Inside Outside Upside Downside – Read and Print

By Rachel Dunstan Muller, Copyright 2022

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It was a sunny autumn afternoon. Quinn and her twin brother Sam could have been riding their bikes, or playing soccer at the park, or building a tree fort. They could have been doing a hundred different things. Instead, they were was sitting on their front steps, watching the road in front of their house.

And just what were they waiting for?

They were waiting for their Great Aunt Ruby, who was coming for a special visit!

Finally, just as the wind was beginning to pick up, there she was, striding down the road, her old-fashioned suitcase swinging at her side.

Now, you can’t see that suitcase, of course, but if you close your eyes, you might be able to imagine it. It was big and brown and had square corners. It had a few scuffs and scratches, but it was still a handsome piece of luggage, with a good leather handle, and two strong brass latches to keep it closed.

The first thing Great Aunt Ruby did when she arrived at Quinn and Sam’s house was to let that suitcase drop, right in the centre of the front lawn. “Oi” she said, as she wiped her brow. “What a load. It gets heavier every time I carry it.”

“Well, I should think so,” said Quinn and Sam’s mother. “Just think what you’ve got stuffed inside! I’m amazed you can carry it at all.”

“Well, heavy or not,” said Great Aunt Ruby, “here I am. Might as well get unpacked. Quinn, Sam – come give your old aunt hand a hand.”

The twins didn’t have to be asked twice. They were by their great aunt’s side in an instant. This was the moment they’d been waiting for! Quinn quickly put her hands on one latch, while Sam put his hands on the other.

“Ready?” Ruby said. “One, two, three!”

And then . . .

with a snap and a squeal, and a squeak and a sproing . . .

with a shiver and a shimmy and a shake . . .

that suitcase . . . began . . . to unfold itself!

First there were steps, then walls, then a roof, then even a little chimney with smoke coming out! That’s right; in the middle of Quinn and Sam’s front lawn, Great Aunt Ruby’s suitcase had unfolded itself into a house. It was a very small house to be sure, but it had everything that mattered – windows, a door, even flower boxes.

When everything was in place, Great Aunt Ruby nodded. “Perfect,” she said. “Well, come along. It’s time for a nice cup of tea.”

Now, if you’re amazed already – that a suitcase could unfold into a house – you’d better hold on. Because that was just the first wonder. The second wonder was that Great Aunt Ruby’s house was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.

Now, I know that doesn’t make any sense; it didn’t make any sense to Quinn or Sam either. But there it was! Great Aunt Ruby had to bend nearly double to get through her own front door. Even the twins had to duck a little. But once they were all through that door, they found themselves in a hallway every bit as big as Quinn and Sam’s own front hall.

Down that hall they went, past a cozy sitting room, past a steep flight of stairs, until they reached the kitchen. Then Great Aunt Ruby put the kettle on for tea. While she was waiting for the water to boil, she took fresh bread out of the oven, cut it into thick slices, and slathered those slices with butter and a dollop of strawberry jam.

The bread was delicious, of course, and so was the tea – but Quinn and Sam both had other things on their minds. They tried hard not to squirm in their seats once they’d finished eating – but it wasn’t easy.

“Oh, go on,” Great Aunt Ruby said at last. “I know where you want to be.” With a wink of her eye and a wave of her hand, she sent them on their way.

“Thank you!” Quinn and Sam said together, as they nearly rocketed out of their seats.

Back down the hall they went, as fast as their legs would carry them. Then up the stairs, quickly at first – and then a little slower as they got near the top.

It’s not that Quinn and Sam were nervous. Well, not exactly. It’s just that anyone who climbed those stairs was wise to be careful. As we’ve already learned, Great Aunt Ruby’s house was an inside-outside house, and it was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside. But here’s the third wonder: it was also an upside-downside house – at least at the top of the stairs. That’s right: all the second-floor furniture was above Quinn and Sam’s heads: the dressers, the tables, the big four-poster beds. All the second storey furniture was on the ceiling. Except that it wasn’t really the ceiling – it was actually the floor turned upside-down.

Best of all, Great Aunt Ruby had taught Quinn and Sam a secret. If they closed their eyes, and counted backwards from seven – they could float right up to the ceiling too! I mean, the upside-down floor.

Whatever we call it, here’s what matters: it was super FUN to float upwards and downwards and backwards and forwards at the top of Great Aunt Ruby’s house. Quinn and Sam spent hours playing upside-down hide and seek, and bouncing on the upside-down beds. Every now and then they got a little dizzy, but then they simply went downstairs to catch their breath and have a quick snack.

Great Aunt Ruby’s visit lasted an entire week. Quinn and Sam were sad to see her go, of course. But it was kind of fun to watch her pack up. When she was ready, they all stood outside facing the little house. Great Aunt Ruby gave the signal, and Quinn and Sam stepped forward to press the two brass latches on either side of the front door. Then they quickly got out of the way.

As they watched, the little house shivered and shook. It sproinged and squeaked. It snapped and squealed . . . and folded itself back into an old-fashioned suitcase.

            “Well, that’s done,” Great Aunt Ruby said brightly.

            “We’ll miss you, Great Aunt Ruby,” Quinn and Sam said together.

            “I’ll miss you, too,” their great aunt said. “But don’t you worry. I’ll be back before you know it.” And she leaned down and gave them each a kiss.

            I wish I had a Great Aunt Ruby!

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