Playroom Cleanup
The afternoon light filtered through the living room windows, casting long shadows across the floor. Mitchell's playpen sat near the couch, a contained world of colorful blocks and scattered toys. Nearby, the playroom told a different story—a landscape of destruction that seemed impossible for a two-year-old to have created.
Mitchell's caretaker's father stepped into the room, his eyes sweeping across the chaos. Crayon marks decorated the carpet like abstract art. Blocks were scattered as if a small tornado had swept through. A toppled juice cup left a spreading stain on the carpet.
"What happened here?" he asked, voice a mixture of concern and disbelief.
The caretaker looked up from the couch, football game playing softly in the background. "Don't worry," he said casually. "It'll get cleaned up. My little brother made this mess earlier."
A moment of silence hung in the air. Then, unexpectedly, "Mitchell will clean it up."
Mitchell was lifted from the playpen, his pampers already showing signs of a substantial load. His small hands were placed on a block, then another. The cleanup seemed more like a performance than actual cleaning—a two-year-old's attempt at following instructions.
His face scrunched with concentration. Each movement caused his loaded pampers to shift, the mess inside spreading with every awkward motion. A block here. A toy there. Mitchell worked with the determination of someone much older, though his efforts seemed more about moving things around than actual cleaning.
Midway through the "cleanup", Mitchell's concentration broke. A deep push. A loud, unmistakable fart. His pampers ballooned further, filling with a fresh load. The mess inside spread, warm and heavy.
His caretaker watched, saying nothing. The football game continued in the background, a distant soundtrack to Mitchell's cleaning adventure.
Finally, Mitchell finished his task. His pampers now completely loaded, sagging with the weight of multiple deposits, he was carried to bed. The playroom remained only marginally less chaotic than before.
Another day in Mitchell's world of compliance, mess, and unexpected adventures.