Chrissy: How about The farmer in the Dell?
Maggie: Ooh, what was wrong with Hickory Dickory Dock?
Chrissy: You're upsetting Ike.
Ike: OK, but when we get to the part about, the rat takes the cheese, in honour of the
brothers, I'd like to make it a mouse.
Chrissy: You got it. And... (singing) The farmer in the dell...
Ike: A little louder!
Chrissy and Ike singing together: The farmer in the dell, hi ho, the dairy o, the farmer in the
dell.
Maggie: Can I join you guys?
Chrissy: Sure.
Together: (singing) The mouse takes the cheese, the mouse takes the cheese...
Maggie: Hi ho, the dairy o, the rat takes the cheese! Am I doing it wrong?
Chrissy: How can you ask that, Mom, when Ike shared with you how he felt about rats?
Ike: Ah, you know, she hates me. This happens to me all the time. It's tough being a rodent
American.
Maggie: Sweetheart, do you know the difference between really real and...make-believe?
Chrissy: Of course I do. Make-believe is Bat man.
Maggie: Right.
Chrissy: And really real is Santa Claus!!

Ike: So, this is school!
Chrissy: Yes. Follow me, I'll show you where Billy O'Neill embarrassed himself.
Maggie: OK.
Chrissy: Not you, Mom, Ike.
Maggie: Oh.
Teacher: Maggie, is everything alright?
Maggie: Of course. I mean, why do you ask?
Teacher: Well, just because from the way you were looking at Chrissy...
Maggie: There is nothing wrong with Chrissy. She is perfectly normal.
Teacher: I know.
Maggie: I mean, she is normal, right? I mean, not that I need to hear that from you. I mean, I
can see that she's normal. I'm a good parent and you're just a teacher. No, no, no. I didn't
mean, just a teacher, I meant...
Teacher: Would you like to come to the share circle and discuss these things called feelings?
Maggie: Oh, no thanks, Sally. I really...have to be going. But while I'm here, has Chrissy been
doing anything, talking about anything...mouse-like.
Teacher: Let me think. Well, she did trade her peanut butter sandwich for a cheese sandwich
the other day. Is something worrying you? What's taking you to frown town?

Maggie: Oh, no...nothing...I have nothing to worry about. No mention, say, of a six foot
mouse named Ike.
Teacher: No.
Maggie: But she has been talking about a six foot mouse!
Teacher: No.
Maggie: Oh, well. See you later today then. Sally, do you think having an imaginary friend
is...errm...harmful?
Teacher: Well, that depends. Who's your imaginary friend?
Maggie: Not me! Chrissy.
Teacher: She's got an imaginary friend; that's wonderful.
Maggie: It is?
Teacher: Well, sure, it's a great sign of creativity.
Maggie: I've heard.
Teacher: And it can sometimes fill a need in their life that they're too young to articulate.
Chrissy: What's my Mom so upset about? Do any of you guys know?
Imaginary pig: (talks nonsense.)
Teacher: It means, she isn't getting enough attention. Maybe someone's ignoring her. Have
you got an Ike in family?
Maggie: No, we've got a Ben and a Carol, and we've got a Mike. Mike. Ike. Oh.

Ike: Can I move, I'm getting a cramp in my tail?
Chrissy: Don't move a whisker, I'm not finished.
Mike: What'd you say?
Chrissy: Nothing. I think you're gonna like this.
Ben: She's getting weird. I like it.
Maggie: Mike, thanks again for staying home to watch Chrissy.
Mike: Oh, hey, thank you for paying me in advance.
Maggie: And if you and Chrissy are having fun together tonight, she can stay up a little
later...you know, eight, nine, ten...midnight. Whatever.
Ben: Why isn't Carol babysitting?
Mike: She got another date with the garbage man.
Ben: She does!
Mike: Yeah. Don't be surprised Benny. I mean, those guys take out trash for a living.
Ike: He is fun to watch.
Chrissy: The best.
Jason: Lucy, I'm home.
Maggie: OK, Mike, you keep an eye on Chrissy.
Mike: OK, Mom. Sure will.
Maggie: And Ben, err...go away.

Jason: Wow! Don't you look nice! What's the occasion?
Maggie: Well, I am taking you out to dinner.
Jason: OK.
Maggie: So, let's go, let's go, let's go.
Jason: What's the occasion?
Maggie: Well do we have to stand here and play twenty questions? Can't we just go out and
celebrate the joy of loving each other?
Jason: OK.
Maggie: Now wipe that stupid look off your face. And let's move it.
Jason: Oh, I had a few things, just odds and ends that I tracked down at the office today, you
know, while I had some spare time. Just some research about imaginary friends. You might
find it kind of reassuring.
Maggie: Great honey.
Jason: What are you doing?
Maggie: Oh, you're right, you're right. We can use the back for scratch paper.
Jason: No, Maggie, come on! Now here I was trying to ease your mind, and I come home to
discover you're not worried at all. What's the matter with you?
Maggie: Oh, honey, would you feel better if I got all weepy?
Jason: No, that's not what I'm after. I don't want you all weak and needy.
Maggie: Oh, sweetheart, I can't do anything right today. I made a fool out of myself with
Chrissy's teacher and all I wanna do is take you dinner.
Jason: Honey, we can go to dinner.
Maggie: Really?
Jason: Yes.
Maggie: Oh good. Let's go, come on!
Jason: Maybe you could take a look at these over dessert or something.

Mike: Wow, wow, wow! Chrissy, I can hear you all the way downstairs! What are you doing?
Chrissy: It was Ike's idea.
Mike: Oh, yeah. Mom told me about Ike.
Ike: Oh oh!
Mike: Now listen. You better tell Ike that if he doesn't wanna get in trouble that... Ditto, I'll tell
him myself. where is he?
Chrissy: Right over there.
Mike: OK. Hey Ike!
Ike: Yes.
Mike: Don't jump on the bed. There. I hope I wasn't too rough on him.
Chrissy: He had it coming.
Ike: He did!

Chrissy: Mike, wanna play with us?
Mike: Yeah, yeah, sure. What are you guys playing?
Chrissy: What do you wanna play?
Mike: Err...I kind o' like Tea Party.
Chrissy: Tea Party, sure. Sounds good to me.
Ike: Hey!
Chrissy: Chill out, Ike.
Mike: Yeah, chill out, Ike. Set 'em up and I'll have two lumps.
Ike: Yeah! I'd like to give him two lumps.
Chrissy: Ike, sit down and stop being a baby.
Ike: I don't wanna.
Chrissy: Fine. Stay there, be that way.
Mike: Nothing worse than mouse with an attitude. Boy, this coffee's hot.
Chrissy: It's tea.
Ike: Ha!

Mike: And in the glow of the fire of the burning mouse traps, Mr. Mouse realised he had
nothing to fear ever again. Finally, the years of wandering were over. He was home at last.
The end.
Mike and Ike: Oh, wow, good story!
Chrissy: You and Ike are a lot alike.
Mike: Yeah, what is it? Our noses.
Ike: Oh, can it cute stuff, will you?
Chrissy: You don't look alike. But you're both funny. I like playing with you guys.
Mike: Yeah, I like playing with you too, Chrissy.
Chrissy: You do!
Mike: Yeah. Don't sound so shocked. I mean, if I don't do it all the time it's...well sometimes I
like playing with the big girls too.
Chrissy: Like, last night.
Mike: Right. Well, you know, just so you know, I would have babysat you for free tonight.
Chrissy: Really!
Ike: Oh, big hero.
Mike: Hey, Chrissy, tomorrow, I'm gonna wax my car, you wanna help me?
Chrissy: Really!
Mike: Oh, yeah!
Chrissy: You'd let me touch your car!
Ike: This is boring.
Mike: Seven O' clock sharp...am!
Chrissy: You're getting up that early!

Mike: No. You are. I need the car by eight thirty so I can take you to breakfast.
Chrissy: Alright!
Mike: OK. Alright, under the covers! Here you go. Good. Sleep tight, Goldie locks. See you in
the morning.
Ike: OK, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?
Chrissy: Ike, it's bed time.
Ike: Oh, bed time's for losers! Come on! Let's party.
Chrissy: I'm helping Mike, early in the morning, remember?
Ike: Oh, so you're saying you'd rather detail Mike's car tomorrow, rather than to play with me
now!
Chrissy: Ike, I gotta go to sleep.
Ike: Oh, well fine! OK, well, I wanted to play Tea Party by myself anyway.
Chrissy: OK.
Ike: What am I doing? I'm a grown mouse.

Jason: What, so you put all this together at Chrissy's school.
Maggie: No, but it does make sense. Chrissy does have this hero worship thing for Mike.
Jason: Yeah, that's true.
Maggie: So, maybe if they spend more time together, she won't need Ike.
Jason: Honey, I hate to pull professional rank on you, but I doubt if one evening together's
gonna make any difference with Ike.
Ike: Yeah, says you.
Jason: Did you say something?