Musical beds

The air conditioner was not working, when the game of musical beds began to the accompaniment of ceiling fans.
Big Bear said, “My bunk bed is too hot. I’m sleeping on the couch.” He flopped under the fan for the night.
Middle Bear said, “No draft, I can’t breathe,” and took a mattress from Big Bear’s bunk and crashed on the floor I our room under our fan.
Little Bear got scared and came to wake me up. I stepped over Middle bear and mattress as we went to Little Bear’s room to talk. When Little Bear calmed down, I said, “I’m going across the hall to Middle Bear’s bed. I will still be able to hear you,” I lied. As soon as I hit the bed, I was asleep.
That is, I was until Middle Bear, pillow in hand, standing silently in the doorway, woke me.
“Want your bed? I was only keeping Little Bear company.” Half awake I made my way down the hall, stumbled over the mattress on my floor before falling onto my own bed.
In the morning, my husband asked, “What time did you come to bed?”
“Ohh about 2 or 3 a.m. We were playing musical beds.”
Two nights later, the air conditioner was fixed. Middle Bear said, “I can’t sleep. Too much noise from the other bears and their friends. I’m sleeping in Big Bear’s bed.”
The next morning I found Little Bear was on a folding cot. Big Bear was in Middle Bear’s bed, the overnight company was on the couch and in Little Bear’s bed.
More than hot rooms and company initiate the game. One night I went to bed leaving the three bears watching TV. At 2 a.m. I woke up because the bathroom light was shining in my face.
Rubbing my eyes sleepily, I went through the house, turning it and other lights off. At Little Bear’s room, I stopped. That was a mighty big bear sleeping in that bed.
I checked Big Bear’s room. That was a mighty little bear sleeping in that bed. And Middle Bear was not in his bed, he was on the couch.
In the morning, I stopped Big Bear, “Why were you sleeping in Little Bear’s bed?”
“Because Little Bear had never slept in my bed and I had never slept in Little Bear’s bed.”
Only Goldilocks would have understood that or Little Bear’s solitary game of musical beds alternating between bed and floor. But, after I had purchased a new set of matching bedding and put it on the bed, I didn’t expect it. At bedtime, I folded the new covers back invitingly.
Little Bear looked at the bed, “I want to sleep on the floor.”
I made a major mental adjustment, wistfully took the pillow from the bed and spread a couple blankets on the carpet. Little Bear snuggled in and sighed happily, “Thanks.”
So why am I surprised that Little Bear’s bed, with its carefully arranged pillows and stuffed animals, is rarely slept in? Instead, Little Bear grabs a blanket from the linen closet and sleeps on top of the color coordinated sheets and guilt: So the bed won’t be messed up by someone sleeping in it. At least not until someone begins a game of musical beds.