Texas
"Matthew, you have to come immediately. It's an emergency! A national emergency!"
The phone was in his right hand; the left still holding a dripping plate. Canada stood in front of the sink in his kitchen and closed his eyes before he answered. Up to Alfred's call the day had been peaceful.
"Alfred, calm down. What happened?"
The answer came promptly.
"In one hour I'm gonna be with my president and I can't find Texas."
Canada sighed deeply, put the plate beside the sink and wiped his wet hands on his jeans. This was a conversation they had way too often.
"Again?" He said simply, before his brother's voice rang again out from the speaker.
"Don't blame me! Come over and help me search!"
"Did you check the bathroom?" suggested Matthew, hoping that the 'national crisis' would come to an end and he could to skip the ride to Alfred's house.
"Of course, but there was nothing", Alfred said and Matthew sighed again.
"What about the laundry basket? Last time you've forgotten Texas in your shirt pocket and almost washed it."
"It was the first place where I looked, but it wasn't there. Just as on the TV, next to the fridge, on my bedside table, or in the dishwasher."
Canada blinked surprised and moved the plug from the sink at the same time.
"Why should Texas be in the dishwasher?"
"Stop asking and help me," growled the U.S. and Canada gave a sigh.
"I'll be there in a quarter of an hour." He said, lifting his keys from the kitchen table.
Canada knew that sometimes it was not easy to be a nation. It was not enough to represent his country as a whole, some things - and no one knew why – demanded its very own, personal spot on the body of their nation. If they stayed in America, so it was no secret that its prominent strand of hair was for the city of Nantucket, Florida - Matthew blushed at the thought - Florida had been obvious, And Texas, for whatever reason, manifested in Alfred's glasses. Too bad that those tended to take off his glasses in the most unlikely places and forgot them there.
Canada did not know how many hours of his life he had spent searching for America's glasses, instead of worrying about his own government-business. It made the brothers nervous, thinking about the fact that they did not know exactly what would happen if America were to lose the manifestation of its second-largest state. The consequences would certainly not be positive for America.
Canada parked his green Ford Falcon in front of America's house and clicked the key of his car only when he had already taken half the distance to the front door. With a little luck the visit wouldn't take much time and he could continue enjoying his day off.
After he had rung the bell, it only took seconds before the door flew open and he faced his brother. For Canada it was hard not to laugh at what he saw.
"Matthew, it's good that you're here. My boss will kill me if I appear without Texas", began Alfred, grabbed Matthew's arm and pulled him into the house and down the hallway into the living room.
He said that he no longer takes me seriously when he is expected to get the Pentagon searched again in order to Texas find and I think this time it was serious."
"Alfred ..." Matthew tried without hearing that his brother gave him.
"I mean, he isn't as petty as my last boss who was really angry when something was with Texas," continued the latter. "One time, when his dog ran away and tried to bury it in the garden of the White House ..."
"Alfred?" Canada cut in and America spun around.
"What?"
"Wait a second."
"Huh?"
Still, with difficulty suppressing a laugh, Matthew stretched out both hands to his brother, took the spectacles from his forehead and placed it gently on its nose.
"Better?" He asked with a grin.
Embarrassed, America touched the wire-frames on the sides of his hand and said a quiet "thank you".
Canada smiled, amused.
"You're welcome."
