Baloo arrived in the cab he had called before leaving for Rebecca's apartment,
anxiously fingering his tie, and checking one more time to make sure that the
little black box was still safely in his jacket pocket.
"This is it, the big day. I hope ol' Beckers'll say yes, but what if she
doesn't? What if she says no? What if she really *does* say yes, then
what am I gonna do?" Baloo thought nervously. He then stepped up to the
elevator and pressed the up button with shaking hands. Almost immediately,
the cab arrived, and he got in. After selecting the correct floor, Baloo started
mumbling to himself again.
"What am I gonna do? What if she says yes, should I even ask her? Why would
she even say yes to a fat, stupid bear like me anyway?" Baloo trailed off,
nervously rubbing his sweaty hands on the sides of coat. At one point in the
ascent, which was seeming to take forever to reach the fifth floor, He took
out the ring box again. Even without opening it, the mere sight of the little
black box sent a chill of exhilaration down his spine, but it was tempered with
an icy fear in his chest. The cab door opened, and Baloo quickly stuck it back
into his pocket. The elevator ride that had seemed to never end was
now far too quick, and he felt that he had left his stomach back on the ground
floor. The usually friendly corridor, filled with soft lighting and blue and purple
art deco furnishings, now seemed ominous and strange, the landing leading off
into a dark unknown void. The hall seemed to have taken on a life of its own,
stretching on forever, never allowing Baloo to reach his destination.
Meanwhile, at Rebecca's . . .
"Mommy, what are you and Baloo gonna do tonight? Why can't I come
too? Why do I have to stay with Mrs. Potter, she's *so* boring! Why can't
I stay with Kit?" Molly began her stream of questions as her mother tried
to wrestle her into her pajamas. This task made even more difficult by
Rebecca's fruitless attempts at not wrinkling her dress or smudging her
makeup.
"Because Baloo and I are going out to dinner, and it is past your
bedtime, and Kit has a big test in the morning, and I decided that it
would be best for you to stay here with Mrs. Potter. And don't you dare
tell her that she is boring --- she's a nice lady, and I expect you to
behave yourself, come on, let me put this over your head, MOLLY!"
At Rebecca's final attempt to get her daughter to be still, a daunting task even
under the best circumstances, she heard
the doorbell ring. Rebecca fell forward, catching herself with her hands
on the floor as Molly crawled between her legs with a cheerful, "I'll get it
Mommy!" as she ran off down the hall, still half dressed.
"Why me? Why? What did I ever do that caused me to deserve this?" Rebecca
mumbled to herself as she got up off the floor.
Molly reached the front door, and with her head and right arm coming
out of one hole, and her left arm still lost within her nightgown, she
reached up as far as she could.
"Who is it?"
"This is Ace Baloo twelve-oh-three-one, also known as Papa Bear, do you copy
Cupcake three-four-five?"
Molly started giggling, but continued on with the game. "I read you Ace
Papa Bear one-two-oh-three-one, do you have any cargo for Cupcake three-
four-five, over."
"Roger Cupcake one-two-oh-three-one, Ace Papa Bear Baloo one-two-oh-three-
one has a big cargo
surprise for Cupcake three-four-five if one-two-oh-three-one can be cleared for
a landing, over."
"Landing cleared, Papa Bear one-two-oh-three-one, over and out."
"Roger that Cupcake, coming in for a landing, over and out."
With that last exchange, Molly opened the door for Baloo, only to find
him crouched down at her level on the other side of the door. Molly was
instantly intrigued, and ran headfirst into the trap.
As soon as the little bear cub was within reach, Baloo grabbed her by her
nightgown, and began to tickle her mercilessly.
"Baloo, Baloo, let me go, ohh please, what about my surprise, Baloo!"
Molly yelled between gasps for breath and laughter as she struggled to
get away from the big bear.
"This *is* your surprise! Hahahahaha!" Baloo responded with a
theatrical laugh, fully worthy of any of the screen villains of the day.
Finally, Baloo released Molly, straightened out her clothes, and looked
up to see Rebecca smiling at him from the doorway.
"Oh hey, Becky, didn't realize you were there. I got Molly all ready for
bed for ya.
Uh, you ready to go? I got a cab down there waitin' for
us." Baloo asked as he picked up Molly.
"Yes, I'm ready to leave as soon as we get Miss. Molly here to bed. I got
Mrs. Potter to stay with her, and she called to say she'd be here in just a
minute. Thanks for getting her ready, I have been chasing this little
terror around for almost *a half hour* now." Rebecca said, smiling.
Then she aimed a stern look of disapproval at her daughter. "And as for you,
young lady…"
Molly had the grace to hang her head as though ashamed, but she couldn't
quite hide a tiny giggle.
"Molly, you have to learn that when I say go to bed, that's exactly what I mean.
Look what time it is---!"
"Aw, Beckers, don't be too hard on her, I already tortured her enough this
evenin'."
Rebecca sighed loudly. "I give up. What am I going to do with you two?"
"She is right though. Cupcake, you'd best get to bed, I promise I'll bring
your momma here home afore midnight, cause you never know what
might happen," Baloo said with a conspiratorial wink at his boss and friend.
Someone he hoped would be so much more to him in
just a few more hours.
Molly was then put to bed by Baloo, and just as he was leaving and about
to turn out the light, Molly called him back.
"Baloo, can I ask you something?"
"What is it, pigtails? I need to get goin', so tell me what ya need," Baloo
responded, puzzled at her new air of gravity.
"Baloo, are you gonna be my daddy?"
"WHA—Wha, what makes you say that all of a sudden?" He cleared his
throat nervously.
"Well, you keep lookin' at Mommy all funny, and Kit's been all secretive
but really happy lately, and you and Mommy keep goin' to dinner, and to
movies, and when Mommy gets home she is all weird and happy. Like
she's not really here or something. And I thought that seemed kinda
funny so I asked Mommy what people acted like when they were gonna
get married, and that is what you guys sound like. Besides, Mommy is
too old to marry Kit, and Wildcat has Clementine, and I don't think she
would marry Louie, so it must be you. So, are you gonna marry
Mommy?"
Baloo was momentarily stunned into speechlessness. He had told Kit of his
intentions a month ago, but he knew that Kit would never have said
anything to Molly. This was something she had worked out entirely on
her own.
Before Baloo could think of an answer, he was saved --- sort of.
"Hurry up, Baloo! Any longer and you'll be paying that cab driver's mortgage!"
'Man, never thought I'd ever be so happy to hear that woman yellin' at
me before.' Baloo thought as he said goodnight to Molly and hurried
down the hall.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur for Baloo. He never could later
recall what he had eaten, or in this case, played with and pushed around
his plate, or how he managed to keep up his end of the conversation.
The only thing on his mind was that little black box, and echoes of his
recent conversation with those closest to him.
'I asked Mommy what people acted like when they were gonna get
married, and that is what you guys sound like.'
'Papa Bear, when are you gonna ask her? She isn't going to wait forever, you
know.'
'Short Stuff's right there. Fuzzy, are you gonna ask the pretty lady or
am I gonna have to do it for ya?'
"Baloo, what do you think about that new Hyer account? That guy is a little
creepy, but he is offering to pay Hire for Higher an awful lot of money to ship
his cargo. What do you think?"
"Uh, sure Becky."
"But last week you said you thought he was up to something. Have you
changed your mind?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Well, okay. How has Kit been doing in school lately? I haven't seen his little
club members around lately, do you know if they had a falling out or
something?"
"Oh, Kit, he's good."
"Baloo, do you think we should paint the seaduck red and green and call it a
Christmas cake?"
"Sure Beckers."
"Baloo, I am on fire."
"Alright."
"Baloo, the entire planet just blew up."
"Good thing."
"Agghhhh! Nevermind!"
In the middle of a dessert he had no recollection of even ordering, Baloo
suddenly jumped up from his chair, "Uh, Becky, uh, would you, will you, uh,
I'llberightback!"
"What has gotten into him? He hasn't listened to a single thing I've said this
entire evening, and he's barely touched his food. That is not like Baloo at all. I
wonder what's bothering him? Well, I'll get it out of him when he gets back."
Rebecca thought as she dipped her spoon into her lime sherbet.
In the restroom, where Baloo had fled when his nervousness had threatened to
make him do something he might later regret, "yeah, like ask ol' Beckers to
marry me or somethin' stupid like that," Baloo mumbled to himself as he leaned
over one of the sinks.
Baloo finally took the ring box out of his pocket, and opened it up,
wishing it could tell him what to do next. It was an old fashioned setting,
a medium sized white diamond in antique white gold. The main princess
cut diamond was flanked by two small sapphires on either side. It had
been his mother's, the ring his father had commissioned to a small-town
jeweler for his love, Dorothy Blackburn. The ring had been left to Baloo
by his mother on the day he returned home from the orphanage, on his
eighteenth birthday. His mother had long since been committed to a
sanitarium, but in one of her last rational acts, as evidenced by the
shakiness of her writing and the fracturing of her sentences in the letter
she had enclosed, she left a single link to Baloo's past waiting for him .
Dorothy had taken the ring, sealed it in a small envelope, and carefully printed
Baloo's name on the front; leaving the small white envelope on the dresser,
waiting for her son to return home as she knew he would.
"I never thought I'd have a use for it. Not ever. I was married to that
plane, and I never dreamed I'd ever have it any other way. It was me, my
baby, and the sky, but then one day my whole world flipped upside
down, inside out and backwards at the same time."
"But now, aw heck, but what? I still don't know what happened, when it
all got even *more* complicated."
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and a small bespectacled fox
walked in. He was an older gentleman, graying around his muzzle and
his eyes, and he was dressed in an old-fashioned suit coat and vest, a
pocket watch dangling from a chain in the Victorian fashion. He took
one look at Baloo, and started to laugh softly into a handkerchief he
produced from his coat pocket.
"What, well yeah, I guess I must look crazy in here talkin' to myself. I'll
get goin' though," Baloo said, mildly annoyed both at himself and at this rather
impolite old fox who was laughing at him.
"Oh, no, please don't do that, oh no, please stay. I think I
know what's bothering you, and I might say it is a familiar feeling. I've been in
your shoes before, my young friend," the old fox said quickly. His voice had a
cultured British lilt.
"You have, have ya?" Baloo snorted. "Well, that just shows how much *you*
know, pal, since I don't *wear* shoes!" He started to leave, then his stomach
flipped, and his dinner threatened to return to sender. Moaning, he quickly
leaned over the sink again.
The older gentleman steadied him. "Easy, young fella. It's just nervous jitters
that ails you, if what I suspect is true."
The big bear closed his eyes and put a hand over his eyes. "Nope, that's the Big
Guy tellin' me I'm about ta make a huge fool of myself as usual. Either that or
the Filet Mig-non was outta season."
"Ah." The fox's eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "You're about to pop the
question. I thought so."
Baloo turned his head to peer at him blearily. "H-how'd ya know?"
The fox looked down at the floor, then back at Baloo sheepishly, "I never made
it to a sink . . ."
Well, what happened? Wait a minute! How do you know what I'm worrin'
over?" Baloo asked, desperately wanting to ask someone, anyone's advice in
this matter, but still wary of this stranger who had suddenly taken an interest
not only in his health, but his love life to boot.
"Oh, I know what you're about to do. Men have been doing it for
hundreds of years. One day you meet up with a pretty face, and before
you know it you're baited, hook, line, and sinker. I knew it just as soon
as I saw your face, and that lovely ring you're holding there was another
pretty good clue." The old fox nodded at the ring Baloo only just realized he
was still holding in his hand.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that would be a pretty dead giveaway.
But, before you were saying you had been here before, so, what was it
like, for you, I mean? Were you scared? Were you sure you were doin'
the right thing? I mean, I think I know what I'm doin', but then I'm not
sure either, I mean, we're almost a family as it is, what with Kit and
Molly and all, but, I mean, should I mess with a good thing? What if ol'
Beckers gets another bee in her bonnet, only this time the guy isn't a
ghost, or a crook, and she and little Muffin just run out of my life
forever? I don't think I could take it. Besides, she's pretty, smart…aw, more
than that, she's educated --- got a MBA or ABC or whatever they give 'em and,
and, I'm just a fat, stupid ol' cargo pilot. OH, what am I gonna do . . . " Baloo
trailed off miserably, leaning back into the sink, one hand clutching his
increasingly sore head, the other massaging his closed eyes.
"Well, my fine friend, let me tell you a story…"
"I met Mary in England where we were children together, but then we
grew up; she left for Usland, and I stayed behind. For awhile we stayed in
touch, but finally, the letters decreased, and finally, trickled to a stop
altogether, and I assumed she had just forgotten all about me. I loved her still,
and although there were a few very nice ladies who would have made lovely
wives, I just never could forget Mary. She was my first love. I met her in
second grade, and I was a goner from that day on. She was a beautiful little
girl, and she had this way with little remarks she made. It wasn't so much
what she said, as they flat, deadpan way she said it. Ahh, I guess you really
just had to hear them. And the practical jokes, they never ended! I was never
safe! I always wanted to marry her when we were old enough. I know my
parents, and hers too, hoped we would grow out of this silly infatuation, but
that wasn't what happened at all. I loved her you see, and when you love
someone, no matter how long they are gone, or how little you remember, you
never can forget how they lightened your day, and your whole world seemed
just a little warmer because they were in it."
"It was many years later, and I had become a successful businessman; I
was on the original board of trustees for the Cape Suzette Widows and
Orphans Fund --- when my uncle died suddenly and left me his estate. Not
a large place really, just a few acres and small Victorian house, but it
was in Usland, and I had never forgotten Mary and how she had left for
these far shores all those years ago."
"So, I packed all my belongings, managed to convince the board we
should start a new branch of the foundation here, and set off for my
inheritance."
"Several years passed, and I turned thirty, then thirty-five. I had all
but given up on finding her years ago. I was able to retire early, and
spent my days writing out at the farm, simply enjoying my life as it was,
simple, but sadly, alone. My big break occurred when I was invited to
my niece's wedding over here in Cape Suzette. It was a lovely affair, but
the part I remember best was seeing a familiar face. It took me a minute to
place her, but then I knew. She was older, touched by time, but time had been
kind, and to my mind she was still as beautiful as she had been on that
summer day she left for Usland when we were both just seventeen. My
beautiful Mary, still as lovely as the day she left our home, and I was staring at
her, thinking about how much I loved her, but sure she must be married or at
least engaged. But, after watching her for a time, I realized that she seemed to
be without an escort. I made my way over to her, introduced myself, and we
spent the rest of the evening talking about everything that had happened since
we last met. I found out that she had never married, and had tried to find me,
having traveled to England several times attempting to find me in our small
hometown,
but no-one there really knew what had become of me. But she had made each
trip after I had already left for Usland. So, I had come here, and she had gone
there, both of us working at cross-purposes, until the strange little thing called
fate brought us together again. We laughed at how funny life is, and how
remarkable it was that we had finally found our way back together. Two days
later I asked her to marry me. I was just as nervous as you are now, but I was
certainly not going to let her get away from me again. Now, many years have
passed, we still live out at my uncle's old farm, enjoying all the time we missed.
I have never regretted that day --- not once in twenty-seven years. She is the
light of my life."
"So, my dear boy," the fox gave him a brisk pat on the back and a push. "Get
out there. I know you are nervous, but if you love her as much as I can already
see you do, she must feel the same way. Otherwise she wouldn't have come
here with you. Your -- Beckers, as you called her -- must be a wonderful
person, and I'm telling you, in the way nobody was around to tell me, get your
keister out there. You only live once, get it right the first time! If you weren't so
nervous, I'd tell you to wait, but you have all the signs of a man long gone, so
there's not much hope for you now. Get out there and do what you've gotta do!"
With that, the old fox turned and started for the door, leaving Baloo standing
there.
'Go out there and ask the girl!'
"Well, here goes nothin'," Baloo mumbled as he closed the ring box, shoved it
back into his pocket. He lumbered back to the table, much in the way a man
might march to his own beheading.
Rebecca stood up. "Baloo! Are you okay? You have been acting funny all
night! Do we need to leave? I've got some aspirin in my purse." She opened it
and began to dig around.
Baloo just continued his head-down journey to his big meeting with fate.
"Baloo, do you need to lie down or something …"
But, before she could say another word, Baloo reached the table, sank down on
one knee, brought out and opened the ring box, and blurted out:
"Rebeccawillyoumarryme?"
"Baloo, can't this wait until after dinner? You really don't have to beg for a
raise you ---!" She blinked. "*What'd* you say?!"
He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat, nevously looked down at
the ring, then back up at Rebecca, and spoke more slowly, almost reverently.
"Rebecca, will you marry me?"
"Oh my, oh my, oh my goodness, I, I thought you'd never ask, you big, dumb,
wonderful bear, of course I'll marry you! Oh Baloo!" Rebecca cried. Wrapping
her arms around his neck, she kissed him forcefully. Her joyful grip nearly
strangled him, but for once, he didn't mind the abuse.
"Auuggch, Bec-ky, Bec-ky, honey, you're – chok-ing me.".
For the first time that evening,
Baloo felt good. He felt wonderful,
'that old guy was right, this is wonderful. How could I ever live without her?'
he thought he breathed in the faint freesia scent of her hair and felt her small
body in his arms.
At that moment, he caught sight of the fox from the bathroom, he was
leaving with a beautiful red lady fox, Baloo knew she must be
Mary. Just as they reached the door, the fox turned around, winked at Baloo
and gave him a celebratory smile.
"And then what happened Daddy? What the fox's name? What did you and
Momma do after that? What did Molly and Kit say?" A small gray bear cub
asked, determined to stay awake a few moments longer, not wanting the story
to end. But her eyelids were heavy, she had been through a long day, and she
was asleep before her father could answer any of her questions.
Baloo gently leaned over and brushed a stray lock of dark brown hair off of
Abigail's light gray forehead, savoring the softness of her baby features.
"And they all lived Happily Ever After, Abby-Gail." Baloo whispered as he
kissed the top of her head and continued to watch his peacefully sleeping
daughter.
anxiously fingering his tie, and checking one more time to make sure that the
little black box was still safely in his jacket pocket.
"This is it, the big day. I hope ol' Beckers'll say yes, but what if she
doesn't? What if she says no? What if she really *does* say yes, then
what am I gonna do?" Baloo thought nervously. He then stepped up to the
elevator and pressed the up button with shaking hands. Almost immediately,
the cab arrived, and he got in. After selecting the correct floor, Baloo started
mumbling to himself again.
"What am I gonna do? What if she says yes, should I even ask her? Why would
she even say yes to a fat, stupid bear like me anyway?" Baloo trailed off,
nervously rubbing his sweaty hands on the sides of coat. At one point in the
ascent, which was seeming to take forever to reach the fifth floor, He took
out the ring box again. Even without opening it, the mere sight of the little
black box sent a chill of exhilaration down his spine, but it was tempered with
an icy fear in his chest. The cab door opened, and Baloo quickly stuck it back
into his pocket. The elevator ride that had seemed to never end was
now far too quick, and he felt that he had left his stomach back on the ground
floor. The usually friendly corridor, filled with soft lighting and blue and purple
art deco furnishings, now seemed ominous and strange, the landing leading off
into a dark unknown void. The hall seemed to have taken on a life of its own,
stretching on forever, never allowing Baloo to reach his destination.
Meanwhile, at Rebecca's . . .
"Mommy, what are you and Baloo gonna do tonight? Why can't I come
too? Why do I have to stay with Mrs. Potter, she's *so* boring! Why can't
I stay with Kit?" Molly began her stream of questions as her mother tried
to wrestle her into her pajamas. This task made even more difficult by
Rebecca's fruitless attempts at not wrinkling her dress or smudging her
makeup.
"Because Baloo and I are going out to dinner, and it is past your
bedtime, and Kit has a big test in the morning, and I decided that it
would be best for you to stay here with Mrs. Potter. And don't you dare
tell her that she is boring --- she's a nice lady, and I expect you to
behave yourself, come on, let me put this over your head, MOLLY!"
At Rebecca's final attempt to get her daughter to be still, a daunting task even
under the best circumstances, she heard
the doorbell ring. Rebecca fell forward, catching herself with her hands
on the floor as Molly crawled between her legs with a cheerful, "I'll get it
Mommy!" as she ran off down the hall, still half dressed.
"Why me? Why? What did I ever do that caused me to deserve this?" Rebecca
mumbled to herself as she got up off the floor.
Molly reached the front door, and with her head and right arm coming
out of one hole, and her left arm still lost within her nightgown, she
reached up as far as she could.
"Who is it?"
"This is Ace Baloo twelve-oh-three-one, also known as Papa Bear, do you copy
Cupcake three-four-five?"
Molly started giggling, but continued on with the game. "I read you Ace
Papa Bear one-two-oh-three-one, do you have any cargo for Cupcake three-
four-five, over."
"Roger Cupcake one-two-oh-three-one, Ace Papa Bear Baloo one-two-oh-three-
one has a big cargo
surprise for Cupcake three-four-five if one-two-oh-three-one can be cleared for
a landing, over."
"Landing cleared, Papa Bear one-two-oh-three-one, over and out."
"Roger that Cupcake, coming in for a landing, over and out."
With that last exchange, Molly opened the door for Baloo, only to find
him crouched down at her level on the other side of the door. Molly was
instantly intrigued, and ran headfirst into the trap.
As soon as the little bear cub was within reach, Baloo grabbed her by her
nightgown, and began to tickle her mercilessly.
"Baloo, Baloo, let me go, ohh please, what about my surprise, Baloo!"
Molly yelled between gasps for breath and laughter as she struggled to
get away from the big bear.
"This *is* your surprise! Hahahahaha!" Baloo responded with a
theatrical laugh, fully worthy of any of the screen villains of the day.
Finally, Baloo released Molly, straightened out her clothes, and looked
up to see Rebecca smiling at him from the doorway.
"Oh hey, Becky, didn't realize you were there. I got Molly all ready for
bed for ya.
Uh, you ready to go? I got a cab down there waitin' for
us." Baloo asked as he picked up Molly.
"Yes, I'm ready to leave as soon as we get Miss. Molly here to bed. I got
Mrs. Potter to stay with her, and she called to say she'd be here in just a
minute. Thanks for getting her ready, I have been chasing this little
terror around for almost *a half hour* now." Rebecca said, smiling.
Then she aimed a stern look of disapproval at her daughter. "And as for you,
young lady…"
Molly had the grace to hang her head as though ashamed, but she couldn't
quite hide a tiny giggle.
"Molly, you have to learn that when I say go to bed, that's exactly what I mean.
Look what time it is---!"
"Aw, Beckers, don't be too hard on her, I already tortured her enough this
evenin'."
Rebecca sighed loudly. "I give up. What am I going to do with you two?"
"She is right though. Cupcake, you'd best get to bed, I promise I'll bring
your momma here home afore midnight, cause you never know what
might happen," Baloo said with a conspiratorial wink at his boss and friend.
Someone he hoped would be so much more to him in
just a few more hours.
Molly was then put to bed by Baloo, and just as he was leaving and about
to turn out the light, Molly called him back.
"Baloo, can I ask you something?"
"What is it, pigtails? I need to get goin', so tell me what ya need," Baloo
responded, puzzled at her new air of gravity.
"Baloo, are you gonna be my daddy?"
"WHA—Wha, what makes you say that all of a sudden?" He cleared his
throat nervously.
"Well, you keep lookin' at Mommy all funny, and Kit's been all secretive
but really happy lately, and you and Mommy keep goin' to dinner, and to
movies, and when Mommy gets home she is all weird and happy. Like
she's not really here or something. And I thought that seemed kinda
funny so I asked Mommy what people acted like when they were gonna
get married, and that is what you guys sound like. Besides, Mommy is
too old to marry Kit, and Wildcat has Clementine, and I don't think she
would marry Louie, so it must be you. So, are you gonna marry
Mommy?"
Baloo was momentarily stunned into speechlessness. He had told Kit of his
intentions a month ago, but he knew that Kit would never have said
anything to Molly. This was something she had worked out entirely on
her own.
Before Baloo could think of an answer, he was saved --- sort of.
"Hurry up, Baloo! Any longer and you'll be paying that cab driver's mortgage!"
'Man, never thought I'd ever be so happy to hear that woman yellin' at
me before.' Baloo thought as he said goodnight to Molly and hurried
down the hall.
The rest of the evening passed in a blur for Baloo. He never could later
recall what he had eaten, or in this case, played with and pushed around
his plate, or how he managed to keep up his end of the conversation.
The only thing on his mind was that little black box, and echoes of his
recent conversation with those closest to him.
'I asked Mommy what people acted like when they were gonna get
married, and that is what you guys sound like.'
'Papa Bear, when are you gonna ask her? She isn't going to wait forever, you
know.'
'Short Stuff's right there. Fuzzy, are you gonna ask the pretty lady or
am I gonna have to do it for ya?'
"Baloo, what do you think about that new Hyer account? That guy is a little
creepy, but he is offering to pay Hire for Higher an awful lot of money to ship
his cargo. What do you think?"
"Uh, sure Becky."
"But last week you said you thought he was up to something. Have you
changed your mind?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Well, okay. How has Kit been doing in school lately? I haven't seen his little
club members around lately, do you know if they had a falling out or
something?"
"Oh, Kit, he's good."
"Baloo, do you think we should paint the seaduck red and green and call it a
Christmas cake?"
"Sure Beckers."
"Baloo, I am on fire."
"Alright."
"Baloo, the entire planet just blew up."
"Good thing."
"Agghhhh! Nevermind!"
In the middle of a dessert he had no recollection of even ordering, Baloo
suddenly jumped up from his chair, "Uh, Becky, uh, would you, will you, uh,
I'llberightback!"
"What has gotten into him? He hasn't listened to a single thing I've said this
entire evening, and he's barely touched his food. That is not like Baloo at all. I
wonder what's bothering him? Well, I'll get it out of him when he gets back."
Rebecca thought as she dipped her spoon into her lime sherbet.
In the restroom, where Baloo had fled when his nervousness had threatened to
make him do something he might later regret, "yeah, like ask ol' Beckers to
marry me or somethin' stupid like that," Baloo mumbled to himself as he leaned
over one of the sinks.
Baloo finally took the ring box out of his pocket, and opened it up,
wishing it could tell him what to do next. It was an old fashioned setting,
a medium sized white diamond in antique white gold. The main princess
cut diamond was flanked by two small sapphires on either side. It had
been his mother's, the ring his father had commissioned to a small-town
jeweler for his love, Dorothy Blackburn. The ring had been left to Baloo
by his mother on the day he returned home from the orphanage, on his
eighteenth birthday. His mother had long since been committed to a
sanitarium, but in one of her last rational acts, as evidenced by the
shakiness of her writing and the fracturing of her sentences in the letter
she had enclosed, she left a single link to Baloo's past waiting for him .
Dorothy had taken the ring, sealed it in a small envelope, and carefully printed
Baloo's name on the front; leaving the small white envelope on the dresser,
waiting for her son to return home as she knew he would.
"I never thought I'd have a use for it. Not ever. I was married to that
plane, and I never dreamed I'd ever have it any other way. It was me, my
baby, and the sky, but then one day my whole world flipped upside
down, inside out and backwards at the same time."
"But now, aw heck, but what? I still don't know what happened, when it
all got even *more* complicated."
Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and a small bespectacled fox
walked in. He was an older gentleman, graying around his muzzle and
his eyes, and he was dressed in an old-fashioned suit coat and vest, a
pocket watch dangling from a chain in the Victorian fashion. He took
one look at Baloo, and started to laugh softly into a handkerchief he
produced from his coat pocket.
"What, well yeah, I guess I must look crazy in here talkin' to myself. I'll
get goin' though," Baloo said, mildly annoyed both at himself and at this rather
impolite old fox who was laughing at him.
"Oh, no, please don't do that, oh no, please stay. I think I
know what's bothering you, and I might say it is a familiar feeling. I've been in
your shoes before, my young friend," the old fox said quickly. His voice had a
cultured British lilt.
"You have, have ya?" Baloo snorted. "Well, that just shows how much *you*
know, pal, since I don't *wear* shoes!" He started to leave, then his stomach
flipped, and his dinner threatened to return to sender. Moaning, he quickly
leaned over the sink again.
The older gentleman steadied him. "Easy, young fella. It's just nervous jitters
that ails you, if what I suspect is true."
The big bear closed his eyes and put a hand over his eyes. "Nope, that's the Big
Guy tellin' me I'm about ta make a huge fool of myself as usual. Either that or
the Filet Mig-non was outta season."
"Ah." The fox's eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "You're about to pop the
question. I thought so."
Baloo turned his head to peer at him blearily. "H-how'd ya know?"
The fox looked down at the floor, then back at Baloo sheepishly, "I never made
it to a sink . . ."
Well, what happened? Wait a minute! How do you know what I'm worrin'
over?" Baloo asked, desperately wanting to ask someone, anyone's advice in
this matter, but still wary of this stranger who had suddenly taken an interest
not only in his health, but his love life to boot.
"Oh, I know what you're about to do. Men have been doing it for
hundreds of years. One day you meet up with a pretty face, and before
you know it you're baited, hook, line, and sinker. I knew it just as soon
as I saw your face, and that lovely ring you're holding there was another
pretty good clue." The old fox nodded at the ring Baloo only just realized he
was still holding in his hand.
"Oh, yeah, I guess that would be a pretty dead giveaway.
But, before you were saying you had been here before, so, what was it
like, for you, I mean? Were you scared? Were you sure you were doin'
the right thing? I mean, I think I know what I'm doin', but then I'm not
sure either, I mean, we're almost a family as it is, what with Kit and
Molly and all, but, I mean, should I mess with a good thing? What if ol'
Beckers gets another bee in her bonnet, only this time the guy isn't a
ghost, or a crook, and she and little Muffin just run out of my life
forever? I don't think I could take it. Besides, she's pretty, smart…aw, more
than that, she's educated --- got a MBA or ABC or whatever they give 'em and,
and, I'm just a fat, stupid ol' cargo pilot. OH, what am I gonna do . . . " Baloo
trailed off miserably, leaning back into the sink, one hand clutching his
increasingly sore head, the other massaging his closed eyes.
"Well, my fine friend, let me tell you a story…"
"I met Mary in England where we were children together, but then we
grew up; she left for Usland, and I stayed behind. For awhile we stayed in
touch, but finally, the letters decreased, and finally, trickled to a stop
altogether, and I assumed she had just forgotten all about me. I loved her still,
and although there were a few very nice ladies who would have made lovely
wives, I just never could forget Mary. She was my first love. I met her in
second grade, and I was a goner from that day on. She was a beautiful little
girl, and she had this way with little remarks she made. It wasn't so much
what she said, as they flat, deadpan way she said it. Ahh, I guess you really
just had to hear them. And the practical jokes, they never ended! I was never
safe! I always wanted to marry her when we were old enough. I know my
parents, and hers too, hoped we would grow out of this silly infatuation, but
that wasn't what happened at all. I loved her you see, and when you love
someone, no matter how long they are gone, or how little you remember, you
never can forget how they lightened your day, and your whole world seemed
just a little warmer because they were in it."
"It was many years later, and I had become a successful businessman; I
was on the original board of trustees for the Cape Suzette Widows and
Orphans Fund --- when my uncle died suddenly and left me his estate. Not
a large place really, just a few acres and small Victorian house, but it
was in Usland, and I had never forgotten Mary and how she had left for
these far shores all those years ago."
"So, I packed all my belongings, managed to convince the board we
should start a new branch of the foundation here, and set off for my
inheritance."
"Several years passed, and I turned thirty, then thirty-five. I had all
but given up on finding her years ago. I was able to retire early, and
spent my days writing out at the farm, simply enjoying my life as it was,
simple, but sadly, alone. My big break occurred when I was invited to
my niece's wedding over here in Cape Suzette. It was a lovely affair, but
the part I remember best was seeing a familiar face. It took me a minute to
place her, but then I knew. She was older, touched by time, but time had been
kind, and to my mind she was still as beautiful as she had been on that
summer day she left for Usland when we were both just seventeen. My
beautiful Mary, still as lovely as the day she left our home, and I was staring at
her, thinking about how much I loved her, but sure she must be married or at
least engaged. But, after watching her for a time, I realized that she seemed to
be without an escort. I made my way over to her, introduced myself, and we
spent the rest of the evening talking about everything that had happened since
we last met. I found out that she had never married, and had tried to find me,
having traveled to England several times attempting to find me in our small
hometown,
but no-one there really knew what had become of me. But she had made each
trip after I had already left for Usland. So, I had come here, and she had gone
there, both of us working at cross-purposes, until the strange little thing called
fate brought us together again. We laughed at how funny life is, and how
remarkable it was that we had finally found our way back together. Two days
later I asked her to marry me. I was just as nervous as you are now, but I was
certainly not going to let her get away from me again. Now, many years have
passed, we still live out at my uncle's old farm, enjoying all the time we missed.
I have never regretted that day --- not once in twenty-seven years. She is the
light of my life."
"So, my dear boy," the fox gave him a brisk pat on the back and a push. "Get
out there. I know you are nervous, but if you love her as much as I can already
see you do, she must feel the same way. Otherwise she wouldn't have come
here with you. Your -- Beckers, as you called her -- must be a wonderful
person, and I'm telling you, in the way nobody was around to tell me, get your
keister out there. You only live once, get it right the first time! If you weren't so
nervous, I'd tell you to wait, but you have all the signs of a man long gone, so
there's not much hope for you now. Get out there and do what you've gotta do!"
With that, the old fox turned and started for the door, leaving Baloo standing
there.
'Go out there and ask the girl!'
"Well, here goes nothin'," Baloo mumbled as he closed the ring box, shoved it
back into his pocket. He lumbered back to the table, much in the way a man
might march to his own beheading.
Rebecca stood up. "Baloo! Are you okay? You have been acting funny all
night! Do we need to leave? I've got some aspirin in my purse." She opened it
and began to dig around.
Baloo just continued his head-down journey to his big meeting with fate.
"Baloo, do you need to lie down or something …"
But, before she could say another word, Baloo reached the table, sank down on
one knee, brought out and opened the ring box, and blurted out:
"Rebeccawillyoumarryme?"
"Baloo, can't this wait until after dinner? You really don't have to beg for a
raise you ---!" She blinked. "*What'd* you say?!"
He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat, nevously looked down at
the ring, then back up at Rebecca, and spoke more slowly, almost reverently.
"Rebecca, will you marry me?"
"Oh my, oh my, oh my goodness, I, I thought you'd never ask, you big, dumb,
wonderful bear, of course I'll marry you! Oh Baloo!" Rebecca cried. Wrapping
her arms around his neck, she kissed him forcefully. Her joyful grip nearly
strangled him, but for once, he didn't mind the abuse.
"Auuggch, Bec-ky, Bec-ky, honey, you're – chok-ing me.".
For the first time that evening,
Baloo felt good. He felt wonderful,
'that old guy was right, this is wonderful. How could I ever live without her?'
he thought he breathed in the faint freesia scent of her hair and felt her small
body in his arms.
At that moment, he caught sight of the fox from the bathroom, he was
leaving with a beautiful red lady fox, Baloo knew she must be
Mary. Just as they reached the door, the fox turned around, winked at Baloo
and gave him a celebratory smile.
"And then what happened Daddy? What the fox's name? What did you and
Momma do after that? What did Molly and Kit say?" A small gray bear cub
asked, determined to stay awake a few moments longer, not wanting the story
to end. But her eyelids were heavy, she had been through a long day, and she
was asleep before her father could answer any of her questions.
Baloo gently leaned over and brushed a stray lock of dark brown hair off of
Abigail's light gray forehead, savoring the softness of her baby features.
"And they all lived Happily Ever After, Abby-Gail." Baloo whispered as he
kissed the top of her head and continued to watch his peacefully sleeping
daughter.