Here is just a start to the story! I'm making a push to get through as many of my proposed fanfics as possible while I have some time to myself. So here's the next installment!

One of the more beautiful things about childhood is the vacant expanses of pure time. Perhaps this is part of the reason why a child whining about having nothing to do annoys grown-ups so much. The adults have so much of possessions but the thing they long for most is time- a precious element of their lives which lost in the constant grind of work/sleep/work/sleep/work. Martin Johanssen frowned at Arnold and Gerald as the two boys lay about his stoop like inebriated fish.

"Come on boys!" the man said staring at the two boys who lay prostrate as though they had both lost the use of their spinal columns. "You boys gotta get out and do something! Stop lying around here so I can trip on ya!" the man said. He stooped to get an old newspaper from the corner of his stoop, then carried it into the house with him, slamming the door. Gerald winced.

"Well. We'd better go elsewhere to bum around!" Gerald observed. "Today's Dad's day off and he seems mighty edgy!"

"Tell me about it!" Arnold observed without anger. After all, watching Gerald's father huff and puff was the most fun he'd had all day. But before they could depart for pastures elsewhere, the front door to the house popped open. Martin Johanssen stepped out his front door with a smile. He lifted up a sheet of the newspaper before him.

"Look what I found, boys!" the man said holding up the paper sheet. "They're having a rafting contest tomorrow at City Lake! How about you two boys spend today building a raft! Getting your hands dirty and all that! It'll be good for ya! Builds character!" Arnold and Gerald clustered over the paper sheet to get a quick look at it.

"Hm, alright!" Gerald said rapidly, eager to soothe his father's ire.

"Great! I'll call them up and get you entered right away!" Gerald's father stomped off with a pleased grin. Arnold pouted.

"A boating contest? There goes our weekend off!" he complained.

"Ah, we weren't doing anything anyway!" Gerald explained. "This could be mighty interesting!"

"Well… it might!" Arnold said cheering up once he had reflected on it. He hurried his footsteps to catch up to his friend. "So what will be build it out of?" Gerald paused to examine the newspaper for directions.

"Hm. I have no idea!" the boy said flapping the paper sheet. He handed it off to Arnold for the boy to work a little of his creative genius.