Her Name Was Lola

Our friend Ray gave the boys a very large, and eerily lifelike, stuffed dog named Lola. Charlie and Gregory ride on Lola, drag her around the house on 'walks', they even put her under the table at dinner so she can eat the crumbs that fall on the floor. It's their real dog and no one can tell them otherwise.

Lola's first few nights with us, Charlie insisted she sleep in his room. He loved it and she served as a great monster protector. But by week's end, Charlie was waking up in the middle of the night, sneaking into my room to tell me Lola was making noises and could he come sleep in my bed. Then she was scaring him, and rightfully so, the dog has some beady eyes that are incredibly creepy and glow in the dark, like raccoon eyes.

When you have children, their imagination and playfulness are contagious. Lola's midnight scare sessions made me wonder why someone hadn't made a horror movie out of a kid's stuffed animal coming to life? Kind of like Chuckie meets the Blair Witch Project. Do it documentary style and have it star real kids getting the crap scared out of them. I'm sure it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment and would result in some jail time. Okay, not my greatest idea, but I'm a bit compulsive and could not let it go.

I started creating scenes in our very own home, with Brian as my star victim. One night he had a late work dinner, so I set Lola at the top of the stairs that lead from the garage into the house. I turned off all the lights except for one and when Brian opened the door, voila, Lola. All I heard was, "Jesus! Dammit, Lola." I laughed for a good 10 minutes. He was not amused.

The next evening, prior to going to bed, I put Lola in Brian's closet knowing he had an early morning meeting and would be out of the house before sunrise. 5:30 a.m. I awoke to a girlish scream. Brian, while bending down to grab his shiny black Bruno Magli's, was met with something else shiny and black. Lola's beady eyes. He got really mad and I was on a high for the rest of the day.

After 'making' this movie, I have a better understanding of Charlie and why he seems to be so jubilent when I'm being my worst, most emotional self. It's fun to evoke emotion and drama in others, especially when you have a front row seat. It's like a mini power trip or adrenaline rush. I can picture Charlie saying to Gregory, "Okay, let's wind her up and watch her go." Well, two can play that game. I'm thinking Charlie will be my next victim. I'll set up a bathtub scene for him and Lola, a kind of homage to Hitchcock. That should keep me going for a month.