BEAGLE

When my niece, Ronda, was little, she had an imaginary friend named Beagle. Her mother, my sister Linda, wanted to know more about her friend. "Does Beagle have any brothers or sisters?" she asked.

"He has a brother," said Ronda.

"What's his name?"

"Leebee."

"Do they have a last name?" asked Linda.

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Snabes."

Asking about them more, Linda found out that their father died at the age of two.

One day when Linda and Ronda were eating at Taco Tico, a mother came in with her little boy who was very good looking. Ronda stared at the boy, and whispered to Linda, "That's him."

"That's who?" asked Linda.

"Beagle."

"Oh, he's cute," said Linda.

After that, nothing more was ever said about Beagle. Once he had a real face, he could no longer be Ronda's imaginary friend.

I'm telling you this, just in case you ever come upon Beagle and Leebee Snabes whose father died at the age of two . . . so they won't be complete strangers to you.

______

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