Flippersteps in the Sand

[The Count]

Aw... You gots someone helping you already? Well, OK... Good luck, I know we'll all need it for our respective finals.

 

[TogetherAgain]

Okay, so I didn't get any story posted, I'm terribly sorry, I would have last night but there was a thunderstorm and my dad told me to turn my computer off... so I'm leaving town this morning, I'll be back... Well, let's say Tuesday. Technically I'll be back Monday, but I'm not sure how late or how tired I'll be, so... Tuesday.

Have a terriffic weekend, guys, and I'll post when I come back, I promise! Good news is, I'll have LOTS of writing time...

 

[The Count]

Well... You could send it to one of us and we can post it for you. Still haven't heard from Leyla on that front though.

Have a great trip.

 

[Fragglemuppet]

*sings*
It's only 'til Tuesday,
Not long at all...

 

[Xela]

Yay! I'm loving the story so far, even though I just got to reading it today. I love all the Robin and Kermit parts! So cute.

 

[TogetherAgain]

SURPRISE!!

There was a slight change of plans, and we came home yesterday instead of today. And let me tell you- <points> I REALLY missed that bed of mine! And I missed you guys, too. BUT! I wrote over two chapters this weekend! Yay for long car rides and graduation ceremonies. I'll be posting later today. When today, I don't quite know, but at some point. In the meantime, three random things from my trip:

1.) At a rest stop in Ohio, during a rainstorm, we stopped and I had a chocolate-chip muffin. Hm, wonder what I thought about...
2.) At one of the graduation ceremonies I went to- don't remember now if it was my sister's or her boyfriend's- one of the graduate's names was "Richard M. Hunt." Hm, wonder what/who I thought about...
3.) On the wall of a restaurant in Indiana, while eating dinner, I noticed a sign that read "Penguin Avenue." I immediately started looking for a cannon. ...What?...

See ya later, guys!

 

[Muppet Matt]

Where were you in OH? I live in Wayne county.

 

[Fragglemuppet]

Very interesting, and random stuff, LOL! Was Richard's middle anitial M? Welcome back!

 

[The Count]

Story? What's that? Been starved... No nothing from Nicole, Bo, Sara, Leyla... Rully need someone to nag those people to death for updates. You wouldn't know someone who'd fit that bill do you?

 

[TogetherAgain]

Chapter Twenty

The Next Morning
May 11, 1971

Kermit held Robin’s hand as they left the apartment and headed towards the stairwell.

“But Uncle Kermit,” Robin said, “I don’t WANNA go!”

“Why not?” Kermit asked.

“I’m scared!” Robin said.

“Scared?” Kermit said. “Robin, I wouldn’t be taking you if there was anything to be scared of.” They started down the stairs. “And besides, you already know Jim.”

Robin stopped, sat down on the stairs, and looked up at his uncle. “I’m scared,” he said.

Kermit scrunched his face up. “But there’s nothing to be afraid of!” He sat down and sighed. “We’ll be late-“ He watched his nephew’s eyes start to fill with tears, and he put a hand on the young frog’s back. “Jim won’t mind this once,” he said softly. He wiped Robin’s eyes.

“Can we stay here a little while?” Robin whispered. Kermit nodded. Robin looked around. “Uncle Kermit? Are we at the top of the stairs or the bottom?”

Kermit looked up and down the stairs. “Neither,” he said.

“Then where are we?” Robin asked. “If we’re not on the first floor, and we’re not on the second floor… is there an in-between floor?”

“No, no in-between floor,” Kermit said. “We’re just sort of… in-between.”

Robin looked up at him, confused. “But… then… where are we?”

“Well, we’re just halfway down the stairs,” Kermit said.

Robin looked up and down the stairs. “So… we’re not on the first floor, and we’re not on the second floor, we’re just… in between them?” he asked. “So… We’re not really anywhere… are we?”

“Well, we’re somewhere, we’re just-“ Kermit hesitated, thinking. “Well-“

Robin looked up at him patiently.

“Well- we’re somewhere,” Kermit said, “It’s just… kind of hard to say where.”

Robin looked up and down the stairs. “Oh,” he said.

“Kind of reminds me of a poem I read once,” Kermit said. “I’ll see if I can find it for you. We’ll stop at the library later. Okay?”

Robin hesitated. “Uncle Kermit?” he said. “What’s a library?”

Kermit smiled. “I’ll explain when we get there,” he said gently.

Robin nodded. “Okay,” he said quietly.

“Are you ready to go to the office now?” Kermit asked.

Robin nodded. They stood up, and Robin looked up and down the stairs, and then up to Kermit with a smile. “Half-way,” he said.

Kermit nodded. “Yup. Half-way.” He took his nephew’s hand and they walked downstairs together.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

When they entered the office, Robin stopped and stared. “Wow,” he said quietly. “Uncle Kermit- are those stairs, too?”

Kermit smiled. “Yup. Those are stairs, too!”

“They look different,” Robin said.

“Well that’s because they’re in a spiral,” Kermit explained.

“Why are they in a spiral?” Robin asked. “Does it work different in a spiral?”

“No, it still works the same,” Kermit said. “It just looks fancier.”

“It’s really neat,” Robin said.

“I thought you would like it,” Kermit said. “Ready to go up?”

“Sure!” Robin grabbed his uncle’s hand as they walked to the stairs. “And then we’ll see Mr. Henson, right Uncle Kermit?”

“That’s right,” Kermit said. “Mr. Henson, and a whole bunch of other people you’ll get to meet, too.”

“Like who?”

“Well, like Jerry Juhl, and Don Sahlin, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson-“ Robin suddenly stopped. “What’s wrong?”

Robin looked up and down the stairs. He smiled up at Kermit. “Half-way!”

Kermit smiled. “Yup, half-way,” he said. They walked to the top of the stairs.

“Uncle Kermit?” Robin said, stopping again. “Is this where the weird blue guy you told us about jumped from?”

Kermit hesitated. “Weird blue guy? Oh! You mean Gonzo?”

“Yeah,” Robin said.

“Oh. Yes, this is where he jumped from,” Kermit said.

Robin peered down the stairs. “That’s a long way down,” he said.

Kermit shifted his weight. “Yeah-“

“Why did he do that?” Robin asked.

“Well- I don’t know, but- don’t try it, okay?” Kermit tried to edge him away from the stairs.

“Oh I wasn’t going to,” Robin said. “It’s scary!” They walked on. “Does he still work here?” Robin asked.

“Who, Gonzo?” Kermit said. “Nope. He went back to being a plumber. I haven’t’ heard from him since.”

“Oh,” Robin said. “Why not?”

“Well… I don’t know. We just haven’t kept in touch, that’s all,” Kermit said.

“Uncle Kermit?”

“Yes Robin?”

“Who am I?” Robin asked. Kermit stared at him. “In the special,” Robin said.

“Oh!” Kermit said. “Well, I told you, Robin, you’re the frog prince.”

“Well- yeah, but- what’s my name?” Robin asked.

Kermit smiled. “In the special?” he said. “You’re Robin- Sir Robin- the Brave.”