Fortune Schmortune

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Somewhere in the Alpacan Mountains
1937

On a typical day on a typical cargo run, the Sea Duck's typical crew found themselves once again in a small village high in the Alpacan Mountains.

"Wanna get your fortune told, Great Llama?" Kit teased as he and Baloo walked down the dusty street lined with adobe buildings. A few vendors called out to them as they passed.

"No, thank you," Baloo said firmly, stepping around a chicken pecking in the dirt. He winced when he saw the booth selling llama hats; it brought back memories of a crazy day chasing after the Idol of Doom while being chased by El Gato. "My last fortune unfortunately ruined my free weekend and the Duck almost ended up as condor chow. But you can if you want to, partner."

"Really? Thanks, Baloo." Kit dug a few coins out of his pocket, hurried across the street to Una's fortune-telling shop, and raised a hand to knock on the open door.

But before he could knock, Una, her back to the door, cried, "Welcome, O friend of the Grrreat Llama, who has come to seek his fortune."

Her statement caught Kit a little off-guard despite the fact that he was already aware of Una's mystic powers. "How'd you…?"

"Come in, come in." The elderly woman led the boy to a small table in the middle of the room. He sat on one side of the table while she sat on the other.

When Kit held out his coins, she waved him away. "Payment is not necessary for you, O friend of the Grrreat Llama."

"Gee, thanks," he replied, pocketing his change.

Una pulled her crystal ball closer and gazed into it. As soon as she touched it, mist began swirling inside the glass. "Ah, yes, I see a big bear with a big belly. He looks happy."

"Baloo?"

"And he is riding on a silver board behind a great yellow bird."

"Nope, that's me," Kit said, his heart sinking. "At least I can still cloud surf."

Una squinted into the crystal ball. "Then you are piloting the great yellow bird."

Kit murmured, "Okay, I'm flying the Sea Duck. It's no Aronca P-39 Thunderbuster, but it's still good, I guess. What else?"

"I see that you are the best pilot in the world. There are many medals and trophies and ribbons."

Kit grinned widely and sat up straighter in his chair. "I can live with that."

"And a woman named Molly is yelling at you over the radio, because you are late delivering the cargo."

Kit's grin turned to panic. "What? Maybe it's a one-time deal? Just to help out?"

Una shook her head, her earrings clinking softly.

"You mean, I-I'm not gonna be a test pilot or an airplane designer or an amazing adventurer or...or...?" He seized the crystal ball and shook it violently. "I'm gonna be a fat, lazy cargo pilot when I grow up?" He could almost swear that there was a message floating through the mist saying, 'signs point to yes'.

"Do not despair, O friend of the Grrreat Llama," Una said calmly, taking the crystal ball from him. "The future can still be changed. It does not have to be your destiny."

"Sorry, ma'am." Kit was ashamed about his little outburst, but when he dreamed of the future, he never dreamed he would be flying cargo for the rest of his life. It wasn't necessarily bad; he and Baloo did have lots of adventures. But he always thought that maybe he was cut out for something better than hauling cargo. Wasn't he? "Change is good. I'll take change."

"But are you sure you want it changed?" Una peered into the mist again and then across the table at him. "You do look happy."

Kit, who definitely did not look happy at the moment, retorted, "I'm sure. Thanks for the fortune, ma'am." And with that, he walked outside to where Baloo was waiting for him.

"Hey, how'd it go, kiddo? Are we gonna be searchin' for more lost idols today?" Baloo chuckled.

"Um, Una told me I was going to be the best pilot in the world," Kit replied with an uncertain smile. How could he tell his beloved Papa Bear that he didn't want to be exactly like him when he grew up?

Baloo proudly clapped the boy on the shoulder. "I didn't need no crystal ball to know that. What say on the way home we stop at Louie's and grab us some Krakatoa Specials?"

Kit shot an uneasy glance at Una's fortune-telling shop. "I'm not really hungry, Baloo. Besides, I have a lot of homework to do."

"Homework? On a Saturday?"

Kit kicked at the dirt, startling a nearby chicken. "Yeah, well, I need to keep my grades up to get into a good college."

"College? B-b-but you're in sixth grade!" Now Baloo knew something was up. His gaze followed Kit's, who was still staring blankly at Una's shop. He chuckled uneasily and rubbed the back of his neck. "That-that musta been one doozy of an unfortunate fortune she laid on you."

Kit replied, sotto voce, "You have no idea, Papa Bear."

The End