Chapter 13
Telly, Elmo, and Cookie Monster sat down beside Robin as room was made for them. Those waiting to tell their stories edged closer so they could hear what was being said.
Scooter smiled at the scene as he stepped back inside Hooper’s store to take Kermit’s latest phone call. Fozzie, Bob, Gordon, and Maria also edged closer, as intrigued by the stories as Robin was.
“So, Cookie,” Robins hand poised above his pad ready to record, “how did you come to Sesame Street?”
“Me wanted cookie.”
“You always want a cookie!” Bob called out.
“But me wanted cookie that day and me found Sesame Street had cookies.”
“What were you doing before you found the cookies on Sesame Street?” Robin’s eyes were wide with anticipation.
“Me not like to talk about it.”
“It wasn’t scary was it?” Telly asked as he wrung his hands together.
“Not to me.”
“What was it?” Elmo moved forward to the edge of his seat, quivering as he waited for the answer.
“Me, me…” Cookie Monster slowly looked around at his friends in the alley and vigorously shook his head. “No. Me can’t tell you.”
A pink hand appeared on his shoulder pulling gently on it so that Cookie Monster would look at its owner. “It’s okay.” Prairie Dawn whispered to him, “You can tell them.”
“But me didn’t like it.”
“Go ahead and tell them Cookie,” Prairie Dawn said raising her voice for all to hear.
“Me… me worked for a company that made me scare kids for energy. Oh, me so ashamed!” Cookie Monster’s hands raised into the air as he dissolved into tears covering his eyes.
“There, there, Cookie” Big Bird gently patted him on one side as Prairie Dawn offered comfort from the other.
“But me scare so many kids!”
“But, but Cookie was just doing his job!” Elmo cried out. “You don’t scare kids anymore.”
“At least you weren’t scaring anyone just for fun.” Telly reached out to take Cookies hand.
“Cookie,” All eyes turned to Robin as he asked the next question, “who was it that you were going to scare that led you to find Sesame Street?”
With a sniffle Cookie took his hand off of his eyes and looked carefully down at Prairie Dawn, “Me so sorry me scared you.”
“You had to Cookie; besides, if you didn’t scare me you would have never found us here.”
“Prairie Dawn threw cookie she had sitting beside her bed at me. Me could never get cookies at home. So me quit me job and snuck back through her door to stay for more cookies.”
“We’re very happy you did, Cookie.” Prairie Dawn said as she gave him a hug.
There were smiles around the alley as Robin finished writing down Cookie Monsters story. Turning to a fresh page he turned his attention to Telly. “What about you, Telly? How did you make it to Sesame Street?”
Before Telly began to speak Forgetful Jones appeared beside Robin, “Well, I would tell you how I got here but I forgot!”
“Maybe if you sit down and listen to the other stories, they’ll help you remember.”
“I don’t know. I just plumb forgot! Maybe my horse Buster could tell you. If only I could remember where Buster is. Buster… Buster!” With that Forgetful Jones wound his way through the group back to the street in search of his horse.
Scooter stepped back outside flipping his phone closed and scanning for any sign that Grover had finished his mission of rounding up the others and had returned to the alley.
Forgetful Jones rushed by him still calling for Buster before he turned the corner and Scooter saw Grover emerging from the phone booth.
“Hey, Grover!”
“Hello there, Scooter.”
“Listen, I just got off the phone with Kermit and…”
“How is froggy baby doing?”
“He’d be doing better if he had some more help with him. He wants to know if you’d be willing to come with us to Colorado.”
“I would love to do that if it is to help Kermit. I must go ask my mommy first. When do you plan on leaving?”
“This evening after Robin has finished getting the stories of those who are here. We will go back to our house to gather our things and then we’ll get started.”
“As long as Mommy says it is fine to go with you than I will be ready to go at that time.” Grover dashed down the street to gather his belongings.
“We’re going to Colorado?” Fozzie asked walking up behind Scooter.
“Yes, after we make sure everything is settled at the house a few of us are going to head up to help Kermit.”
“I don’t know if the Studebaker is going to be big enough,” Fozzie said knowing that no one would be staying behind at the house and that more would join them as they traveled down the road.
“Then we’ll rent a bus.”
“Is Rowlf working on that for us?”
“No. He’s already on his way to Kermit. His plane left an hour ago.”
“Did Kermit say who…”
“No, he still couldn’t tell me that, Fozzie.”
Forgetful Jones was making his way back up the street as Scooter and Fozzie tried not to worry about the progress Kermit was making with their friend.
“Excuse me?” Forgetful Jones broke into their thoughts, “do you know where my horse might be?”
“I can’t say that I do,” Fozzie said putting his arm around Forgetful Jones, “Where’s the last place you saw him?”
“It’s… Maybe… Well, gee I forgot!”
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