Karbie: Forever Adventures

The Legend of the Duck Man's Egg

Dark, cloudy skies rumbled overhead as the torrential downpour threatened to turn the University of Hawai'i into a makeshift ark.

"Wow... Dejavu, huh?", Skipper remarked, staring out the window, "I mean, come on, it's April! It's not supposed to rain a lot in April, right?"

Barbie bent over to pick up yet another toy from the floor. She chuckled wryly and raised her eyebrow back to her sister's dejected brow as she gathered up the Mr. Potato Head parts in her arms.

"Well, it has to rain sometimes, right? December may be the rainiest month on the island, but we still get our share of storms throughout the year"

Skipper lamented again, leaning over to pick up some building blocks. She stood and glanced again forlornly out the window.

"Yeah... I guess...", but then she brightened and turned back to the room they were in, "Well, at least the kids don't seem to mind too much"

The 'kids' Skipper was referring to were seven little tikes ranging in age from three to ten years, romping and running around the room. Some were calmly reading, some were painting with water on the chalkboard, and some were playing hockey with a broomstick that nearly upended the pillows on the couch... Those two always needed to be watched...

The childcare facility Skipper helped...well, 'skipper', really... was going smashingly well. The University of Hawai'i had agreed to open the center a few months ago after a wonderful display of not only support but demand from the community back in November. Non-traditional aged students from all walks of life proposed the plan that they, too, needed assistance in order to get to class.

And now? Thanks to Skipper and Kalei and some other parents who volunteered like there was no tomorrow, and a little cleaning, renovation, and reorganizing to the existing After School Program room, the University of Hawai'i at Manoa Childcare Facility for ages six months to twelve years was officially open on an as-needed basis! The parents and/or guardians would download the university's app Skipper created to schedule a day and time and a dedicated employee would be there to staff the need.

Meanwhile, Skipper would not only get paid for her hours as a daycare worker, but the man-hours and tech she developed for the app to use.

Win-win

Currently, seven little 'angels' – give or take their level of saint-hood– were in dire need of supervision. And since Barbie had finished working at the station for the day, she agreed to come by and plug in some extra hours of work at the daycare with Skipper, earning extra rent money.

Thankfully, Ken was going back to work as a lifeguard in September, so the rough times were only for so long...

"I'm bored!"

Both Roberts girls turned around and saw a little boy standing in the room in a huff, his arms crossed and his face downturned.

Tyler was a seven-year-old half-monkey, half-roadrunner, all boy. He was used to getting into way too many scrapes back home with his twin sister, Charlotte. He sported one band-aid on each elbow, one on each knee, and a couple along the shins for good measure and was bruised to the nines from climbing the trees in his front yard and from jumping off too many patios to count. Just as he voiced his displeasure, his twin stood and added to the sentiment.

"Yeah, I'm bored, too... There's nothing to do!"

"Me too! Can I have a snack?"

"I wanna do sumfing fun!"

One by one, the other five slowly but surely came over to join in, complaining about the weather and that there was nothing to do.

Barbie and Skipper deliberated to themselves, each trying to figure out what they could possibly do to keep these rugrats entertained during the rumbling thunderstorm that not only threatened the roads outside but the imaginative minds of the children inside.