The Little Genie In The Garden/Part 1

It was another fine morning in the Smurf Village. Polaris Psyche had just woken up early at dawn to do his morning prayer and meditations before breakfast, when he knew that things in the village would start to pick up. He wanted to make sure that he would not be disturbed when engaging in his private rituals to help him stay focused and remain in control of his emotions. The only thing he would wish for is his friend Empath Smurf to also engage in the meditations with him, but Polaris knew that Empath wasn't a believer in the Great Ancestors whose spirits are said to watch over those of the Psyches among the living. Also, for some reason, Empath does not seem to need meditation as much as Polaris did for control of his emotions, though Empath was more the encourager for expressing emotions among beings like his fellow Smurfs rather than suppressing them as Polaris and the Psyches are wont to do.

On his way to his private meditation place near the edge of the forest, Polaris saw one of the Smurflings leaving their playhouse. It was Sassette, who on this very day was dressed in her pink overalls and a white Smurf hat, and had her hair braided on the sides rather than her usual ponytail with a pink ribbon. "Morning, Polaris," Sassette greeted as he passed by.

"Salutations, fellow Sassette," Polaris greeted back. "It is unusual to see you awaken at this point in the morning and wearing different garments than what this one is accustomed to seeing you in."

"That's because I'm going to helping Farmer today out in the fields, Polaris," Sassette said. "You should try it sometime. He's not a bad Smurf for you to work with."

"This one will take your suggestion under consideration for future personal activities, Sassette," Polaris said.

"Gee, you must get bored smurfing around as the chief of security and finding nothing to do when every Smurf is acting so smurfily," Sassette said.

"This one does not have a need to seek for excitement as the Smurfs in this village engage in on a regular basis, Sassette," Polaris said. "This one is quite content with activities in the Smurf Village proceeding without any sort of disruptive activity that needs reporting."

"Oh, well...enjoy your day then," Sassette said as she headed off in the direction of Farmer's fields.

Polaris watched Sassette run off before he proceeded on toward his private meditation place near the forest. He was amazed by the sense he was feeling from the Smurfling that she saw working with Farmer on food production as a fun and exciting activity just like her normal playtime activities. In fact, he was amazed by sensing the same feeling in most of the adult Smurfs who engage in work activities other than those who simply produce artistic or experimental works, as if they are not bothered by the fact that their work activities simply serve the purpose of making the village operate efficiently. - Sometime later, after his prayer and meditations were finished, Polaris returned to the house he was staying in with Empath when he heard his friend singing a song from within the house. He opened the door and saw that Empath was enjoying a bath, with his bathtub so full of suds that Empath was covered up to his head in them.

"Salutations, fellow Polaris," Empath greeted. "How was your morning meditations?"

"It was quiet and peaceful, although on this one's way to where this one was engaging in the meditations, this one had briefly encountered Sassette as she was leaving her residence," Polaris said. "Her purpose for doing so was to work alongside Farmer Smurf in the fields, which this one sensed was a 'fun activity' for her to engage in."

"This smurf doesn't see any problem in Sassette wanting to work with Farmer if that's how she wants to spend her day, Polaris," Empath said. "This smurf only wishes that this smurf shared the same enthusiasm of doing the same work when this smurf first worked with Farmer."

"This one does not understand why there are Smurfs in the village who would see their constant participation in mundane maintenance activities as being what would you call 'fun', Empath," Polaris said.

"That's just how it is with some Smurfs who perform the daily routine activities around here, Polaris," Empath said. "It gives them a sense of purpose and some pleasure to know that they are working in activities that most other Smurfs take for granted, but are nonetheless essential for making the village run the way that it does. Some Smurfs would rather contribute their efforts to do anything that would keep other Smurfs happy about their home than just sit around and expect life to constantly nourish and entertain them without any involvement whatsoever. And if they find that what they do gives them enjoyment, then why should anyone ever need to complain about it?"

"This one can only wonder what her fellow Smurflings might say about her choice of a 'fun activity', given that they don't always share in the same activities together," Polaris said.

"This smurf wouldn't worry too much about what the other Smurflings would think of Sassette's job, Polaris," Empath said. "If they are happy for her doing what she thinks is fun, then this smurf would be pleased to know that they are. And if they think that gardening simply isn't their thing, then this smurf only hopes that they don't make too big of a deal out of it."

"This one senses that you're finishing your bath, Empath," Polaris said. "This one will face away from you and allow you to properly dry and clothe yourself."

Polaris turned away as Empath got out of the bathtub and grabbed a towel to dry himself off with before dressing himself in a bathrobe. "There's nothing like a nice hot relaxing bath to start off your day, Polaris," Empath said. "You should try it sometime and see how it feels."

"This one finds using the ability to cleanse oneself off by using this one's minds-eye to be properly sufficient without the need for disrobing, Empath," Polaris said.

"Afraid that some Smurf is going to catch you without your clothes on when you take a bath?" Empath jested.

"You should know by now how inappropriate it is for a Psyche to expose himself in front of other people, Empath," Polaris said.

"Well, you don't have to be so sensitive about it, Polaris," Empath said as he went upstairs into his bedroom to get his clothes on. He could sense that the comment only made Polaris feel a bit irritated. - Soon Empath and Polaris joined the other Smurfs at the breakfast table as the both of them sat next to Smurfette enjoying her breakfast.

"I wonder why Sassette hasn't been showing up for classes lately, Empath," Smurfette said as she ate a spoonful of her grapefruit.

"Polaris saw Sassette heading for Farmer's fields this morning, Smurfette," Empath said. "It's probably because she wants to spend her time working with him."

"I hope that there isn't a problem that Sassette's having with her fellow Smurflings," Smurfette said.

"On the contrary, Smurfette, this one has sensed that she enjoys her current occupation working with Farmer," Polaris said.

Smurfette groaned. "I was hoping that she would smurf after me in doing things like smurfing care of Baby Smurf or smurfing care of the village community beds...things that a proper lady Smurf should be smurfing."

"This smurf has sensed that you have engaged in the same work activities as your fellow male Smurfs without a problem, Smurfette," Empath said.

"That was before Baby Smurf came along, Empath," Smurfette said. "And I didn't exactly like the idea of smurfing heavy work like smurfing in the food from Farmer's fields. I could see that job being better smurfed for the boy Smurflings than I do for Sassette."

"You do not seem to appreciate Sassette wanting to engage in the same work activities that the male Smurfs normally engage in, Smurfette," Polaris said.

"Is there anything wrong with me wanting to teach Sassette how a lady Smurf should act in this village?" Smurfette asked, sounding defensive.

"No, of course not, Smurfette," Empath said. "But all the same, Sassette should have the right to engage in whatever work activities she sees fit and able to do regardless of how 'ladylike' it does not appear to be."

Smurfette snorted. "Well, I'm not going to be smurfed responsible if Sassette doesn't marry the Smurf of her dreams someday just because she's smurfing work that isn't what a proper lady Smurf should be smurfing."

"This smurf doesn't want to turn this into an argument, Smurfette, but it does seem like you're taking this 'proper lady Smurf' thing a little too seriously in regards to Sassette," Empath said.

Smurfette sighed, sounding like she's not getting through to Empath. "It's something that you'll never completely understand with Smurfettes, Empath. It's that we're better suited for the things in the village that male Smurfs know very little about, like how to be a good wife and a mother."

"This smurf admits that this smurf will never completely know the experience of what it's like to be a mother, Smurfette," Empath said. "But it doesn't make what the male Smurfs contribute to the functioning of a family to be any less important. If anything, this smurf would want to know what it's like to be the father of this smurf's own child."

"Well, part of that experience you'll have to wait for until we're married, Empath, if you know what I mean," Smurfette said with a wink and a smile.

"Oh, come on, Smurfette...that wasn't what this smurf was even thinking of doing with you at this moment," Empath said.

"But I'm still waiting for you to smurf to the breakfast table one of these mornings not wearing a shirt in front of me, Empath," Smurfette said.

"Uh-uh, Smurfette," Empath said, shaking his head while smiling. "You can gaze at this smurf not wearing a shirt when we're in private together, but this smurf is not going to make a public display of himself in that fashion."

"You don't want me and the other Smurfs to see how strong and handsome you are?" Smurfette said. "Well, you sure know how to lower a female Smurf's morale in this village."

"Then why don't you go gaze at Hefty, Tuffy, or Duncan if you want to see strong Smurfs without their shirts on for your own pleasure?" Empath asked.

"I already had that pleasure, Empath," Smurfette said. "It's you that I want to see in all your beauty with hardly any clothes on."

Polaris sighed. "This one is beginning to see that this conversation about Sassette is getting sidetracked into talking about private intimate matters, Empath," he said.

"This smurf apologizes, Polaris," Empath said. "It's just that this smurf wants to see Sassette happy doing the kind of work activity that pleases her without anyone making a big problem out of it." -