Yesterday I had some wonderful news which involves Harvey and Mr XL. Remember Mr XL? He is my lovely neighbour in the office building who got sucked in by Harvey the gambling rabbit. Harvey had played the poor little rabbit card to get Mr XL to canvas votes for him to get into the finals for the Super Dede Competition 2012. Mr XL did a fantastic job and secured a place for Harvey in the competition. The entire story is too long to recap now, but here is the link. Needless to say, Mr XL and Harvey forged a strong bond as a result.

On Sunday, just as we were about to start the puppet workshop Mr XL walked into the Gallery and Harvey, who has a place somewhere in the back spotted him immediately and waved him over. I couldn’t really pay much attention to what they were up to and by the time the workshop had finished Mr XL was gone. Harvey, being a gambler, didn’t say a thing.

Anyway, the next morning I stopped by Mr XL’s office for a neighbourly chat. I was curious about the latest gossip from the Dedes. You know, the kind of things they would only tell a stranger but not me, because it is too close to home.

“Harvey and I” Mr XL said “came up with a cunning plan and he left it up to me to talk to you about it.”

I rolled my eyes and thought, what’s that gambler up to now?

Mr XL explained that he would have liked to buy Harvey for his granddaughter, but Harvey was seriously taken aback. He is worried that he will be ill-treated and his ears ripped off. So he wasn’t too keen to go with Mr XL. “Don’t listen to him” I said, quite angry “there is no way someone could rip his ears off. He is rock solid. He is just trying to make you feel bad.”

“Ah,” Mr XL said. “Don’t worry, he couldn’t fool me. I sensed he really wants to stay with his chums. But of course there is no way he would admit how much he depends on his friends. Instead, he used the excuse that he is an artwork, not a toy, and that he will increase in value if treated well.”

“Of course he would say that. He is a gambler, always betting on the future.”

“Yes,” Mr XL said. “But it made me think. If I buy him, he will be written out of the story and therefore his value won’t increase as much as if he stays!”

“Right, but he will always be a Dede and we wont forget him.” Particularly after his stunt last year, I thought.

“Hear me out” Mr XL said. “What do you think about some sort of sponsorship? I buy him now, but I leave him with you and he can continue living with his friends and being in the story.”

I had to sit down. What a generous offer! “How can I say no!” I said “I will throw a mug with his picture from the zazzle store into the deal.” Good thing Harvey wasn’t around. Can you believe what Mr XL said then? “Deal… but on my mug I want to have Snippedy the clown, not Harvey.”