I wasn't lying. I did have fun here. The island is beautiful, and I've enjoyed making friends with all the animals. My family and friends tell me I have a gift when it comes to animals. Like the time, that monkey took the flare gun. I was able to get it from him. The same with the gorilla and the grenades. Then of course, there's my gorilla friend, Gladys, who I voted to be Miss Castaway.
It's true, part of the reason I didn't want to leave was because I do have fun here, but that's not the main reason. I couldn't bring myself to tell Skipper the real reason I wasn't ready to go back home to civilization yet. It was because of a very special someone. Someone who would one day make some guy the luckiest guy in the world with her charming smile, her chocolate eyes, her cheerful outlook on life, and her delicious coconut cream pies.
Yes, the one I talk about is Mary Ann Summers, the farm girl from Kansas. She really is a breath of fresh air. I've never been very comfortable around girls; not since I was twelve, and my girlfriend at the time, Patty, broke up with me. She said she never liked me, that she was only pretending to be my girlfriend to win a bet or something.
Ever since that incident, I've had a hard time trusting girls. Except my mom and my sister. That's why when ever Ginger would try to kiss me or anything like that, it made me nervous. Very nervous. So nervous that every time she came near me I would whack my head against a tree or something and knock myself out. Don't get me wrong, Ginger is very beautiful, and very nice, but I look at her like a sister. She is like a sister, so it's weird for me whenever she tries to kiss me.
Mrs. Howell is like a second mother to me. But, there's something very special about Mary Ann. She's not the type to go and break a guy's heart. I wanted to vote for her to be Miss Castaway but I know all the others would be sore at me if I did.
I don't want to go home yet because I haven't told Mary Ann how I feel. A pretty girl like her deserves someone who will love her and take care of her forever. If only I had the courage to tell her that I really did like her as more than a friend when the Howells tried to get us together. She seemed really hurt when she found out that it wasn't me that sent her those flowers.
I didn't mean to hurt her. I would never do a thing like that. It would be really neat to bring her to my hometown in Pennsylvania for her to meet all of my family and friends. I know she would get a kick out of Skinny Mulligan.
It's just too hard for me to tell her. I want to, I really do, but I'm scared. I will someday soon, I will. In a way, I'm kind of relieved we've been left here by all our visitors to the island, or that something else would happen, because then I wouldn't be given another chance to tell Mary Ann.
I need to tell her. I have to before it's too late. Professor told me he's never shown the slightest romantic interest in Mary Ann, and only voted for her to be Miss Castaway because he didn't want her to feel left out. To him, it was really Ginger. That's one secret I never told anyone. I'm not very good at keeping secrets, but that one I am.
I know everyone back home would love Mary Ann, especially my mother. I can see the two of them together during the holidays, working really hard on dinner in the kitchen, while the guys watched TV, or went outside to play a game of football. Imagine having a son or daughter with Mary Ann, and the look on their face when they tried a bite of their mama's coconut cream pie for the very first time.
Okay, I'm getting carried away now, but I can't help it. I need to talk to Mary Ann. I will. Soon. Yes. Very soon.
THE END