Peysters (pronounced pee-sters) are invisible creatures that take over the minds & bodies of the stuffed animals and pets that live on Peyster Street (pronounced pigh-ster, as in "high"), Albany, NY. They lay dormant until they are alone in their owners' houses. When left alone, they PARTY! like you wouldn't believe. A few years back, my next-door neighbor wrote of an experience her husband had.....

Their cat and five teddy bears (one of them being a Paddington teddy bear) had a party one
night when Dave (the husband) went over to Mike's house (another neighbor) while Laura
(the story's author/illustrator) was out of town.  Dave had been preparing to make dinner
when he went over to Mike's, and the cat & teddy bears continued where he had left off....
sort of.  Since they didn't know what he was making, they decided to make alphabet
soup.....with ingredients from A to Z, and a few extras here & there.  They also had a game
of tag in the living room, and scattered the newspapers into complete disarray.

So, when Dave came home, he found the living room a complete wreck, Peyster Alphabet 
Soup boiling on the stove, and the cat looking up at him with a "I-didn't-do-anthing-
what-are-you-staring-at-me-for?" look.  Too tired to do anything about the mess, he turned
the stove down to simmer, and went to sleep to await Laura's return (she was due back soon).
Naturally, you can guess her reaction to the mess.  But she liked the soup.

I've actually met and talked with a Peyster. My stuffed skunk (Skunky is also a puppet) isn't at all shy (amazing for a Peyster; must be a mutation), and has been talking to me since I got him back in early '89. He bowls while I'm in school, and my bedroom always seems to progressively get messier.....even when I'm at my Dad's for the weekend, and don't step foot in the room for over 48 hours......I wonder......

Well, I apologize for your not being able to experience a Peyster. But, maybe you have these little creatures on your street. Take a close look around your house next time you leave your pet or stuffed animals home alone......

Last updated: 10/14/97

© 1997 Dave Honan

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