they turn into leprechauns for the rest of their lives? Kathleen could not help but wonder, Even as teenagers? 'Magical', huh? Yeah. It is a magical curse!!

However, Kathleen eventually realized that nothing could be further from the truth!! This is not a curse, but magical indeed. Dr. Seymour was absolutely right!! And who helped Kathleen to see this? Her twins!! Because Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin love turning into leprechauns every St. Patrick's Day!! It is fun!! Especially the part about playing practical jokes on people!! They really love that!! To Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin, their birthday felt like Halloween.... In March!! For not only do Zacchaeus-Michael and Austin get to dress up as leprechauns, but they are leprechauns!! "Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day." Maybe. Just maybe that saying is true after all!!