Esmeralda and the Unbelievable Day of Mailing Things With a Bear

Once upon a time there was a girl called Esmeralda who had a friend who lived in a far away place called "Toronto". One day she, that would be Esmeralda, decided that she would mail her friend a present. There was no reason for this. It was not her friends birthday and it was not a recognised holiday either. Esmeralda just felt like it.

Esmeralda was a strong believer in taking a bear with her when she went to any government office (she had learned that lesson the hard way) and so when she took her friend's present to the post office she also took her friend Palermo, who was a bear.

Palermo and Esmeralda waited patiently in line at Canada Post and then, when their turn came, Esmeralda stepped up to the counter and mailed the small brown paper wrapped package that she had prepared for her friend. Afterwards, when she and Palermo were standing on Graham Avenue waiting for their bus Esmeralda turned to the bear and said:
"Maybe I should have put something in the package."

Esmeralda and Palermo went into the store to find something that she could send to her friend in "Toronto" that would go nicely with a brown paper package tied up with string.

Palermo, as is often the case with bears, was full of suggestions. He thought Esmeralda's friend might like some kitten whiskers or some warm woolen mittens or possibly even a raindrop plucked from a rose and stored in a small vial. Esmeralda thought these ideas were dumb but as she did not want to anger the bear she went along with all of them.

This ran into a bit of money especially as the two found these things gradually, had them individually wrapped and sent. Each time they found something new they made another trip to the post office to mail it. The entire day was taken up by this activity.

Finally, just before six, Esmeralda and the bear, Palermo, mailed the last package. It contained a doorbell, a sleighbell and some schnitzel with noodles (this last in a Tupperware container). Very tired from their trying day both Esmeralda and the bear, Palermo fell asleep on the #60 bus on the way home.

Two weeks later Esmeralda recieved the first of the packages in her mail. She had used the wrong address.