"Oh, shoot! That didn't work! I just can't figure this out!" Vinky stopped her little talons in frustrations. "This just isn't working. I just wish I knew what it was supposed to look like."

Vobble looked up and queried, "Sis? What's your problem? I'm usually the one stompin' and fussin'. What ARE you trying to do?"

Vinky looked up and said, "Well, aren't you the smug one, today? I'm trying to do something special for Valentine's Day and I've only got a few more days to figure it out. I've got a picture in my head of what I THINK it should look like, but I just can't figure out how to make it or how to make it work."

Vobble cocked his head. "Okay, so tell me what it is you're trying to make. Is it something you're gonna need the Dude for? Should I go get him?"

"Do you remember that movie about the weird little critter from outer space? I don't remember much about the movie, but I love that song about 'Turn On Your Heartlight.' I've always wanted a 'heartlight' in our owlbox. I just don't know what one looks like or how to make one. And I really wanted one in time for Valentine's Day."

"Ooooh, Vinky. That sounds kewl!!! I don't know what one looks like either, but I'll bet the Dude could figure it out. I'll got get him."

Vobble flew off for the Dude's house. A few minutes later, the Dude's head appeared at the owlbox door. "What's up, Vinks? Vobble says you need me. And, by the way, can't we hold these meetings on the ground from now on? Climbing this ladder to talk to you is really getting old."

Vinky clapped her wings and said . . .

"Oh, Vacadude! I really need your help! I'd love to have a heart light to celebrate Valentine's Day. And I have no idea how to make one. Can you help me pretty, pretty, please?"

So the dude climbed down the ladder and found the owlets already waiting for them in his office. Vinky was visibly upset with feathers fluffed and beak trembling. Vobble didn't know how to console her as usually he is the consollee.

"What is wrong Vinky?" asked Dude.

"Well, sniff sniff, Zorro says we can have candy hearts only at Valentine's day."

Vobble decided to let VacaDude make Vinky feel better. He had an idea. He snuck out of the office and went to find Zorro. He said, "Zorro, do you want to help me plan a party?"

Zorro said, "I'm always ready for a party. What's the reason?"

Vobble said, "Well, Valentine's Day is soon and Vinky's sad. I want to cheer her up."

Zorro said, "Count me in. Let's call CC for all the party grub."

When Zorro called CC, she said, "Sure! What kind of food do you want?"

Zorro said "All kinds, of course!"

"Well," said CC, "Can you narrow it down a little?"

"Sure! Everything you've got that's heart-shaped!"

"That's a lot of things, but I'll come up with a good selection," said CC.

Vobble took Zorro back to the Dude's office with him to help with the party plans. When they went in the door, the Dude was saying …

"… now I really need to concentrate on making a heart light for Vinky."

And of course Zorro piped up, "Just get her a big heart filled with Chocolate candy. That's what every girl wants for Valentine's day. In fact, that's what I'm getting for Zorrina."

Vaca reminded Zorro that some "girls" like flowers, and some "girls" like jewelry.

Zorro gave the dude the stink eye and responded, "Well, Zorrina will love chocolates, and she may need me to help her eat them …"

The Dude just laughed his belly laugh, and that really caught Zorro off guard. "You are laughing at moi?"

"Well, not really Zorro. I'm just wondering whether Zorrina would like a big Heart of "Cheeze"

The Dude began drawing up plans for the heart light when all of a sudden, …

there was a knock at the door. No one was expecting it and it scared the bejeebers out of Zorro. He ran to the door but couldn't reach the peephole or the knob. He stuck his head out his little mousy door and said, "Oh, Hi CC. Come on in."

CC said, "I brought a list of party foods for you to choose from. I even brought a few samples."

Zorro squealed! "Samples? Well, hurry up and get in here!"

CC settled on the couch and said, "Okay, here's what I have in mind. We'll have red food and heart shaped food. I thought we'd try some Lasagna Roll-ups, some Red Lettuce Salad, some Cinnamon Apple Slices, some Red Velvet Cookies, Strawberry Krispies, Chocolate Cherries, and Chocolate Mice."

Zorro screeched! "Chocolate MICE? We are NOT eating mice!"

CC said, "Relax Zorro. They're just little candies that kinda look like mice."

"Oh, CCz! That sounds wonderfully yummy!" said Vinky. "Maybe we can play some party games too—like matching up hearts that are cut in two, and pin the heart on the lace doily, and—oh, dear, I can't think of any more, but there must there must be some. We'll think of them later."

Let's make up the invitation list now." said Vinky. She handed pieces of paper and pencils to Vobble, CC (who was still there), and Zorro, and they all busily wrote their lists.

After a few minutes, Vinky said "And we'll need decorations too - crepe paper streamers and lots of hearts and flowers all over!"

Then Vobble asked "Dude, how are the plans for Vinky's heartlight coming?" He wanted to be sure Vinky got the heartlight she wanted so much.

"I'll be ready by party time Vobs" The Dude had his fingers crossed behind his back as he was a little behind schedule.

Soon the day arrived! Party time! The decorations were up, the games were ready, CC's food was smelling divine, and the guests began to arrive.

Meanwhile the Dude was putting his finishing touches on the "heart light" when he had an idea! A wonderful light bulb kind of idea. "I'll just pop this little heart light into my super duper new copy anythingy in the world machine and make enough for owlvrybody at the party!"

The party had just begun when …

they heard a loud noise. There was a pop, and then a BOOM and then a CRASH! The Dude ran to his office. His copy thingy had made a new heartlight, but WOWZA! It was like eleventy-eleven feet tall! The Dude ran to his machine. He changed the settings. He worked to get the huge light out of his office and into the yard.

He asked Vinky, "Do you want to see the heartlight I made for you?"

"Oh, I DO," said Vinky excitedly. "Er … where is it?" The Dude said, "Well, the first part is outside …" Vinky dashed outside, followed by Vobble and all the guests.

"Here is is—all eleventy-eleven feet of it," said the Dude, as Vinky's eyes slowly scanned from the ground to top of the incredibly tall heartlight. "BUT," said the Dude, "This one is only for outside. I also made you an inside one." And from behind his back, he brought out a beautiful little wall-mounted version of the heartlight.

Vinky cried "Oh, I love it , Dude - BOTH of them!"

"And besides that," the Dude said, "my 3-D printer is busily making more copies of the little one as we speak, and by the end of the party, there will be one for every guest to take home!"

All the guests cheered, and the next moment, the sound of a big "POW" came from the Dude's garage …

Everyone turned toward the garage and after the smoke cleared, a rather sheepish Zorro stepped out and said, "Hey, Dude. You got some really stinky stuff in here. And when you spill them, they sure do make for some fun special effects!"

Everyone laughed and went on with the party. The Dude turned on the exhaust fan and tossed Zorro into the tub. Then he went back to mingle with the guests until it was time for them to head home.

After all the guests had left, each carrying their own little heartlight, the Dude came out with one more gift for Vinky. She opened the package to find a DVD of the movie ET.

"That's it!" she exclaimed. "That's the movie with the Heartlight song in it! Oh, Dude! Thank you!!"

Vinky and Vobbled hurried home and settled on the gopher sofer. Vinky popped the DVD in the DVD player (don't all owlboxes have DVD players and TVs?) and sat back to watch. At movie's end, she turned to Vobble and in a quivering voice she said, "Oh, Vobble. I was going about this heartlight thing all wrong. I love the heartlights that the Dude made for me and everyone else, but I didn't realize that the REAL heartlight is the light inside you. We ALL have one. And every time we love someone, or help someone, or smile at someone, we turn on our heartlight. And once you learn to keep your heartlight glowing, everyone around you can see it and soon THEIR heartlights will be glowing, too! Oh, Vobble, I can just see it it! Think what it would be like if everyone turned on their heartlights!"

Vobble wiped away a tiny tear and said, "I can only imagine. I can only imagine."

The End