Can't Complain         page 4

       There seemed to be no way that they could make the plan work. Or was there? One day, Mei Mei, who spent her time thinking, when she was not complaining about not being allowed to complain, had an idea. Now that she was a princess, she had lots of time to think. Her old complaining time had now become thinking time. She ran out into the royal garden to tell her Prince how he could become a real farmer.

       “It would never work,” Prince Nicolas said negatively. “You will never know until you try.” coaxed his Princess forming a pout, which is really an unspoken complaint. “No, no,” said the Prince. “It would never work.”

       After much begging by Princess Mei Mei, Prince Nicolas relented. Jei Jei and Daniel were invited to live in the palace. Mei Mei and Nicolas moved into a cottage in the royal garden. One week Nicolas was Prince; the next week was Daniel’s turn.

The plan worked out. Daniel was taught what he needed to know to be Prince. Jei Jei was taught what she needed to know to be Princess. Then a snag in their almost perfect plan threatened to halt everything.

       Jei Jei suddenly realized that a Princess was never allowed to complain. “I

      could not go a whole week without complaining. I just could not do it.”

       It was then that Mei Mei had a truly brilliant thought. It was the sort that only a genius has and that but rarely.

        She said, “I’ve got it! We'll have a Complaining Room.”

        “How can a room possibly complain?” In a single breath, Daniel had revealed that he was indeed fit to become king.

       “No no,” answered Mei Mei, who was after all an expert on complaining, “the room does not do the complaining. A Complaining Room does not complain. A Complaining Room is a room where one goes to complain. It is not true that a princess cannot complain. A Princess can complain; she simply must not be heard to complain.”

        In short order, a Complaining Room was built. The first to try it out was Jei Jei. She stepped inside and closed the heavy soundproof door of the soundproof room. She opened her mouth and began. After voicing a complaint or two, Jei Jei heaved a sigh of relief. She had not lost the art of complaining.

        The first act by Prince Daniel was to issue a royal order. He invited Mei Mei and her husband to tea.

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