Timmy was born three minutes before Tammy, and he took every opportunity to remind her of this. �I'm the oldest, that's why.� He was telling his sister, �You have to do what I say.� �Nu-uh!� she replied loudly, and stuck out her tongue playfully at her brother who was standing precariously on the edge of a big wooden crate with his hands on his waist. �I'm king of the hill.� he proclaimed. �Not for long!� Tammy said as she started climbing the trash heap to get to where Timmy was. Just then she heard a �whoops!� and then Timmy was gone! He had fallen from the crate and was rolling down the trash heap on the other side. �Timmy?� Tammy called after him, �Are you okay?� A muffled response was all she heard. When she topped the heap she saw why. Timmy was stuck head-first in a huge truck tire! He looked funny with his feet kicking in the air, so she couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. �Get me out of here!� Timmy was yelling from inside the tire. �Okay, Okay! Just one minute.� Tammy said while laughing. She pulled his feet until they both toppled over and Timmy fell out of the big tire. After she made sure he was really okay, Tammy playfully mussed his hair and said, �Some King of the hill you are!� Timmy's face was extra dirty now and just a bit of red from embarrassment. �Oh yeah?� he said with twinkling eyes, �we will see about that!� Timmy jumped at his sister and tackled her, tickling her unmercifully. Tammy squealed loudly then jumped up and ran away. Timmy was right on her heels as they ran further into the dump.

The twins and their mother had recently moved into the dilapidated house on the edge of town next to the landfill. They were very poor and had little or nothing to wear or to even eat for that matter. There was no money for toys or things like that. What little they had must go for important things like food and school clothes. Both Timmy and Tammy tried to understand why some kids got all the toys and things they wanted, but they could have none. It didn't seem fair at all. On the bad days they blamed their father. If he was still with them, they could have things, like when they were very little. Neither twin could remember these days, but their Mom had told them about days were money was not really a problem.

�I wish Dad were here so we could do things.� Timmy was saying. �Yeah, me too�, Tammy replied. �but Mommy says its not good to wish for such things. Timmy shrugged and kicked at a can that was half submerged in the dirt. Tammy looked up at the sky and noticed it was starting to get dark. �We should start home�, she said, �Mother will be worried.� Timmy gave the can one final kick and shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking. �Wait up silly!� Tammy called after him, �Wait for me!�

Timmy elbowed his sister, laughed, and said, �Race you home!� and was gone. Tammy ran after him. Together they half ran, half walked through the dump on their way back home. Timmy began to wonder what might be for dinner tonight. Tammy wondered to herself if her mother was able to get a job today.

Not more than 100 yards away a lonely teddy bear sat and watched the sun set on another day at the dump. Feeling sad, lonely and abandoned, Teddy settled in for yet another night at the dump. �Good Night Jack, good night Barbie!� Teddy said as he pulled a McDonald's wrapper over him to protect him from the night's chill. It would be a long night. Teddy fell asleep and dreamt of the boy again, and of being on his bed and being the boy's favorite toy.

Good Night Teddy, and good night to you too, D*Land.

xoxox

tim