This quote inspired my summer writing project. I wrote this shortly after the "BBF" (Best Buds Forever) story. I had thought about making it a "pick your own adventure" but decided to work on other things. I like the idea but I know it needs more editing. That still may happen at another time, but not right now.
My best friend always liked to tease me with a Winnie the Pooh
quote: "As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to
happen."
I’ve always been a wall flower, and aside from him, I don’t like
people too much.
It became our inside joke and all he started calling me “Pooh”
as a nickname. It always made me blush with embarrassment and want to beat him
up. Especially since you can’t really distinguish that from #2! I tried to get
him to call me “Winnie” but he refused.
He was smart and always ran away, and I always chased him; until
one day my mom said, “Gwen! Ladies don’t chase boys!” I was about 9 when the
chasing ended. Since then, I just give him a smirk and shake my fist, even
though he still ran.
When he came back, he was always ready to share his plan.
This one was an adventurer. We lived in a suburban area that was
close to several trail heads, some train tracks and if we were bold enough,
we’d make our way over to the beach, which was about a mile away. To a couple
of 11 year olds, that was pretty far!
He mixed it up; sometimes we’d collect stuff for his “legen-wait-for-it-dary”
tree house. Plans were in place, but he didn’t have a tree picked
out just yet. Other times, we would go bum at the beach and
bury each other in the sand. Usually, when he buried me, he’d give me huge
boobs and long legs. Considering I was as flat as a board and the shortest
person he knew, I think he was just trying to be nice. Or a jerk, couldn’t
quite tell.
I’d usually give him huge muscles and create a superhero suit,
complete with carved abs and a cool logo. I was the artist, he was my muse.
Today, we were going on a search for hidden treasure. Or at
least I was. He would create scavenger hunts for me all the time. He was so
thoughtful and observant and made these journeys just for me. Clues that he
created were based off our inside jokes, so that if anyone were to find the map
he made, it wouldn’t make any sense to them. Clever that one…
These adventures were meant for me to do on my own. He had so
many ideas that once he completed one, he went off to create more. But when he
knows I’m on a hunt, he usually disappears to the final clue to wait for me.
With a snicker on his face, he handed me an envelope.
The hunt begins.
I closed my eyes and counted to 22 so he could make his escape.
I never peaked to see which direction he headed because I always knew I would
find him and my treasure. I also knew that he liked to run off in random
directions in hopes of making me lose the trail.
I opened the envelope, which held my first clue. Just two words:
“Grrr, argh!”
Pirate speak… Black Bart, of course! I knew where this was going
to lead… the beach!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |
| Grrr,... Argh! |
A few months ago, we walked down our usual path to the beach. At
the end of the path, there were a bunch of palm trees. We were playing tag and
I chose a random tree to be my “safe” place when I got tired. As I was
leaning against it, catching my breath I noticed the random markings looked
like a skull.
I called a time out and said “Arrrgggg!” as I pointed it out to
him. It took him a second and then he saw it. We nicknamed this tree “Black
Bart”. That was our new code word for “beach”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I got to our tree, I looked in his eye socket. There was a
tiny clear vial in it. I took it out and examined it. There was a black viscous
liquid in it. Oil! Why would he put oil in a vial for me?
I looked at it for a while and let it reflect in the sun,
racking my brain, trying to figure out the clue Dylan left me.
And what did that mean to me? A rainbow, of course.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I often would come by Dylan’s house after school. One afternoon,
his brother was changing the oil for his car. Some of it leaked on the ground.
I was examining it when Dylan came up behind me with a glass of lemonade. I
jumped at his sudden appearance because I was so focused on looking at the
colors that were in the oil. He laughed at my reaction, and asked “what were
you staring at?”
I pointed to the ground and said, “it looks like a rainbow!”
I was so intrigued, that I even ran to get a paint brush and
paper to see what it would look like on a different surface. Didn’t look like
much, but I had to try. I ruined my brush and my mom freaked out about the
fumes and made me throw everything away. I was so upset that she did that. I
didn’t understand what the big deal was.
I can’t believe he remembered that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rainbow Arch is just down the street!
Excited, I ran over there. I examined the area. Six arches,
yellow, pinks, purple and blue… nothing out of the ordinary. I looked around
the cement area, nothing. We had rarely come here, but something must
have happened here if he wanted me to come this way.
I was starting to examine the individual arches as a family with
a young kid came around. I tried not to get in their way as they walked
through, then I saw the kid point to something and ask “What does this mean
mamma?”
He pointed to “CCXXII” written and encircled in green chalk.
222! How did I miss that? I must have been looking for a physical clue, instead
of a symbol.
The number 2 has always been special to us. He was born on May 2nd and
I was born on August 22nd. We met in 2nd grade in
room 22, how crazy is that?! We dispute it, but he swears we even met on the 2nd.
I think he’s adding on extra things, but he has a knack for detail, so who am I
to dispute it?
But why was it circled? Hmm… oh right! There are circled numbers
on the Boardwalk!
I ran over and found number 301. I followed it until
I found 222. My search led me to the harbor. This made a lot more sense. After
all, we spent countless days here watching the boats, wishing that we could be
out on the seas like real pirates, seeking adventure and treasure.
I looked around. I didn’t see him. I looked around to see if
there was another clue or flag that would steer me in the right direction.
I walked through a few shops and along the walkway. It was
pretty crowded because it was summer and the tourists were around. I racked my
brain to figure out where he would be. I circled through the whole area and
nothing gave me a sense of where I could find him.
It was a particularly hot day and after all that searching, I
wanted a snack. I went to the ice cream shop and got my usual, double scoop of
cookies and cream. The guy handed me my cone and in addition to my receipt, he
gave me an envelope. I asked him, “What’s this?”
He said, “I don’t know. A kid paid me $5 to give this to the
first girl who ordered 2 scoops of cookies and cream, and paid with exact
change in coins; you were her.”
I always preferred coins to dollars. Even though it was heavier,
it made me feel like I had gold treasure, like the pirates did. I also felt a
strange satisfaction in always being able to give exact change.
Dylan used to tease me all the time. He liked having bills, but
hated change. When he’d get change, he’d give it to me, and if he needed
anything under $0.49, I always gave him exact change so he could get bills
back.
I took my ice cream and envelope and fished out a dollar for his
tip.
It was another clue! I can’t believe he’d know I would get ice
cream. How did he know that?!
I went outside to eat my ice cream. I ate hastily so I could see
what was in the envelope.
A note with a key card…
Roses are red
Violets are blue
If you want to see your prize,
Return this to Marina 2.
I finished my ice cream and headed over to Marina 2. I used the
card to get through the gate and after getting to the bottom of the ramp, I saw
red poker chip. It had the number 2 on it. I picked it up and put it in my
pocket. A little way down, I saw another one, so I picked that up as well. I
found a few more and stopped in front of a boat that had 5 chips stacked
neatly.
Before I finished putting them in my pocket I heard a familiar
voice, “Finally!” exclaimed Dylan as he popped out of one of the sail boats.
“How did you get in here?” I asked?
“Didn’t I tell you my dad’s friend just got a boat!?”
“Oh, yeah, I think you mentioned it…”
He pointed to the back of the boat.
“They let me name it!” Dylan said with a big smile. “And I named
it after you!”
“Winnie”
He never called me “Pooh” again.
