Eager Beaver

Chapter Twenty-Six - Rained Out

It was an ordinary Saturday, and I had been lazing around the house pretty much all morning. I was laying down spread eagle on the couch in the living room staring bleary eyed at some boring cartoon re-run when Mom came in. I barely budged at first, expecting her to simply breeze past or at the very most ask another one of her rote questions about whether or not I had done my homework, but instead she said something that made me jump up to attention as if I'd been shocked with 200 volts of electricity.

"Cooper, honey. Your friends are here."

I yipped like a startled fox. It was almost 2pm, but I was still in my pajamas! Plus, I wasn't just in any pajamas - that morning I had been wearing a particularly childish dinosaur themed set that my Mom had picked out in preparation for the weather turning colder. I hadn't been at all pleased at first, especially when I saw on the label that they were technically a size 6-7, but I had to admit that the tight fitting cotton was cozy. Peeking up bashfully over the back of the sofa, I saw that the whole troop had already filed in behind her. Zach led the way, stalking confidently into our living room with his arms crossed confidently over his chest and the kindies trotting officiously behind him like a pack of swaggering yearling pups parading behind their leader. It wasn't a beaver day, but they were all in their uniforms, purposeful looks on their faces.

"Um... Hi!" I squeaked as I covered myself up with a nearby blanket, trying to look as if nothing were amiss.

"You're still in your Pajamas!" Zach remarked disapprovingly, furrowing his eyebrows in frustration.

"It's probably nap time." Alex giggled. "Cooper's always getting sleepy."

I gave a sheepish grin, trying very hard not to yawn. "I'm not." I denied in a croaking voice, taken off guard as I was suddenly thrust into the conversation. "I...was just watching cartoons."

"Well get dressed." Zach commanded, pointing instructively to a red plastic basket filled with my freshly folded laundry. Mom had just taken it out of the dryer, and it was still warm. "We're going out."

I found myself obeying almost on instinct, hurrying over to the basket. I felt a rush of excitement, wondering what on earth could be so important that Zach and the Kindies would just turn up unannounced. I grabbed a pair of plain jeans and a striped blue and white t-shirt, so excited that I almost pulled off my pajama bottoms right there and then - before I remembered that I wasn't wearing any underwear.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"The jungle gym!" Laurie answered at once.

"The one in the woods, at the end of the path by the lake." Zach clarified "We're gonna make sure the trail is clear. For my Earth Badge. But hurry up, we don't have much daylight left!"

I gave a hurried nod, looking down at my pajamas again - and then looking awkwardly towards the stairs that led up to my bedroom. "What are you waiting for?" Zach demanded. "Get dressed!"

"I'm...um...not wearing any undies." I revealed in a shy voice.

"Who cares!" Alex shouted, adding to my sense of urgency "Just put them on!"

Startled into compliance, I did as I was told, hurriedly yanking the jeans up over my pajama bottoms before pulling the t-shirt over my head. I took a moment to glance at my reflection in the window, seeing that I looked rather ridiculous. The pajamas had long sleeves, but the t-shirt didn't - the silly dinosaur patterns not at all blending in with the rest of my outfit. I didn't have time to contemplate any further however before Charlie grabbed my beaver vest from its place on a hook by the door and threw it into my arms.

"Ready?" Zach asked, not waiting for a reply. "Let's go!"

***

The clouds rumbled threateningly above the tree canopy as we stood at the edge of the trail by the lake, watching Zach cutting back the unruly undergrowth with his red pocket knife. He stepped back, looking rather pleased with himself as he pointed at the simple yellow arrow on the tree marking the trail. "There." he announced proudly. "Now you can see it."