Black & White Cartoon

Set loosely in the "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" world.

 
My name is Lily Lee, and I am a black and white cartoon. Back in the day, everyone knew who I was. I was loved and beloved by kids and adults of all ages. I was most often a maid in a hotel. Cleaning is sometimes complicated and I always seemed to make a big mess all the time, and I had to clean that up, too. I was happy making people laugh; that's the life of a cartoon, making people laugh.
 
Then one day my whole world changed. Television was suddenly in color, then cartoons went to color as well. Finding work in the industry was getting harder and harder. I had to find real work as a real maid in a hotel and not on a set. There is a way to save us black and white cartoons. We can be painted, becoming colored cartoons. Many cartoons don’t want to be forgotten and unemployed, so they change themselves. I don’t want to do that; I want to make people laugh and smile by being the real me.
 
After I'm done at my job, I go talk with some friends at the studio, to see if there might any work for me.  I tell them I will take even the smallest supporting role. Then I go back home, to Toon Town. Seeing it all colored and changed makes me kinda sad. I drive to my apartment on Monochrome Drive; the last place in Toon Town that hasn’t been painted. Several other residents and I are trying to get it designated as a landmark, so it will stay the way it is.
 
I see my true friends in the lobby: Scary Hairy Barry, the spooky skeletons, and many other forgotten black and white cartoons. I sit and chat for a little bit, and then I go to my room. I kick off my shoes, and fall asleep in the bed that brings me the happiest dreams and my worst nightmares.
 
In my happiest dreams, I'm preforming in front of a crowd: they are laughing, smiles, grinning at me. When I look into the mirror, I'm happy and smiling while giving my best performance. In my worst nightmares, I'm in front of a crowd, they are still laughing, smiling, and grinning at me. I thinks its a good dream until I look in the mirror. I am petrified; I see that I'm colored: my hair is brown, my cheeks are rosy, I'm wearing ruby red lipstick, my skin the color as porcelain, my uniform a shocking blue. I wake up sweating, and run to the mirror, checking to see if it was just a dream. Thankfully it was just a nightmare. I want to be make people laugh, smile, and grin again, but I want to do by being the real me. I will do it; I will find away.
                                
      The End

Author's Note

This is my first posting of hopefully many more to come; any advice to improve is welcomed. I like to thank my best friend, S. Mi, for helping me find my style and encouraged me too write on here. Thank you. Please Enjoy.

Reviews

[Francisco]

It is a touching story. The way in what the character try to be herself, the need of being genuine. The clear conviction of the reason for her existence: making people laugh. She fights for maintaining her Monochrome Drive the way it is. A very vivid nightmare makes her reassert in her idea.
A very well written story. Thank you very much.

[Stan Lee]

What a great character! She really knows what she wants which doesn't seem too common these days. Sounds like she came from the era when things were fixed rather than thrown away. Change should be embraced but not at the expense of being true to ourselves. Great story. Thanks for sharing. :)

[Splatman73]

Honestly this feels more like the beginning of a series or book than a stand alone story. I would love to see more adventures from Lilly Lee. Great job.

[Inject Positivity]

We are all unique creations in this world, with unique capabilities and specialities, but our world is trying to make us just like everyone else every single day, it's our job to keep ourselves just the way we are, because our real self is our only identity in this world...

You have set the character very well Dylan, I think the message is very important here, it was short and very well described... It's a challenge to keep ourselves unique and we must not give up...

Sincerely
Dhiman

[Shannon]

The message here is so important. Be yourself, don't change to suit the masses. I really like Lily Lee. She is hard working, earnest and true to herself. I hope we hear more of her story someday.

[Howling_Wolf]

Thank you for the review, and the warm welcome to the site. I don't have plans for sequel with Lily Lee yet, but things could change in the future.