Cindy and the Poop Problem

by Sarah Matanah

Cindy had to poop really badly. She ran up the stairs to the bathroom and knocked on the door. “Hey can I come in? It’s an emergency!”

“Oh, Cindy,” Daddy called through the door, “not right now. The toilet’s overflowing. I’m plunging like crazy here, but it’s not getting any better. Can you go next door to LaTanya’s house?”

On the way out the door Cindy slammed right into Papa, who was coming in with a bag of donuts. “Cindy! Where are you going? Do you want a donut?”

“Not right now. Gotta go.” She pushed past him and ran next door. LaTanya’s doorbell was shaped like a frog. It glowed red every time Cindy pushed on it.

“Cindy, what is it? You don’t have to ring over and over—once will do.” LaTanya said. She sounded mad.

Cindy tried to make her voice come out normally. It was hard when she was trying to keep her poop in. “Can I use your toilet? Ours is broken.”

“Oh,” LaTanya said, sounding nicer now. “You could, of course, but I just finished painting it pink. I don’t think anyone should sit down on it for a couple hours. Why don’t you try Jilly and Nathan’s house?”

This time Cindy only rang the bell once, but then she had to sit on the stoop with her legs crossed and her arms around her legs.

“Hi Cindy,” Nathan said, “What’s up?”

Jilly came up behind him. “Cidy, come see fish?”

“Can I use your toilet?” Cindy asked. “Ours is broken.”

“Our bathroom is your bathroom, but our fish tank just sprung a leak, and we’ve put the fish in the toilet until we get it fixed. Can you go...”

“No,” Cindy said. Her voice came out sounding strangled. Then she had an idea. “Maybe I can borrow a diaper? Now?”

“Sure,” Nathan said, smiling. He handed her one of Jilly’s diapers and gestured to the bathroom. Just outside the door Cindy could hear Jilly saying, “I give Cidy diaper. Right, Daddy?”

She took down her pants and spread the diaper on the floor so she could sit on it. She couldn’t get the tabs around her body.

She still had to poop, but it was hard; she hadn’t used a diaper for a long time. She wasn’t sure what to do with the diaper when she was done. Finally she just put it in the trash.

When she got home, Papa, Daddy, and her brother, Todd, were in the kitchen eating donuts.

“We saved a jelly one for you,” Papa said.

“Thanks,” Cindy said. “Oh, I forgot to wash my hands.”

“Can you go wash them next door?” Daddy asked. “I had to turn off all the water until we can get the toilet fixed.”