My body double

When I was ten years old, I used the hair from my American Girl doll to help create a life-like body double. As a kid, sometimes you've got to fake being in bed taking a nap when what you're really doing is spying on the neighbors next door. This is what I did.

I wanted to trick my mother and sister into thinking that I was in bed taking a snooze while I was up to some mischief. So I took one of my pillows and shoved it under the covers vertically, then wadded up a blanket and hid it under there to form the appearance of legs. I'm not the first kid to pull this trick. Most often what happens is the parent/sibling gets suspicious and looks for the rise and fall of breathing. When that doesn't happen, they rip off the covers to find the clever child has fooled them with nothing more than a pillow. So what you've got to do is sell the lie with realistic hair.

I had an American Girl Doll--Samantha--who had brown hair like me. She came in handy more than once. I would tuck her under the covers and pull some locks out onto the pillow. This is how I usually sleep--completely enveloped in the covers, body and face hidden from the cold. Nobody is going to rip the covers off of you when they very clearly see that your hair is on the pillow, because that obviously means that your head is under the covers and you are sleeping soundly. Or it just means you are as clever as me and happen to own a doll with your matching hair color.

 This little trick usually bought me about two or three extra hours. Nobody knew it wasn't me in that bed until 2pm rolled around and my Saturday chores still weren't done. Then the covers would get ripped off.

I was reminded of this little exploit because last week I was sleeping on the love seat in the living room for at least 45 minutes and neither of my roommates knew I was there, since I was completely wrapped up in a blanket. Eventually I startled Mandy when I woke up and stretched out of my curled up ball position. She about choked on the chili she was eating.

Not to make anyone paranoid or anything, but I usually hear a lot of interesting information from people when they think that I am in other locations. In reality I am just snuggled up in a blanket taking a nap, or planting tulips beneath your bedroom window, or trapped in a closet in your living room. I don't set out to overhear your conversations; it just happens.