Duncan Takes a Vacation

Chapter 30

           I didn't get much sleep that night because I kept dreaming about being chased by dinosaurs.  No matter what I did to get away from them, one always managed to catch up with me.  It's horrible when you dream about stuff like that, and keep waking up every time a monster was just about ready to gobble you up. 

          Jimmy must have known that I was having bad dreams and kept the light on during the night.  That helped me feel more comfortable.  In a way I was glad we were leaving for home in the morning.  This vacation was filled with excitement and I needed a vacation from my vacation.  However, I would miss everyone, well, almost everyone.  Pops was the one I would probably miss the most.  We made a great team.  Maybe someday I would be able to visit him again, or better yet, maybe he could come visit us in California.  

          My last desert sunrise was very beautiful.  The sun started to appear very slowly above the horizon.  It looked like a big, orange bubble rising into the blue awaiting sky.  I looked from the window of the bedroom and gazed at the area surrounding me.  I fluttered up to the roof to say good-bye to my feathered friends.  Dad was already outside packing up the car.  Mom was in the kitchen fixing sandwiches for our long return trip home.  The boys got up and rushed down to breakfast.  Aunt Irma and Uncle Wally were both there.  Thank goodness the twins were nowhere to be found.  This day was too beautiful to be spoiled by those two. 

          We all joined in at the breakfast table saying good-bye to each other.  Mom and Aunt Irma were hugging each other while Uncle Wally, naturally fell asleep in his chair.  Jimmy and Marvin thanked Aunt Irma for letting them stay.  Dad asked where the twins were because he wanted to say good-bye.  Aunt Irma said the boys were around somewhere.  She made an excuse that they were sad because they didn't want us to leave.  Boy, was that nonsense!  The only reason those two would have been unhappy to see us go is because they wouldn't have anyone to annoy for the rest of the summer.  Dad said to say good-bye to the twins for us, and he went to finish packing the car. 

          Just as we were leaving, a few people drove up to the trading post.  We said our final good-byes as Aunt Irma and Uncle Wally helped their customers.  I wondered where Pops was.  He hadn't been to breakfast and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to say good-bye to him. 

          As the family loaded themselves into the car, I noticed Pops near the outhouse.  I flew to him and was followed by Jimmy and Marvin.  He was throwing a rope around a high branch of a tree next to the outhouse.  By the time we got there he also had the rope attached to the top of the outhouse.  The other end of the rope was tied to a box with a crank under the tree. It must have been another one of his inventions.  I wondered what he was up to? 

          The boys shook hands with Pops and wished him well.  I jumped on his shoulder and rubbed my cheek next to his.  I was really going to miss this old dude. 

          Pops told the boys that someone wanted to say good-bye to them.  They were anxious to see who he was talking about.  He told everyone to stand back.  He told Marvin to turn the crank on his box. 

          The rope that was attached to his box was the same one that was thrown over the top of the tree, and connected to the top of the outhouse.  It sort of worked like a wheel and pulley.  The more he turned the crank, the tighter the rope got.  As the rope tightened, the roof and sides of the outhouse started to rise into the air.  It rose about six feet off the ground. 

          Now why, might you ask, would Pops want to lift the sides and roof of the outhouse off the ground?  Well, remember the characters that sawed the rockers off his chair?  These same two individuals also stole his time machine.  Now we were able to say good-bye to our dear cousins, the Chipmunk Twins, because there they were, each one in his own stall, sitting on the toilets of the outhouse reading comic books. 

          It must have been quite a shock to them when they realized that the roof and the walls of the outhouse were high above them.  To embarrassed to get up, they covered their heads with the comic books they were reading. Then we all waved good-bye to them.  Pops then gradually lowered the outhouse back to where it belonged.  The twins didn't dare come out while anyone was still there. 

          Jimmy and Marvin laughed hysterically at what had happened.  They gave Pops a high five and walked back to the car.  I, on the other hand, was still upset about leaving my friend. 

          Pops looked at me and winked.  He said, "Don't be upset, little buddy," I'll see you sooner than you might expect." 

          What did he mean by that?  I gave him a bewildered look. 

          He knew I was confused and said, "I'm leaving this place too.  Some company has bought one of my inventions and has offered to set up a workshop for me in Southern California.  We'll practically be neighbors." 

          He walked me to the car as Dad started up the engine.  I left his shoulder and flew through an open window of the car.  I watched him wave good-bye as we pulled away. 

          Tears formed in my eyes as I thought to myself, "I wonder how much more trouble Pops and I could get into in California?  You know, a good team is hard to break up!"