My immediate response - "I NEED HIM!"
So began the plans for the hunt for Stitch. RAF boy is a massive Lego fan and his skills are immediately employed. A plan is drawn up. First, we shall head for the Lego store. It will be a difficult journey, comprising of public transport and many people meandering around the streets, moving at the speed of glaciers and stopping dead for no apparent reason. We need to prepare for this. Then we shall enter the Lego store, attack (squash) many packs of minifigures until Stitch is found. Go home triumphant.
STAGE ONE: We ensure we have relevant tickets for public transport, fill RAF boy full of sedatives to ensure he doesn't kill people for walking slowly or stopping dead in front of him, make sure we have a happy song to sing to keep us from getting frustrated, plan the quickest and easiest route to the store.
Public transport was easy peasy with us chatting happily as we traveled along. There were laughs and smiles, hugs and a little kiss (awwww) and the world was like a lovely Disney film. I was happy and completely sure that everything was going to be fine. Then we arrived in town and the walk began.
Suddenly it was like being in a zombie movie. People shuffling around, moaning and groaning. We were surrounded, they were trying to kill us by herding us into the road in front of oncoming traffic. They were attacking us with zombie babies in buggies, by ramming them into our heels. There was Mickey Mouse brandishing balloon swords at people. Let me just say, he will never brandish a balloon sword at me again. Perhaps it was me that needed the sedatives.
RAF boy, even though full of sedatives, is barely containing his rage at the slow zombies and ponders on whether it is a kindness to let them continue in such a state. We discuss this as we walk up the street and decide that everyone, even zombies, deserve to be allowed to continue as they are. It keeps us out of trouble and no, pushing them up or down the escalators is not an acceptable, helpful nor sociable thing to do.
STAGE TWO: The Lego shop! We arrive and RAF boy warms up his fingers. First we must get past the overly cheerful greeter. Done. Second, locate the minifigures. Done. Third, proceed with the squashing of many bags to attempt to find Stitch. At first, I feel a bit cheeky, especially as the assistants are watching us, but I soon get into it. I start squashing. Um....round thing. "That's the head Red" says RAF boy whilst he squashes a bag. I'm struggling. I don't know what Lego heads and ears and legs feel like! Suddenly RAF boy makes a sound of triumph. He's eagerly squashing a bag and getting me to feel. Yup, feels like lumps of plastic. He is 99% certain that he has found Stitch. He swaggers over to the till and pays for it and then, with a big grin, hands it over to me. The boy's done good and I'm bouncing with excitement.
All the excitement has left me parched so we go for a cup of tea, coffee and cake and I excitedly start tearing at the pack, trying to release Stitch. Unfortunately for me, the pack is being a sod and won't open. RAF boy grins at me as I argue with the wrapping and gently takes it out of my hands and with one smooth movement, opens it. How does he do that?
He hands it back to me and I open it and I find.......
Mickey Mouse. I was a little bit disappointed but still happy, I have a Disney MiniFigure. RAF boy, however, was not happy. So sure was he of his skill and ability that to discover he had found the mouse did not make him happy.
We considered going back to try again but after all the excitement we decided not to. We made the decision to come back another day.
Second attempt.
So, following the previous battle plan but this time, ensuring that we had both taken enough sedatives to take down an elephant, we go back to the Lego shop. We again begin squashing the bags and trying to find Stitch. I'm trying really hard to work out what I have in each bag. I find, we think, two ducks and a couple of minifigures from the Invincibles. Then, I get excited. "I think I've found Buzz" I exclaim. RAF boy had previously said that he would like Buzz. He takes the pack out of my hand and squashes it, then, with an impressed grin, nods in agreement. We place it to the side and continue squashing bags. "Found him!" declares RAF boy. He takes longer, really squashing the bag, picturing what he's feeling and nods. "I'm 80% certain this is Stitch" he says. We replace the other bags and I skip up to the till with the two bags. Again, we go for a drink and cake and open our packets. RAF boy opens his first and finds.....
Yay me! I got it right and worked out that I had indeed found Buzz. Now my turn. RAF boy is feeling nervous. He's sure it's Stitch but after last time. It looks like he's almost contemplating praying that it's Stitch. He opens the pack for me and excitedly I look in and I find.......
At this point, I cannot repeat what RAF boy said other than the air turned blue and my hair curled and greyed somewhat. I was happy. Now Mickey has his partner so he's not going to feel lonely.
RAF boy finishes his coffee and gets up. "Come on Red, we're going to find Stitch if it's the last thing I do". Back to the store we trudge. The assistant looks at us and smiles. "Didn't find it, eh?" I grin back though RAF boy looks like he's about to stuff Lego bricks up the assistants nose for stating the obvious. We begin squashing packs. We find more mice, more ducks, more invincibles, the Toy Story aliens and suddenly.....I feel a massive head and tiny legs. Could it be? My pulse quickens. Yes, there's a round head, massive ears, no beak or long nose. I hand it over to RAF boy. He takes it and starts squashing. Minutes tick by. I'm holding my breath. "Yes, I think it is. There's the wee knick in his ear, his head is big and round, there's little legs. Yes, I think you've found him Red" he grins. I grab the pack and run up to the till. The assistant grins at me. "Be back in five will you?" he smirks. I resist shoving bricks into face and just smile sweetly back, though it might have been slightly menacing as he suddenly paled and hurriedly handed over the minifigure. We dashed outside the store and sat on the bench directly outside. RAF boy, again opened the pack for me but went to take a peek! One swift slap on his hands and he thought better of it. I opened the pack and peered in. RAF boy held his breath. My face dropped and a little moan escaped my lips. RAF boy rolled his eyes and again the air turned blue. I pulled out the minifigure for him to see, with sadness in my eyes.
STITCH! WE FOUND STITCH! I got a light hearted slap off RAF boy for scaring him like that. He had been preparing to go back into the store. Finally, I had Stitch. I practically skipped all the way home.
It took us a couple of attempts but together we did it. Please be aware and take comfort that no zombies or assistants were hurt during the Hunt for Stitch.
Now though, the burning question, should we attempt to complete the minifigure family? RAF boy's face drops at the thought. I'm not sure I can guarantee the safety of the zombies from either of us. Perhaps we'll just stick with our little minifigure family.
