Copyright of Sindie, 1996

Some people might think I'm out of my mind, but I know what I'm aware of. Others don't seem to see many things I do -- that's not my concern at all. It excites me to actually see my fantasies come true. Oh, how I adore it all! So, here begins my story of how they came back again...

Darkness had fallen over the world once again, and night said its hello. Slowly creeping into my room, I shut the door quietly behind myself. Yawning, tired from the day, I sat on my bed -- it also seemed like a blessing. Laying my head down on the soft pillow and pulling the warm covers over myself, I was ready to fall into slumber.

After sleeping for some time, I heard a sound in my room.

"Be quiet, Monkey," said someone.

My eyes burst open -- open so wide. Someone was in my room! Peering around in the black nothingness, there was nothing to see. I reached for the nightlight beside my bed and turned it on. That second, my eyes came in contact with his. They had came back -- but just two.

"What are you doing back here?" I asked.

"Cyndi, I swear. It wasn't my fault! Please, it wasn't me -- it was the monkey's fault!"

"Oh, it's nobody's fault!" I exclaimed. "I'm happy you're back! I missed you so much, you silly parrot!"

It was only Iago and Abu after all. Talk about deja-vu!

"Why are you so happy to see me?" Iago asked me.

"Because I like you. Don't you know that?"

"Why do you say that? Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me because of how I am. I can't blame them."

"Please don't feel that way. Tell me everything. You know I will never hurt you. Come sit on my bed. You, too, Abu."

They came up to the top of my bed and sat down on each side of me.

"Cyndi, I'm amazed with how you can stand me. I can't even stand myself sometimes. You see, I know I'm greedy, temperamental, sarcastic, and a big mouth. I constantly complain to Aladdin and the others, and that's why they hate me. So, I ask you -- what should I do?"

"First of all, you're being way too hard on yourself. You know you have good qualities, too. You are smart. Being smart helps a lot. You can be brave when you overcome you fears. I know that because of your moments of heroism. You do care deep down -- that's what brought you here. Finally, when you're nice, you are nicer than many others I know."

"Do you really mean that? Oh, thank you!"

"You're welcome. Tomorrow I will go with you to Agrabah. Good night, you cutie."

Morning soon showed its face. I awoke to see the beautiful, bright light of the sun shining through my window. Next to me Iago and Abu were sleeping. My alarm clock read 8:43 a.m.

"Good morning," I whispered.

"Huh? Oh, that's right. I forgot I was here," Iago replied.

"So, um, how did you get here?" I asked.

"Well, we went down a dark alley in Agrabah and suddenly were in here. We came out from under your bed."

"My bed?! Well, should we give it a try?"

"Okay."

So, we we underneath my bed, but nothing happened. This was not good.

"It didn't work," I complained.

"Well, that's great! Just great!" Iago exclaimed sarcastically.

"Maybe it only works at night," I suggested.

We waited the whole day. It's amazing how long a day can seem when a person is anxious to do something. Boredom overtook my mind.

Finally, night came again. We went by the bed.

"Well, here it goes!" I replied.

I stuck my hand underneath my bed, and it went right through the floor! So, we all went through the floor and magically were transported into Agrabah! There was a secret passageway between my world and a cartoon world!

Once we had arrived, we were in the back of a deserted alley.

"Whoa, this is too weird," I replied.

"Maybe to you, but your world seems weird to us," said Iago.

"True."

As we walked through the marketplace, many merchants and townspeople stared at me. I obviously knew why -- I looked totally out of place in a cartoon world.

As we approached Aladdin's hovel, I began thinking about what to tell him.

"Wait right outside here," I told Iago. "I'm going to go in and talk to him."

So, I walked inside Aladdin's hovel. He looked shocked to see me.

"Cyndi?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Why do you come here?"

"Uh, Iago came to me and told me you hated him," I said.

"Hated him?!" Aladdin exclaimed. "But I don't hate him! I was just mad at him for being so, so...well, you know. He doesn't care about his friends like he should."

"I can't agree with you there," I began. "You see, Iago told me how upset he gets with himself."

I continued on for at least ten minutes about what Iago had told me.

"Wow," said Aladdin, "it truly amazes me how you can talk to him. I never knew any of that."

"Well, I believe everyone has some good in them. Besides, Iago isn't exactly the way he appears. He is so sweet when he acts nice."

"I guess I can relate to that," said Aladdin. "After all, he did become good instead of staying evil. Where is he anyway?"

"Right outside here. Come in, Iago!"

Iago peeked around the doorway and came toward us. He looked kind of timid.

"Aladdin, I'm so sorry!" he replied.

"It's okay. So am I."

They made up. I couldn't believe my eyes in a way, but it was ever so true. Those who live in a cartoon world have just as much love for each other as they do in my world.

"Um, I need to talk to Cyndi for a second," said Iago.

We went outside.

"What?" I asked.

"I've never known anyone like you," he began. "You almost seem like a blessing that was sent to me. You amaze me how much you really do care about others, even those like me. Never lose that quality; people will adore you for it."

Tears came pouring out of my eyes. They were tears of happiness.

"I'm so happy you are the way you are!" I exclaimed. "You truly amaze me, because you care more than most of us in hard times. You are so unique and unlike anyone I ever knew before. You will always be admired in my eyes!"

With that, we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. I made my way back to my world, in my room.

Here I end my story. Whether or not others reading this can understand my theme, I can only hope. It may seem silly to some that I once went to a cartoon world, but it was as pure and real as love.