The Plan
“Hopper is a very dangerous man,” Kermit said. “He’s threatening to kill Robin, he tried to kill us before, and he’s likely to try to kill us now. So if anyone wants to stay here, now’s the time to say it.”
There was a tiny moment of silence. Then murmurs began to roll down the table.
Johnny turned to Sal. “Sal, I’m not so sure about this guy,” he said quietly.
“Like, do we rully wanna deal with this guy again?” Janice said to Floyd.
“I don’t want to risk my life, hokay,” Pepe said.
“Yeah, this Hopper guy ain’t my cup a’ tea,” Rizzo said.
Now everyone was talking their way out of it.
“Somebody’s gotta take care of the theater,” Scooter said.
“I don’t like galloping across the country at the spur of the moment,” Pops said.
“Kermie? I’m not sure about this,” Miss Piggy said.
Kermit looked around, almost panicking. “Um, guys?” he said. They quieted down. “I’m going. My nephew is in trouble, and I am NOT letting Hopper get him. I’ll go alone if I have to. But I’m going.”
“I’m coming with,” Fozzie said immediately.
“Me too,” Gonzo said.
“I’m with you all the way,” Rowlf said.
“You can count on me,” Bunsen said.
“I’m in,” Sweetums said.
“I’m here for ya’, Kermit,” Floyd said.
“Fer surely,” Janice said.
“COME WITH! COME WITH!” Animal shouted.
“Yeah,” Zoot mumbled.
“You’ve got the whole band behind you, Kermit,” Dr. Teeth said.
“You know what, Kermit?” Johnny said. “You’re doing this for family... we’ll do it. Right, Sal?”
Sal snapped to attention. “Right, Johnny! We’re coming with!”
“Well don’t think you’re leaving me behind,” Clifford said.
“Si, I will come as well,” Pepe said.
Rizzo looked around. “Alright, I’ll come, too!” he said, not sounding at all pleased about it.
Pepe glared at him. “Copycat.”
Kermit nodded, looking around at his friends. “I knew I could count on all of you,” he said. “Now. Robin is going to call Miss Piggy’s cell phone and-“ he stopped and turned to Miss Piggy. “Um, Piggy, are you coming, too?”
She shifted in her chair, uneasy. She remembered Hopper, and she was afraid. “Well, Kermie... um...”
Kermit frowned. It was very clear to him that she was letting him down. He held out his open hand and spoke very quietly. “Well, then, give me your cell phone.”
Miss Piggy looked into his eyes, heard the sadness in his voice, and knew what she had to do. She took her cell phone out, placed it in his hand, and said, “I’m coming.”
Kermit nodded. “Good.” He turned to the rest of the table. “So Robin is going to call Miss Piggy’s cell phone whenever he can to say where he is. Dr. Teeth, I want you and the band to take the bus. Bunsen and Beaker, I want you to take Sweetums in your car. Johnny and Sal, you take Clifford and Pepe in your convertible. The rest of us will take the Cadillac. We’ll each take a slightly different route, and adjust our destinations to where ever Robin is. I want you each to call every day and find out where Robin is.”
They all nodded and gathered around the maps. They were ready to follow Kermit’s lead as they jumped into action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robin finished the last bite of his sandwich and took a final swallow of his milk. It had been a very fulfilling meal, both physically and emotionally. It had been prepared in exactly the way he liked, and peppered with friendly conversation from the woman behind the counter. He pushed the empty plate away from him. “Thank you very much, Cheryl,” he said. “I feel bad that I can’t pay you.”
She smiled. “Don’t worry about it,” she said as she started to clear away the plate. “I’m just glad I have something to do for a change.” She picked up a rag to wipe down the counter and glanced out the window. She froze. “You should go,” she said.
Robin turned and looked out into the parking lot. He grabbed his pack.
“Go out the back,” Cheryl said, pointing the way.
He raced out as fast as he could. No sooner had he closed the back door behind him than the front door opened and Doc and Junior Hopper walked in.
“Have you seen a frog?” Doc asked.
“Oh, I’ve seen lots of frogs,” Cheryl said, and she quickly launched into a long, detailed description of the annual frog race she attended each fall.
Robin rushed down the back alley, searching. He had to get away, and he knew his little frog legs weren’t quite fast enough. Something caught his eye. He went over to inspect it.
A black skateboard was leaning up against a building. It could work. It was better than nothing. But then, he couldn’t just take it. That wouldn’t be fair.
He reached into his pack and felt around carefully, pulling something out.
It was a small wooden box. Robin went through the carefully packed contents in his mind. A bar of chocolate, a deck of cards, a travel-size game of Chinese checkers, an empty journal, a brand-new book... yes, it could pass as a fair trade. He opened the box and removed one thing- a picture of him and Uncle Kermit, sitting together on a chair, an open book in front of them. He put the picture carefully in his pack, set the box on the ground, got on the skateboard, and rolled away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kermit held the framed picture in his hands. It was him and his little nephew Robin, sitting together in a chair, an open book in front of them. He stared at it sadly, worrying as he carried it to the stairs and began to climb up them. He stopped and sat down, halfway down the stairs. This was more than he could take. He needed to save Robin. That was all he could think. He needed to save Robin.
He felt a furry hand on his shoulder and turned to see Fozzie, waiting, supporting, sharing the burden, giving his friend the strength he needed.
“Kermit?” he said. “We’re ready.”
Kermit nodded. They walked down the stairs together and stopped at the table, where Kermit’s suitcase was waiting. Kermit opened it, put the picture inside, closed it, turned to Fozzie and said, “Let’s go.”
Outside, a line of four vehicles was waiting. In the front there was a shiny, off-white 1959 Cadillac. Behind it was the Electric Mayhem bus, with it’s own absurd paint job. Next, an old orange Volkswagen Beetle, with dozens upon dozens of extra gadgets that Bunsen had added to the controls. Last in line was Johnny’s brand new, bright red convertible.
As soon as they saw Kermit and Fozzie emerge from the house, the Muppets all started to load into their respective vehicles.
Scooter stopped Kermit on the front stoop.
“I can’t sit back and watch, Boss,” he said. “Tell me what I can do.”
“You can be our home base,” Kermit said. “If the Ranger Station finds anything, they’ll probably call the theater. I’ll do the same. You can be our go-between.”
Scooter nodded. “Right. Good luck, Boss.”
“Thanks, Scooter,” Kermit said. He and Fozzie stepped down onto the ground. Dusk had fallen, and the thick night air fully engulfed them. But there was no time to lose. Kermit checked with each driver one last time before he joined Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Rowlf, and Rizzo in the Cadillac. They pulled away from the curb and drove off for Colorado.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Robin was tired. The skateboard was a lot for him to push. He tried to sit down as he went, and it worked surprisingly well. He wondered where he was heading. The hours passed, the towns faded, and the daylight slipped slowly away. Exhaustion started to take over. The young frog rolled to a stop on the side of the road and was almost instantly sound asleep.
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