A pair of Colorado girls decided to stay home from a dance (ahem, haven't been there before) and bake cookies for their neighbors. They wrote cute little notes on construction paper hearts saying, "Have a great night. HEART, the T and L Club," and left them on the doorsteps of their neighbors, knocking and then leaving before the door could be answered. Aww.

Apparently the surprise was so much for one neighbor that she decided to sue the teens for $900 for a subsequent emergency room visit, because she had been so startled at the knocking. She thought an intruder had come to her door when no one answered her calls. Though the teens offered to pay her bills, she insisted on taking them to court. [Original Denver Post article here.]

"The victory wasn't sweet," Young said. "I'm not gloating about it. I just hope the girls learned a lesson." [link]

Wait, there's more!

The story created such a community uproar that a local radio station was able to raise about $4000 for the girls, towards covering the medical bill. The rest will go to the Never Forgotten Fund, a scholarship for students of Columbine, although a note at the Denver Post mentions in the offhand that you can alternatively choose to designate the donations for the girls' college funds.

Also, a follow-up round-up:

- The father of one of the girls has had to get a restraining order against the husband of the woman who sued (dot's apologies for complicated NPs), for harrassing phone calls. [link]

- Otis Spunkmeyer has awarded the girls the "Kindness Cookie," giving them each countertop ovens and a year's supply of cookie dough. Otis Spunkmeyer spokeswoman Liz Rayo is quoted as saying, "Cookies are the ultimate comfort food. We don't want anyone sued over cookies. Cookies are good. This is an emotional issue for us."

- The girls appeared on Good Morning, America on Saturday. [Article here.]

Meanwhile, the main reason I posted this was for the headlines and obvious puns. Hi-larious; I love it:

From the Denver Post:

- Everyone chipping in to help cookie duo. [link]

- Outraged readers say cookie ruling was half-baked. [link]

- After a crumby ending, donated dough rolls in for 2 cookie deliverers. [link]

From CNN, MSNBC: "Sugar and spice is not always nice," says journalist Dan Abrams.

And quotes from the public: "Many observed that the unfortunate misunderstanding gave new meaning to the term 'Cookie Monster.' One reader called the plaintiff in the case 'a macaroon.' Another called her a 'cookie batterer.'" [link]

The girls are taking it all in stride, though, trying to keep it cool with the publicity. They had to decline a meeting with football legend John Elway because one of the girls had a prior commitment to judge a livestock show. Even so, they later agreed to do national radio show, and Good Morning, America. Meanwhile, the neighbor's suffering quite a bit of harrassment from the cookie-loving community:

"This has turned into quite a fiasco. It's something that never should have happened and it's just devastating. My phone hasn't stopped ringing. My life has been threatened and I'll probably have to move out of town."

Of course, I have to say it: I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

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