The universe as we know it has come to an end. Items have been emerging from a black hole. Kat is voluntarily cleaning her closet.

We have called Kat�s closet �the black hole� as long as Kat has known what a black hole is. Once you are told that something is in the black hole, Kat generally believes you should not expect it to come out. Day-Hay once went into the black hole to retrieve a scarf. When she finally found it and removed it, the scarf was fraying. �See,� she said. �It even spaghettifies things like a black hole.�

As Kat is cleaning, she is on a trip down memory lane. Amongst old lollipops and the clothes that have not fit for years are letters I wrote her at camp several summers ago, old toys, and some stories that she wrote. Because she is not filling the garbage bag very quickly, I fear a lot of the stuff will go right back where it came from�except, just maybe, more neatly.

Whatever caused the cleaning, we welcome it. We hope it continues because she is at the stage where the stuff is out of the closet and all over the floor of her room. We�re not sure if the cause of this cleaning frenzy is Mr. Philately�s promise to paint her room if she gets it cleaned up or whether it is The Boyfriend. (The Boyfriend is a brand new addition to the cast of characters here and is coming for the first time on Saturday. Kat�s gained a boyfriend and I�ve lost a telephone. Unfortunately, cleaning will not retrieve my telephone.)

But Kat need not worry that we will expect too much. Watching a packrat clean is like watching a dog in a tutu walk around on her hind legs. You applaud it being done while remaining uncomfortably aware that nature did not intend it to happen at all.

And yet, I can�t help hoping that if the black hole is tamed, the nest under the bed might be next�but then where will all those stuffed animals live?

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