Tangled Yarns: Sleepytime Freezers

They both look like Mr. Gromley!" said Ralph. "Isn't that funny!" It was true. Both men had the same thin face, the same mop of black hair, and the same grey eyes.

"Probably his brothers," said Mum.

With this new purchase of Sleepytime Freezers, there was an extra booklet, labelled "Suggested Uses Of The Sleepytime Freezer", so Mum sat on the couch, while the dog dragged the rug about, and little sister tried to eat the cat's food out of the fridge. Ralph sat beside his mother and read over her shoulder.

"Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of six Sleepytime Freezers! The following is an important notice to help you decide what you may like to use the Freezer for:

1. Put that nuisance pet to sleep for a week, or two weeks, while you go on holiday. You may even want to preserve all your pets for a whole year. Just use the dial and set the required time.

2. Do you have a teenager with problems? Just leave them in the Freezer for a few years, and wake them up when a counsellor has been found who has time to sort your teenager out! When they wake, they will still seem to be the same age, but by then you will probably have plenty of answers ready to help them work things out. They'll thank you for it!

3. Are your children too much for you? Just put them to sleep until you have time to feed them or whatever the problem is.

4. Are you struggling to make ends meet? Just put you and your family to sleep until the next pay day. There's no need to eat when you sleep!

5. And what about that disease which needs a medical break-through? Just sleep until the cure is discovered!

6. Is your spouse several years older than you? Just set the dial and let him or her sleep until you catch up.

7. The Sleepytime Freezers come in many sizes. There are Freezers for whole families, or animals as large as an elephant, or as small as a mouse. Let your imagination go wild! The Sleepytime Freezer is the greatest invention since the wheel.

8. Are you the president or leader of a large country? The Sleepytime Freezer can help even here! Just put any citizens you don't want to sleep until you can deal with them. More effective than prison! More economical too!