Ik' mig ~ Not Me

I Ugleboet er der, eller rettere der var 6 ugleunger. Nu er de fleste voksne, men engang vrimlede det med ugleunger i Uglebo.
     Nogle gange føltes det som meget mere end 6 børn. Og nogle gange, når vi var på rejse, var jeg sikker på, at jeg havde efterladt et barn, og måtte tælle dem, nogle gange mere end én gang. Men jeg nåede altid til 6. Hverken mere eller mindre.
     Andre gange var jeg helt sikker på, at jeg havde et ekstra barn. Når jeg spurgte ugleungerne, hvem der havde glemt mælken på bordet, brugt alt toiletpapiret, hældt vand ud over det hele eller ladet fryseren stå åben, var de alle enige om, at det var Ik'mig, der var den skyldige.
     Jeg har aldrig mødt det barn. Ik'mig var aldrig til stede ved måltiderne, heller ikke når vi bad aftenbøn, eller når der skulle vaskes op eller luges. Kort sagt var det kun når der ikke var nogen forældre til stede, at Ik'mig sneg sig ind og lavede sine gale streger.
     Eftersom jeg aldrig så Ik'mig, vidste jeg jo heller ikke om Ik'mig nu var en dreng eller en pige. Men i forgårs var håndvasken på badeværelset overdrysset med de der små skægstubbe, der kommer, når nogen barberer sig. Skribenten har fuldskæg, så han var uskyldig. Næste morgen spurgte jeg alle de tre - mandlige - ugleunger, der stadig bor hjemme, og endnu en gang var de enige. Det var Ik'mig.
     Konklusionen? Ik'mig er en dreng!

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In the Owlery are, or was 6 Owlets. Now they're mostly grown, but once upon a time the Owlery was teeming.

Sometimes it felt like a lot more than 6 children. And sometime when travelling I was sure that I had left behind a child, and had to count them, sometimes more than once. But always I made it to 6. Not more, not less.

At other times, I was sure I had an extra child. Often when I asked the Owlets who left the milk on the table, used up all the toilet paper, poured water all over or left the freezer open they all agreed that Not Me was the guilty child.

I never met said child.Not Me was never present at meals, not even when we said grace, nor when the dishes were to be done or the weeds pulled. In short only when no parents were around did Not Me sneak in and do its business. I say "its" because until yesterday I did not know if Not Me were a boy or a girl. But the day before yesterday the bathroom sink was sprinkled with the small ends of beard left over from shaving. The Writer has a beard, so not guilty. Next morning I asked all of the three - male - Owlets still at home, and once again they agreed. It was Not Me. The conclusion? Not Me is a boy!