He was eccentric and always wore a colorful patchwork top hat and a long cape that trailed along the floor behind him. Yet worst of all was how everyone seemed to love him.

      Meri simply could not agree, he would disrupt businesses, stop people in the street, and say the strangest thing. He even would attempt to speak with her, interrupt her routine. 

She did this every day, and she liked it. Sometimes she had to add things or take things out but she always kept as close as she could to the routine. It was calming, always knowing what to do, what was coming next, it was simple. 

 That was until Thistle came to town. Thistle was a small elf, he was less than half her size if Meri had to guess. Yet what he lacked in height, he made up for in the trouble he brought. He was eccentric and always wore a colorful patchwork top hat and a long cape that trailed along the floor behind him. Yet worst of all was how everyone seemed to love him.

      Meri simply could not agree, he would disrupt businesses, stop people in the street, and say the strangest thing. He even would attempt to speak with her, interrupt her routine. 

      One day, when Meri arrived for her ballet rehearsal, Thistle was there. He was talking with her ballet’s director who was nodding along to whatever he was saying. Meri decided to ignore him, assuming he was talking to her about tickets to the show. She began putting on her ballet shoes and tying the ribbon into a beautiful bow. 

      Once Meri had finished with her shoes, Thistle and the director approached her. 

      “Meri! Have you met Thistle yet?” the director asked.

      “I have,” she replied with a small grimace, “What is he doing here?”

      “Well a little known fact about lil’ ol’ me is that I love ballet! I love all the arts in fact! So I thought it’d be pretty neat if the local chorus performed some songs for you to dance with at your recital!” Thistle explained.

     One day, when Meri arrived for her ballet rehearsal, Thistle was there. He was talking with her ballet’s director who was nodding along to whatever he was saying. Meri decided to ignore him, assuming he was talking to her about tickets to the show. She began putting on her ballet shoes and tying the ribbon into a beautiful bow. 

      Once Meri had finished with her shoes, Thistle and the director approached her. 

     One day, when Meri arrived for her ballet rehearsal, Thistle was there. He was talking with her ballet’s director who was nodding along to whatever he was saying.

Meri decided to ignore him, assuming he was talking to her about tickets to the show. She began putting on her ballet shoes and tying the ribbon into a beautiful bow. 

      Once Meri had finished with her shoes, Thistle and the director approached her. 

      “Meri! Have you met Thistle yet?” the director asked.

      “I have,” she replied with a small grimace, “What is he doing here?”

      “Well a little known fact about lil’ ol’ me is that I love ballet! I love all the arts in fact! So I thought it’d be pretty neat if the local chorus performed some songs for you to dance with at your recital!” Thistle explained.

      “All our dances are to instrumental pieces though,” Meri said, confusion washing over her.

      “Well we were thinking of adding one or two more, and I know you would do wonderful in one of them,” The director responded with a smile.    

      For just a second, Meri was frozen. Learning another dance would take time, a lot of it. It would push her schedule later in the day, it might even take things off the schedule. It might even alter the whole course of her day. 

      “Meri?” The director said, trying to get her attention. 

      Meri shook her head, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”  

      “Of course it is!” Thistle interrupted with a broad grin, “The more in the show the better, right mrs. director?”

      The director sighed, “That’s not my name Thistle, but yes the more in the show the better. So, what do you say?”

      Meri took a second to think, the decision weighing on her chest like a boulder, “Can I give you my answer tomorrow?” she asked.

      “Of course, just let me know so we can start getting things prepared, alright?”  the director smiled. 

      After rehearsal Meri could barely eat, or read. Thoughts kept swimming in her head about the director’s proposal. If she accepted, she would have to rearrange her schedule, her routine. The idea of that made her nauseous. Yet another dance sounded fun, an added challenge to her day. 

      Meri put her head in her hands, as she lost herself in an anxious spiral. She took quick shallow breaths. After a few minutes, she slowed her breathing, and rubbed her eyes. She made up her mind. 

      “Meri! Have you met Thistle yet?” the director asked.

      “I have,” she replied with a small grimace, “What is he doing here?”

      “Well a little known fact about lil’ ol’ me is that I love ballet! I love all the arts in fact! So I thought it’d be pretty neat if the local chorus performed some songs for you to dance with at your recital!” Thistle explained.

      “All our dances are to instrumental pieces though,” Meri said, confusion washing over her.

      “Well we were thinking of adding one or two more, and I know you would do wonderful in one of them,” The director responded with a smile.    

      For just a second, Meri was frozen. Learning another dance would take time, a lot of it. It would push her schedule later in the day, it might even take things off the schedule. It might even alter the whole course of her day. 

      “Meri?” The director said, trying to get her attention. 

      Meri shook her head, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”  

      “Of course it is!” Thistle interrupted with a broad grin, “The more in the show the better, right mrs. director?”

      The director sighed, “That’s not my name Thistle, but yes the more in the show the better. So, what do you say?”

      Meri took a second to think, the decision weighing on her chest like a boulder, “Can I give you my answer tomorrow?” she asked.

      “Of course, just let me know so we can start getting things prepared, alright?”  the director smiled. 

      After rehearsal Meri could barely eat, or read. Thoughts kept swimming in her head about the director’s proposal. If she accepted, she would have to rearrange her schedule, her routine. The idea of that made her nauseous. Yet another dance sounded fun, an added challenge to her day. 

      Meri put her head in her hands, as she lost herself in an anxious spiral. She took quick shallow breaths. After a few minutes, she slowed her breathing, and rubbed her eyes. She made up her mind. 

      “All our dances are to instrumental pieces though,” Meri said, confusion washing over her.

      “Well we were thinking of adding one or two more, and I know you would do wonderful in one of them,” The director responded with a smile.    

      For just a second, Meri was frozen. Learning another dance would take time, a lot of it. It would push her schedule later in the day, it might even take things off the schedule. It might even alter the whole course of her day. 

      “Meri?” The director said, trying to get her attention. 

      Meri shook her head, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”  

      “Of course it is!” Thistle interrupted with a broad grin, “The more in the show the better, right mrs. director?”

      The director sighed, “That’s not my name Thistle, but yes the more in the show the better. So, what do you say?”

      Meri took a second to think, the decision weighing on her chest like a boulder, “Can I give you my answer tomorrow?” she asked.

      “Of course, just let me know so we can start getting things prepared, alright?”  the director smiled. 

      After rehearsal Meri could barely eat, or read. Thoughts kept swimming in her head about the director’s proposal. If she accepted, she would have to rearrange her schedule, her routine. The idea of that made her nauseous. Yet another dance sounded fun, an added challenge to her day. 

      Meri put her head in her hands, as she lost herself in an anxious spiral. She took quick shallow breaths. After a few minutes, she slowed her breathing, and rubbed her eyes. She made up her mind. 

a voice called, Meri turned to see who it was. And there stood Thistle.

      “That’s not my name,” Meri sighed. “I’m doing.. Surprisingly well.”   

      “Great to hear Meri Beri!” Thistle grinned, “So what’d you decide about the new performances?”

      “I decided,” Meri took a breath, convincing herself to continue, “I decided I would do the routine.” 

      Thistle’s grin grew “That’s amazing! I knew you’d be good for this!”

      Meri let out a small laugh, “You did?”

     “Course Meri Beri! I could tell from the moment we met you were talented and had the skill to take on even more!”

      “That’s.. Kind of you to say, thank you, Thistle,” Meri smiled. Maybe she thought, maybe I can change the routine more often than I thought. 

“I decided,” Meri took a breath, convincing herself to continue, “I decided I would do the routine.” 

      Thistle’s grin grew “That’s amazing! I knew you’d be good for this!”

      Meri let out a small laugh, “You did?”

      “Course Meri Beri! I could tell from the moment we met you were talented and had the skill to take on even more!”

      “That’s.. Kind of you to say, thank you, Thistle,” Meri smiled. Maybe she thought, maybe I can change the routine more often than I thought. 

      And so, Meri spoke with the director, agreeing to dance for one of the new pieces. She did have to change her schedule, her routine, and learning the new dance was hard work. She had to change what time she woke up at, it was hard to get up early but soon Meri found she liked being able to see the sunrise. She then had to change what time she ate at, and read as she was about to go to sleep. At first it was a hard change, but then as she got used to it, she found she liked her new routine. Though the new dance added more for Meri to do, when the curtain lifted off the stage on that fateful night, she couldn’t be more excited to dance for her audience.

      “Course Meri Beri! I could tell from the moment we met you were talented and had the skill to take on even more!”

      “That’s.. Kind of you to say, thank you, Thistle,” Meri smiled. Maybe she thought, maybe I can change the routine more often than I thought. 

      And so, Meri spoke with the director, agreeing to dance for one of the new pieces. She did have to change her schedule, her routine, and learning the new dance was hard work. She had to change what time she woke up at, it was hard to get up early but soon Meri found she liked being able to see the sunrise. 

      And so, Meri spoke with the director, agreeing to dance for one of the new pieces. She did have to change her schedule, her routine, and learning the new dance was hard work. 

The End

She then had to change what time she ate at, and read as she was about to go to sleep. At first it was a hard change, but then as she got used to it, she found she liked her new routine. Though the new dance added more for Meri to do, when the curtain lifted off the stage on that fateful night, she couldn’t be more excited to dance for her audience.

The End

She had to change what time she woke up at, it was hard to get up early but soon Meri found she liked being able to see the sunrise. She then had to change what time she ate at, and read as she was about to go to sleep. At first it was a hard change, but then as she got used to it, she found she liked her new routine. Though the new dance added more for Meri to do, when the curtain lifted off the stage on that fateful night, she couldn’t be more excited to dance for her audience.

The End