The Hugga Bunch

Bridget Severson:
What's goin' on?

Andrew Severson:
Boy, are you thick. It's Gramma.

Bridget Severson:
What about 'er?

Andrew Severson:
They're putting her out to pasture.

Bridget Severson:
I don't understand.

Andrew Severson:
Like a horse who's too old for anything. So... They just put 'em in a field, let 'em eat and enjoy their life, until they grow old and die.

Bridget Severson:
You mean they're moving Grams out? But they can't! She's family! She loves us! Why would they do that?

Andrew Severson:
What do you want from me? I'm just a kid.

Bridget Severson:
But that's not right! We've got to do something!

Andrew Severson:
Send a telegram to your Congressman. Or, better yet, why don't you tell your magic mirror friends?

Bridget Severson:
She's your grandmother, too. This is a criseris.

Andrew Severson:
Crisis, dummy.

Bridget Severson:
Crisis. Whatever. You sit there shoving Spice Nuggets in your face like nothing's happening! How can you? You don't show Grams any affection! You don't love anybody but yourself and your dumb old computer. You don't care!

Bridget Severson:
[after stepping through the mirror into Hugga Land] Oops! Lost a shoe!

Huggins:
Don't need shoes here. Everything is soft and fuzzy.

Bridget Severson:
What an adorable baby elephant!

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
I'm an elephant! I never knew that!

Bridget Severson:
Of course you're an elephant! What'd you think you were?

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
We'll that mean old Queen of Courts said I was a leather footstool, before I fainted.

Bridget Severson:
I've never heard of a fainting elephant! [chuckles good-naturedly]

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
You're talking to one. I faint when I get scared. My name is Hodge Podge.

Bridget Severson:
How do you do, Hodge Podge. My name is Bridget Severson. [shakes him by the trunk]

Leader of the Shrugs:
Kneel before Queen Admira!

Bridget Severson:
I'm Bridget Severson, and I'm an American citizen, and I don't have to kneel down to any ol body! It's written in our Constitution!

Queen Admira:
Feel free to compliment me.

Bridget Severson:
You're not bad looking for a wicked witch. But the ones in my storybooks have wrinkles and warts!

Bridget Severson:
My mother told me not to say thank you when people say I have a pretty face. You're just born with it, that you have is luck.

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
I must have fainted. Where are we?

Hugsy:
We're in the dungeon.

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
Are we having fun?

Hugsy:
Fun? We're prisoners, that's what we are!

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
What's a prisoner? I forget?

Huggins:
We're locked in and we can't get out.

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
You want to get out? Why don't we just get out?

Hugsy:
The door is locked shut, Hodge Podge!

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
Oh!

Hugsy:
Use your noodle!

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
Oh, is THAT what this thing is! My noodle! [takes hold of the prison's bars with his trunk and breaks them all free]

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
I forget...

Bridget Severson:
I thought an elephant never forgot anything!

Hodge Podge the Elephant:
I have a bad memory, but now I remember!

Bridget Severson:
[after losing the magic young berries] It's too late! I've ruined everything!

Huggins:
There, there. Dumb old stuff, it probably wouldn't have worked, anyway.

Bridget Severson:
It would have! I know it would have!

Hugsy:
Well, I never believed in it. Being old, or being young, isn't what's important.

Huggins:
Remember what the Bookworm told you? Affection, hugging, and being needed. That's better than any old magic berries any time.

Bridget Severson:
Are there more of you?

Huggins:
Bunches more! The whole Hugga Bunch clan! My name is Huggins.

Bridget Severson:
Well, I'm very pleased to meet you, Huggins. Excuse me for falling all over myself like that. You shook me up! It's the first time someone came through my mirror! How did you do it?

Huggins:
The Hugga Bunch lives just on the other side of the mirror. Mirrors soften up when folks hug. It's one of your basic, perplexiconic, chemical miracles... You're frowning.

Bridget Severson:
Excuse me, but the other side of my mirror is my closet.

Huggins:
[giggles] Through the door is the closet, but through the mirror is Hugga Land, where we live.

Bridget Severson:
I'm trying to follow this...

Huggins:
It's very simple. The Hugga Bunch lives in Hugga Land. We hug all the live-long day!

Bridget Severson:
Oh, my Grams would LOVE it there!

Huggins:
I've watched, she is a good hugger!

Bridget Severson:
So am I!

Huggins:
So am I!

Bridget Severson:
I'll show you!

Huggins:
As leader of the Hugga Bunch I've decided to come and help. Because I'm in charge, and I'm the only one with savoir fair.

Bridget Severson:
Huh?

Huggins:
That's French, savior fair. It means I have charm.

Bridget Severson:
I find you very charming. But it won't work on Andrew, he's deadset against hugging or touching or anything like that.

Grams Severson:
I'll be visiting at Christmas, and Easter, and Fourth of July, and you'll be sick to death of seeing me!

Bridget Severson:
I don't want you visiting, I want you here forever and ever. You and me are the only ones that really like to hug. Andrew hates to show that he cares.

Grams Severson:
Well, boys are sometimes funny about things like that.

Bridget Severson:
Mom and Dad are too busy, and Aunt Ruth is afraid I'll mess up her hair.

Grams Severson:
Well, you just keep trying, sweetheart. Everybody needs hugs. Remember the stories I used to tell you?

Bridget Severson:
About the Land of Hugs?

Grams Severson:
Mmhmm... Across the old vast meadows, where the cherry trees grow.

Bridget Severson:
Is there really such a place, Grandma?

Grams Severson:
Well, for heavens sake, however could there not be?