Chapter One
September 22, 1963
Jim Henson, a tall, dark haired, bearded young man, strolled into the diner, laughing with Kermit, a short green character in a red sweater. They sat next to each other at the counter, oblivious to the silent observer in a nearby booth.
She was the darkest shade of green, with long, thick black hair. Her eyes kept a steady gaze on Jim and Kermit. They intimidated her, as most everything did. But Kermit was the first creature she had seen of her own kind since she had left home, and even though he was a stranger, at least he was a familiar species.
Jim took out a pen and started sketching on a napkin. “We’ll make it a kitchen set,” he said as he drew. “You’ll sit here... and Pam-“
“Who’s Pam?” Kermit asked.
“She’s their spokeswoman. Remember you’ve met her-“
“Oh yeah.”
“She’ll be standing here,” Jim said.
“Oh, I see!” Kermit said. “I like it. Good idea, Jim.”
“I’m glad you like it, Kermit,” Jim said. He looked at his watch. “I should get back to the office,” he said. “Frank had something he wanted to talk about.”
“Okay,” Kermit said. “I’ll be there later.”
“All right. Bye Kermit,” Jim said.
“See ya, Jim!” Kermit said.
The observer watched as the man left the diner, and the creature remained at the counter. She stood up to talk to him. She quickly sat back down. She stood up again, and sat back down, stood up, sat down, stood up, and sat down again. She sighed, stood up, and started walking towards the door, keeping her eyes on the floor. She walked straight into a waitress.
The waitress lost her balance and dropped her tray, spilling cream all over the floor and knocking the observer flat on her stomach. A customer at the counter stood up, slipped in the cream, and knocked his stool over. The stool bounced on the observer’s arm before crashing down on it once more.
“YEOWWWWWW!” she screamed.
Kermit turned from the counter and gasped. “Oh my goodness,” he said as he hopped off of his stool and knelt down beside the observer. He lifted the stool off of her arm. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Tears started streaming down her face. “It hurts,” she whimpered.
“I’m sure it does,” he said. “Here, let me give you a hand.” He carefully helped her to her feet and guided her to a booth, where they both sat down.
“Are you all right, miss?” the frantic waitress asked. “I’m so sorry-“
The observer hardly noticed her. Kermit looked up. “Do you have an ice pack?” he asked.
“I’ll get you something,” the waitress said quickly. She turned, ran, slipped and fell in the cream, stood up, and disappeared behind a door.
Kermit turned to the injured observer. “Your arm looks like it’s swelling up,” he explained.
She nodded. “It hurts,” she whispered, biting back her tears.
The waitress re-emerged with a bundle of ice in a towel. She ran over and dropped it on the table as she slipped and fell in the cream once more. “JOHNATHON, COULD YOU GET A MOP OUT HERE?” she shouted as she clambered to her feet.
“This should help,” Kermit said. He lifted the bundle and placed it gently on the observer’s swelling arm. “How’s that?”
She took a sharp breath and let it out slowly. “That-“ Her eyes locked on his Saturn-shaped pupils. “That helps,” she said softly. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” he whispered. He held her gaze in silence for a moment. “I don’t know your name,” he said suddenly.
“Melinda,” she said.
“Melinda,” he repeated. “That’s a pretty name.”
“Thank you,” she said quietly. “...I don’t know your name.”
“Oh my name’s Kermit,” he said.
“Kermit,” she repeated. “Well it- it’s nice to meet you... Kermit.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Melinda,” he said. They held each other’s gaze. Suddenly she gasped and winced. They both looked at her arm. “It must hurt pretty bad,” Kermit said. She nodded. “You should probably go to a hospital.”
Her eyes snapped to his face. “Hospital?” she repeated. She swallowed hard. “You think so?”
“Well it might be broken,” Kermit said.
Melinda looked at her arm and nodded. “I guess,” she said. “But I- I don’t- well, I just- I don’t know where there’s a hospital.”
“Oh, well, I could take you to one,” he offered.
She nodded. “Maybe that would help.”
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Kermit sat next to Melinda in the waiting room as she rocked back and forth, holding an ice pack on her arm. She sighed. “I shouldn’t be here,” she mumbled.
“Pardon?” Kermit said.
“I shouldn’t be here,” she repeated. She kept rocking. “Pa was right; I can’t make it here. I shouldn’t have left. I should be there.”
“...Oh,” Kermit said. “...Where?”
She stopped and looked at him. “The swamp,” she said. She started rocking again. “What was I thinking,” she muttered. “I must be
crazy to have left.”
Kermit scrunched his face up. “Well not
too crazy,” he said. She scoffed. “Well, listen,” he pushed on, “Even if that
does mean you’re crazy, at least you’re not the only one.”
“Right,” Melinda said sarcastically. “Like there’s any other creature crazy enough.”
“There’s at least
one other,” he said.
“Yeah, who?”
“Well-
me.”
She stopped rocking and looked up at him. She smiled a little. “I guess I’m just being silly,” she shrugged.
“Oh not at all,” he said. “I think about going back all the time.”
“I didn’t say anything about going back,” she snapped.
“Well, yeah, but-“
“But nothing,” she said. “I didn’t say anything about going back.”
“Oh,” Kermit said. “Okay.”
A nurse entered the room. “Melinda?” she said. “The doctor will see you now.” Melinda stood up.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Kermit asked. “Or maybe just wait out here for you?”
“No,” Melinda said quickly. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay,” he shrugged as he stood up to leave. “Well, if you’re sure...”
“Kermit?” she said.
He looked at her. “Yes, Melinda?”
She smiled a little. “Thanks.”
He smiled back. “You’re welcome.”
She nodded to him and followed the nurse away.