Moody Park Magic - The Retro Jacket

     In a time that was much like the time we are in now but not quite, there lived a little boy and girl. They were brother and sister and while they got along most of the time, they didn't see eye to eye every minute of the day. Their names were Delilah and Kieran.

They lived in a big blue house on the corner of their street. They had a husky dog, a tabby cat and 4 guppy fish they helped their Mom and Dad take care of. 

It was a bright and sunny Fall morning, and the leaves were turning orange and red. The big elm tree outside Delilah's bedroom window was shedding it's giant yellow leaves, creating a carpet outside on the grass. Inside her room, Delilah was having a tough time. She had put on and taken off five different outfits and nothing was feeling or looking right to her. She started feeling sweaty and bothered. Hot tears sprang into into her eyes and Delilah threw another shirt across her room. She fell onto her bed and screamed into her pillow.

"Delilah, lets go!" Kieran shouted from the stairs. "We are going to be late for school."

Kieran heard another scream from upstairs as Delilah's bedroom door slammed shut.

"Mom, Delilah is having an alien brain invasion. She says she can't find anything to wear." Kieran told his Mother, who was standing impatiently next to the car outside.

At this, their Mother nodded knowingly and walked back inside the house and up the stairs. She calmly knocked on Delilah's bedroom door.

"Hi honey. Can I come in?" She asked.

Delilah's face was red and blotchy. Delilah sat on her bed wearing a big sweater, jeans, a skirt and one sock. She was holding a pink frilly dress in one hand and a black dance tutu in the other.

"I can't find anything to wear!!!!" Delilah screamed. "Everything feels scratchy or doesn't look right. I don't want to go to school!"

Delilah's Mom sat down next to her on the bed, putting her arms around her. Delilah took a deep breath into her Mom's shoulder.

"I know. Sometimes it seems just impossible to get dressed." Her Mom told her. "It happens to me all the time. Let's see if we can figure this out."

Delilah's Mom picked up a few pieces of clothes and put them back in the closet. She picked up a pair of black jeans and a white T shirt.

"Hey, do you know what?" She said. "I have an old jacket downstairs in a box that I think would look really cool with this outfit. Your Nanna brought over a big box of clothes a couple days ago. Stuff I wore when I was a kid. I think it would be totally perfect. I'll be right back!"

Delilah's face lit up. A jacket from the olden days?! She pictured something out of an old cowboy movie or an old dusty jean jacket with patches on the elbows.

When her Mom came back into her bedroom Delilah had dressed in the black jeans and white T shirt. She had wiped her face and smoothed her hair into a ponytail. Kieran had also bravely come upstairs to check on her. The bell was going to ring soon and they would be late.

When their Mom entered the bedroom she was holding a colourful looking bomber jacket. It was baby blue on the front with pink sleeves, a dark blue raised collar and purple triangle patterns along the chest. It wasn't at all what Delilah had been imagining. But it was retro!

"Cool!" Delilah shrieked. "Thanks Mom."

Delilah took the jack and was running down the stairs as she put it on. It fit like a glove. She grabbed her backpack and as she slid her feet into her shoes she yelled up the stairs.

"Come on you guys! What's the hold up? We are going to be late for school!"

Kieran and his Mom rolled their eyes.

At school that day, Delilah got so many compliments on her jacket. Her friends loved the colours and the way it fit her so snug and many teachers stopped her in the hallways. Mr Reed, the music teacher, gave her a thumbs up and said "Love to see you bringing back the Eighties Delilah". She wasn't totally sure what that meant but his smile and thumbs up gave her the impression that he liked it too. Delilah was happy that she had a cool new jacket that was getting attention and that it was her Mom's from when she was little. She felt like she was in a time machine!

After school they met some friends at Moody Park across the street. They often walked home with some other neighbourhood kids and if the weather was nice enough, the parents would have them let off some steam at the Park. There was a basketball hoop, a little water park, some swings, pingpong tables and a playground area. There was also a dog park and walking paths next to a huge field. In the Summer there was an outdoor pool too. Moody Park was the neighbourhood hang out for a lot of kids and families.

Delilah ran over to the swings, which were her favourite. She dropped her backpack next to her and started talking to her friends and swinging. Kieran played basketball with his friends. They stayed for about half an hour before heading home. 

When Delilah and Kieran got back home their Mom was making supper in the kitchen.

"How was your day?" She asked. "Delilah, did your friends like your new jacket?"

Delilah felt her skin prickle and her face go pale. The jacket! She wasn't wearing it. She had left it at Moody Park beside the swings by accident.

"Oh no!" She yelped. "Mom, I left the jacket at the park by mistake."

Delilah's Mom gave her a rather disappointed look. She picked up the phone and called their Dad, who was leaving work shortly. If it was still there, he would get the jacket from Moody Park on his way home that night.

About an hour later, as they were about to sit down for supper, their Dad came home. Super cool jacket in hand. 

"Delilah, this isn't just any jacket." Their Dad said, waiving it front of them." This is a time capsule. Don't lose it again, ok?" He looked over at their Mom. "Very radical jacket honey." They both laughed.

Delilah nodded and grabbed it, tucking it into her lap. She felt really badly that she had forgotten it. She resolved to keep better care of the jacket from then on.

That night, as Delilah was getting ready for bed, she tried the jacket back on and looked in the mirror. Something very strange happened then. Delilah remembered that the jacket was baby blue on the front but this  jacket was now dark blue. She thought the sleeves were pink but as she stood in the mirror the sleeves were now red, the triangles were maroon and the collar was dark green. This wasn't the same jacket! Her Dad must have taken someone else's.

Delilah took the jacket off and ran to find her parents. Her Dad was sitting in his office at his computer.

"Dad, this isn't Mom's old bomber jacket."She cried. "This one isn't the right colours! You brought the wrong one home."

Delilah tossed the jacket on the floor. Kieran and their Mom walked into the office at the same time. They looked at the jacket on the floor. 

"Delilah, it's exactly the same." Kieran exclaimed.

In fact, it was. It had changed back into the light blue, pink and purple it was before. Delilah picked it up and put it back on. 

In front of everyone's eyes the jacket changed colour again. Now it was orange on the front, hot pink triangles, yellow sleeves and a bright green collar.

"What in the world have you done to my old jacket?!" Their Mom shouted.

Delilah was so angry. She had not done anything! The jacket had a mind of it's own. Just then the jacket changed colours again right there in their Dad's office. The whole jacket turned bright red!

"Delilah, take a deep breathe." Said their Dad.

Delilah was angry but also bewildered, shocked, in awe, somewhat paralyzed and puzzled. She took a few deep breaths. The jacket started to turn colours again. In front of them all it turned bright green! 

"I think, somehow, your jacket is picking up on your mood." Their Dad exclaimed. "Quick, tell a joke!"

"What do you call cheese that doesn't belong to you?" Kieran shouted without a beat. "Nacho cheese!"

This was Delilah's favourite joke. She could never keep a straight face. Delilah giggled and the jacket changed again. It was pink, purple, red and yellow.

Everyone looked at Mom. She shrugged her shoulders and said. "Moody Park magic?"

The jacket was more than a time machine or a time capsule. It was also a totally far out retro mood jacket and a staple in Delilah's wardrobe from that day forward.