Love is Blind
 By Susan Wagoner
 
Elmo has lost his eyesight.
I know. It's shocking, but really, I'm surprised his eyes lasted as
long as they did. You see, Elmo is my sweet little Kellie's best friend. He has endured baths in the toilet, tuffman competitions, more
launderings than any item of clothing ever made and violent hugs. I've always given special names to Kellie's many Elmoes. There's Indestructiblelmo (who's still going strong), Kelmo, Sparemo,
then there's Nicotine Patch Elmo who wears a red band-aid on his arm in
sympathy for me who wore nicotine patches a few months ago.
We have Arnold Schwarzenelmo the gigantic Elmo on stelmoroids. Then
there are the triplets: ElMoe, ElLarry and ElCurly, and we can't forget
the little one, Elmini.
(Not to mention the Elmo that stays at Mimi's and Papa's house ...
forever getting a haircut when Kellie gets one. He's Hairmo, of
course.)
I know there's one that hasn't been seen in months ... Wheremo. But back to my story. Elmo lost his eyeballs a few weeks ago. Those amazing plastic eyes that crack skulls, but never seem to crack themselves. First the little piece of plastic joining the left and right eyes broke. I lovingly called him Wall-eyed Elmo. Then came the day the left eye fell off, introducing Cyclops Elmo. Kellie giggled and giggled when his eye was gone. "Elmo bwoke," she said, in her special way. And laughed, hugging Elmo
and carting him around by his one good eye.
He suddenly became her favorite. She carried him everywhere we went,
hugging and laughing all the while.
Finally, the day we knew would come ... did.
Elmo lost his remaining eye.
Now there are only the indentions where eyes used to be.
"Elmo headache," Kellie said. And laughed.
If possible, he became more loved by her.
And I had to think of a new name.
Now Kellie and ... Braillelmo are inseparable.
I no longer have bruises from his eyeballs when she launches him across
the room and somehow the whole thing makes me smile.
Of all the Elmoes Kellie calls her own, she loves on the one with
special needs.
I love her.