A Hero's Cape

G.I. Joes, Operation, a sword, and a Walkie Talkie lay abandoned amidst the mounds of crumpled wrapping paper, twinkling with the reflection of the Christmas tree lights. Even the sweet scent of baking cinnamon rolls couldn’t divert Brandon’s attention from the Superman cape he opened in his last present. Had she known how difficult it would be to get the red cape off of his back for even a washing, his mother may have rethought the gift. But as his eyes shined with delight, she gave in to his begging and smoothed the soft felt cape around his narrow shoulders, still covered in Snoopy pajamas.
Her little superhero and his cape built forts, set up traps to trip his older brother, and even tied his best friend to a yellow, Big Bird chair trying to find out enemy secrets. One day, while washing the front window, his mother heard an ear-splitting scream followed immediately by a chubby little girl, with her roly-poly legs bouncing her across the window. Her Barbie backpack pounded against her back and her blonde pigtails did jumping jacks as she sprinted from the unidentified chaser.
It didn’t take long for the telling cape to make its appearance in hot pursuit of today’s enemy. As she looked closer, in his out-stretched arm she saw the silver glint of his plastic knife. Knowing the little girl would have seen this as a real threat, she threw down the soapy rag and stormed outside, screaming for superman to stop.
Chin lowered, he shuffled his way back to his mother’s side, while being chastised for chasing the innocent little girl. “But mom,” he stammered, as big droplets of tears formed in the corners of his chocolate eyes, “Yesterday, she cried as she passed the neighbor’s house because of the barking dog, so I followed her today to protect her.” Sometimes, even heroes in a cape are misunderstood.