I/Tulpa: the Seven Year Girl

chapter 20

"It's Wonkavision. My latest, and greatest, invention."

Did you ever like something, but later discovered it wasn't the real something, because something had changed, most likely culture itself, and so the facts began to change, and soon, little by little, the only thing that you remembered was the changed thing. Oompa Loompas have this history. Originally, in the first edition printed, oompa loompas were black pygmies from Africa, a spot so isolated they had never seen a white person. 3000 of them were brought to Wonka's factory to work, while the white workers got sacked. Not cool for the white workers. Probably not cool for the pygmies. Seriously, if you read about what befalls the Oompa Loompas under Wonka's care, you could seriously doubt whether Wonka was a good guy. The oompa loompas were used as guinea pig for new products. Many of them die as a result of fantastical, magical creations. It's not just funny blue berry accidents where a little 'lovin squeezin' makes things alright, but seriously dead. He made some so young they were regressed to embryos, only they fell to the floor and without a womb, they died. He gave one fizzie lifting drink and put him into orbit. Wonka jokes that the poor fellow is probably on the moon, but it's his fault for not burping, not Wonka's fault. Seriously? You making fizzie lifting drinks, outside, without a rope or ceiling? We know Wonka isn't dumb, so what is this? Even with the kids, he clearly made no effort to seriously block the kids from their own bad behaviors.

Anyway, readers of the book and editors protested because it seemed like oompa loompa were being imported as slaves to work in the chocolate factory. And textually, given the abuses, that's not too far off. Some valid criticism there, but given the author's background, it wasn't intended to be that, it's just some people saw it that way. So, the author agreed to change the oompa loompas from little black pygmies, to these small, white, golden hair people, about knee high. I tell you this now, so when you think you're reacting to the little person waiting for Jon to wake because it doesn't resemble the clone from the Jonny Depp version of Wonka, or the orange midgets with green hair from Gene Wilder version of Wonka, your reality feathers don't get too ruffled. There has been lots of changes in this Universe.

Jon found himself awake in his and Lysandra's nest. There was a candle shining, and a little person sitting on the chair. She was a perfect, oversized Barbie Doll of a lady. Her arms were crossed. The candle was sitting beside her. She uncrossed her legs and scooted to the end of the chair. Once her legs were dangling, she adjusted her skirt.

"Hello," she said.

"Who are you?" Jon asked.

"My name is Floette," she said. "I was told to make you come."

"What?" Jon asked.

"The King of the Oompa Loompa's wants to see you," Floette said.

"You're an Oompa Loompa?" Jon asked.

"Yes," Floette said.

Jon found himself sorting, as none of this was meeting his memory. "Wait wait wait," Jon said, moving his finger as if saying wait or no, or moving pictures from the right to the left. "You're one of the little people of the valley?"

"Oh, no, no," Floette said. "Not of the valley. Not the people of the inner tree rings. Nor are we the people who have made their homes in the shells of angels. We have, though, honored the angels by ensuring your place was always prepared for you, that you always had supplies. The deal was made with your angel. She is no more. It is time to renegotiate the contract."

"Are you related to me?" Jon asked.

"Those would be the people of the valley, or of the inner tree rings," Floette said. "We are the Oompa Loompas. We live in the upper most branches and we live in the earth. Some of us live in the ice and some of us live in the desert, but most of us, in the branches."