A mysterious gift

We received a mysterious gift this morning.

After several seconds of frantic knocking on the front door, we shouted "come in!"

Nothing. A few seconds later, more knocking. I went and opened the door and was greeted by some not-so-subtle giggling from two girls hiding behind the car. On the ground in front of the door, is a piece of paper. I picked it up and closed the door.

Once inside, investigations reveal a poster of a red stick man and woman kissing and saying "I love you" in speech bubbles with a few colorful hearts floating around them. We are thoroughly perplexed.

Less than five minutes later, Isabel enters the house and sidles up to the counter nonchalantly. "What's this, Emma?" she asks innocently, pointing at the mysterious paper. "Oh, someone left it at our door," I answer. I will play along. "Do you know what it is?" she asks. "No, do you have any ideas?" Ha. I've caught her now.

She studies it quizzically for a few seconds and then says "It looks like Elmo to me. It looks like it might be Elmo and his wife kissing." At this point I am having trouble holding it together.

Elmo has a wife? I thought Elmo was more like preschool age.

She flips the card over. "Oh, yeah. Here Emma. It says "Me and my wife Smoochypoo, love Elmo."

Smoochypoo???

"Oh, wow! Elmo sent us a letter!" I said. "Yup, that's neat, all right," says Isabel. "And you have no idea when he left it?"

"Not a clue," I answer. "Did you see him?"

"Nope. Me and Shalom were at her house making...something."

She now decides she may be giving too many clues and decides to subtly exit the room. After she leaves I lean my head on the door and here her say laughingly to Shalom "She really thought it was Elmo who left it! We so tricked her!" (Hysterical laughter as they run away.)

The joys of being 7