There once lived a generally happy eight-year-old boy named Daniel Pemberson. He was particularly happy one day, however, when his dear grandmother came for a visit and, as was her custom whenever she visited, she had a little surprise gift for him. This gift, though, wasn't so little in size. It was quite large. So without delay, Daniel quickly unwrapped it and his eyes lit up when it turned out to be the gift of his dreams: a gorgeous doll adorned in bright pink from head to toe. He named it Bonbon, and immediately, he started grinning from ear to ear. From that moment on for the remainder of the day, he played with Bonbon the doll, repeatedly hugging and kissing it.
His mother Delores was quite thrilled at seeing Daniel happy. His father Anthony, on the other hand, was quite taken aback by this. Upon glancing at Delores, he had a puzzled look on his face. He then resumed his gaze upon Daniel, shaking his head in disbelief. "I can't let Danny start playing with dolls," Anthony thought to himself.
So in the wee hours that evening, while Delores was sound asleep, Anthony awoke and slowly crawled out of bed without commotion. He then tiptoed through the hallway into Daniel's bedroom. With Daniel sound asleep and Bonbon the doll clutched tightly in his arms, Anthony tiptoed over to him, and then slowly but carefully, he slithered the doll out of Daniel's arms and tiptoed slowly out of the bedroom.
A few minutes later, after tiptoeing out of the house, Anthony approached his car in the driveway and threw Bonbon in the back of the car. He sat down in the driver's seat of the car, closed the door, started the car and then drove off.
About half an hour later, he arrived at a thrift store and pulled up beside a drive-thru donation drop box. He got out of the car, took Bonbon the doll out of the back of it, and then simply tossed the doll into the donation slot. He then got back into his car and proceeded to drive back home.
The very next day, Delores and Anthony were both almost ready for work when they suddenly heard Daniel screaming madly and sobbingly from his bedroom: "Where's Bonbon?" While Delores proceeded to rush to Daniel's bedroom, Anthony simply proceeded downstairs as if nothing was happening. When Delores arrived at Daniel's bedroom, she discovered Daniel sitting up in his bed, crying and screaming: "Where's my Bonbon? Bonbon's gone!" She immediately ran up to him and softly asked: "What's wrong, sweetie?"
"My doll is gone, mommy," Daniel cried in reply, "I had him right here in my arms last night, but now he's gone." At that, Delores hugged him and assured him: "Well, don't worry, honey! We'll find your doll!" She then looked all over his room for the doll, but to no avail.
Meanwhile, downstairs in the kitchen, Anthony was at the table eating breakfast, decidedly oblivious to what was going on around him. Delores rushed downstairs and, upon spotting Anthony, she rushed toward him and asked: "Tony, honey, have you seen Danny's doll? He says it was in his arms, but it's nowhere to be found in his room." In response, however, he simply shrugged his shoulders and answered: "No, I haven't, honey!" He then continued eating his breakfast. Taken aback, though, Delores then said: "Wait a minute! Can't you hear Danny crying for his doll? I mean, you just shrugged your shoulders as if nothing's happening!"
"Look, dear! It's a doll! He'll get over it! Okay?" Anthony responded, "Besides, boys shouldn't be playing with dolls anyway. Dolls are for girls!" Taken aback, Delores stormed: "What? What are you saying? That our son's happiness doesn't mean anything to you?"
"I'm not saying that," Anthony replied, "Danny's happiness means a lot to me. It's just that..."
"It's just that what?" Delores snapped, gazing sternly at Anthony with her fists clenched into her sides as he stood up and took a deep breath. Delores then screamed: "Answer me, darn it!" At that, Anthony took a deep breath and proceeded to explain: "Look! I took his doll away from him last night! I took the doll from him while he was sleeping and took it to the thrift shop." At that, Delores began breathing heavily as she loudly fumed: "You did what?"
"I know what you're thinking, Delores," Anthony responded, "but it's not like that!" He took another deep breath, and then he continued: "Look! Dolls are for girls, and Danny's a boy, and I just don't want our son to grow up to be a girly man. That's all! Can't you see that?" At that, however, Delores swiftly slapped Anthony across his face with the back of her hand. She then growled: "Look! I don't give a rat's behind what you think or what it takes, bring back Bonbon!" At that, he was taken aback and said: "What?"
"You heard me, darn it!" Delores retorted, "Bring back our son's freaking doll now!"
"Never mind why, doggone it!" Delores screamed. She then pointed right at him and angrily demanded: "Mark my words, Tony! Either you bring back our son's doll and have it back in his hands within the next 24 hours, or else...I'm getting a divorce!"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Anthony said, taken aback. At that, however, Delores gave Anthony another slap across his face with the back of her hand, and then she screamed: "Does it stinking sound like I'm kidding, darn it?" With that, she stormed out of the kitchen and proceeded to help Daniel get ready for school.
Later that day, after school and work were finished for the day, Daniel, Anthony and Delores were sitting at the kitchen table eating dinner, but Daniel was just barely eating, his face sullen. Anthony looked down at his dinner, noticing neither Daniel's facial expression nor Delores staring intently at him with her head lowered and her eyes raised. She snarled to Anthony: "So, Anthony, did you find Bonbon yet?" In reply, Anthony said: "Look! It would be different if it were an action figure, but for Pete's sake, it's a doll! Get over it!"
"You have 12 hours left, mister!" Delores screamed in response, "That means that unless you find that doll, you're 12 hours away from a divorce! Is that what you want?"
"Delores, calm down! Not in front of Daniel here! Okay?" Anthony started to plead. In response, however, Delores shouted: "Calm down my anus, buster! Find that stinking doll yesterday!" With that, she got up, picked up Daniel and stormed out of the kitchen.
The next day began with Delores and Anthony getting ready for work and Daniel getting ready for school, but there was no communication whatsoever among the three.
That evening, after work and school, Delores and Anthony sat across from each other at the kitchen table, this time after they had finished dinner. They stared each other down. Delores then growled: "I'm going to ask you for the last time! Where is the flipping doll? Did you retrieve it yet?" In response, Anthony nodded no. He then said: "Look! Daniel will grow up and get over it! It's a doll!" At that, however, Delores got up, stormed over toward him, and yet again, she slapped him across his face with the back of her hand. She then stormed out of the kitchen in complete disgust.
A few minutes later, Delores stormed out of the house with two packed suitcases, and Daniel followed her. Anthony followed after them and pleaded to Delores: "Please, don't go!" At that, she loaded the trunk of her car with the suitcases and then slammed the trunk door shut. She then turned to Anthony and, pointing at him, she growled: "All because you're worried that our son will grow up to be a girly man just for playing with dolls? No, he will not!" She then took a deep breath and continued growling: "Well, you know what, I will not allow my son to be raised by a chauvinist the likes of you!" She then proceeded to buckle Daniel securely in the back seat of her car and then thereafter, she climbed into the driver's seat thereof. She then gazed at Anthony and growled: "You know something, my parents warned me about men like you. I should've listened!"
With that, she started her car, and upon backing out of the driveway, she drove off with Anthony looking on in disbelief. After her car was out of sight, Anthony slowly re-entered the house, closed the door, and sat on the couch in his living room. Then slowly, he proceeded to cry.
