A Miniature Problem

Chapter One

Summary: Matt and Melina decide to shrink Lizzie and five others to only 3 inches in height.

“Hey dad?” Matt says, walking in. “I was wondering if I could have some money?”

Mr. McGuire doesn’t look up from the TV, “What do you need it for son?”

“Oh,” Matt continues, “I figured that since Christmas is coming up in three weeks, I should get Lizzie a present. So……could I have the money?”

“Well what do you want to get her?”

“A dollhouse.”

“Lizzie still plays with dollhouses? I didn’t know that.” Sam says, “Maybe your mother and I should look at some after she gets back from the Out-of-State-Conference.”

“No! I mean……I don’t think you need to do that, dad. Just don’t mention this to mom at all. I’ll take care of the present. So, can I have some money?”

“How much? And hurry up. The ‘International Gnome Competition’ is coming on soon!”

“$500.”

“Fine, son, in a minute.”

“Hello? Melina?” Matt says into the phone.

“Matt?”

“I got the cash. We can commence on the operation by 1420. My sister is staying late after school to talk to her teacher, so she won’t be here until 1600.”

“Who’s her homeroom teacher again?”

“The 11th grade homeroom teacher for Lizzie McGuire is……” Matt picks up a notebook and flips through it, “a Miss Trinkaus.”

“Trinkaus?! That lady’s a witch!”

“Oh well. We don’t have her.”

“Did you get the tool from Mr. Klic, Matt?”

“Affirmative.”

Theme Song Comes On

“So, Gordo, can you help me with that building we’re supposed to make in Tech Ed?” I ask.

“Sorry, Lizzie, but I’m gonna be busy after school. My dad is going to psychoanalyze me.”

“Why?” Miranda asks.

“Remember that time when I chased Matt around the school with ketchup?”

Miranda and I make faces and Gordo continues, “Henceforth, my father is going to interrogate me as to why I did that to such an ‘innocent creature’.”

“Good luck.” I say.

“Thanks.” Gordo goes to his locker, leaving me and Miranda by ourselves.

“Well, I’ve got to go home.” Miranda says.

“Yeah, and I have to talk with Miss Trinkaus.”

“I feel sorry for you.” Miranda runs out the door.

“Sir, do you have any Georgian Dollhouses?” Matt asks the man at the counter.

“Sure, just wait a sec, I’ll be right back.” He says.

“Georgian?! I thought we were getting them a Victorian!” Melina whispers harshly.

“No! We’re getting them a Georgian!” Matt objects quite loudly.

“Victorian!”

“Georgian!”

“Well, which is it going to be? Victorian or Georgian?” The Salesman asked.

“I think my sister would prefer a Georgian dollhouse, please, sir. I mean, after all……I am her brother—so I would know best.” Matt says, glancing at Melina.

“Yes, I suppose you would. So, follow me over here and I show you our Georgian dollhouses.” Melina and Matt follow the salesman over to the dollhouses. “As you can see, we have six different Georgians. This one ($299) has seven different rooms. You can tell us how you want the rooms decorated, and we’ll decorate them for an extra $20. The second dollhouse costs $415. It has 21 rooms and three floors. This one on the first floor is meant to be a ballroom,” he pointed to a room that took up a third of the humongous first floor, “The third dollhouse is—”

“I think we’ll get the second one.” Melina cuts in.

“But I want the third one!” Matt whines.

“Since when did you want a dollhouse?” Melina growls.

“We’ll get the second one.” Matt says hastily.

“I’ll go calculate the price.” The man says.

“And we would like the rooms decorated!” Melina shouts after him.

“Lizzie would have preferred the third one.” Matt says.

“Well Lizzie’s not going to be the only one living in it!”

The man returns and says, “With tax and the cost of decorating the rooms it is……$459.90 in all. How do you want the rooms decorated?”

“We would like six bedrooms please. Three girls & three guys. The girls will be: pink, purple, and red. The guys will be: green, blue, and orange. We would like a Georgian style everything. The other 14 rooms will include: a kitchen, dining room, library, ballroom, conservatory, parlor, front hall, three bathrooms (two upstairs and one downstairs), a card room, an attic (on the third floor) and a……pantry.” Matt finishes reading off of his notebook.

“OK, I’ve got it all. We have no other dollhouse orders so your dollhouse will be ready by tomorrow at 1:00 PM. You can pay us then.”

“Can I pay you ahead of time?” Matt asks.

“Sure, but why?”

“I’m afraid I’ll lose my money. I mean, you know how we 9th graders are.”

The man nods as Matt hands him the $500 bill. “I’ll go get your change.”

Two minutes later, the man returns. “Here’s $40.10 change. Have a nice day.”

“I thank you sir!” Matt bows elegantly and saunters out of the store.

I walk out of Ms. Trinkaus’ room feeling very depressed wishing the entire world would swallow me up because of this one woman who thinks she has the most beautiful rash on her chest that anyone has ever seen, and therefore, she must show it to everyone.

Animated Lizzie

“I really don’t need to know about my teachers’ health problems!” She puts a thermometer in an apple and continues, “I have enough of my own!”

Normal Lizzie

I walk out of the High School and start the journey home.

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A/N:

Ms. Trinkaus is based on a real person who my older sister actually knows. Everything Trinkaus does in this story, she actually does in real life. Anyways, please R&R!!!