First mate's log:

September 6, 1971

It's Labor Day and I took Mary Ann to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, because it finally came to Blenford. The movie made me eat a lot of refreshments and it also scared me. But I got to hold hands with Mary Ann so that helped.

I kind of wanted to kiss her but it wasn't that type of movie. Plus, the Brady kids were there, celebrating the last day of summer vacation. Greg is going into high school and he told me in the lobby, when we were both getting more candy, me for myself and my date, him for his younger brothers and sisters, that he was embarrassed to be at a "kids' movie," when he's "practically a grown man." I didn't tell him that I still feel like a kid sometimes, even though I'm about a dozen years older than him.

I did kiss Mary Ann when I dropped her off at her place. Hopefully we can go out again soon, although the pizza parlor is even busier than the diner and it's hard for her to get time off.


Carol Brady's diary:

September 7, 1971

I know that the children are growing up. Well, not so much my babies, who after all did get lost in the Grand Canyon not that long ago. But now our high-school student has started to think of himself as "a man." Mike told me that Greg nicked himself shaving, with Mike's razor!

Not only that, but Greg wants his own room. Space is at a premium in this house as it is. I understand that he sees Peter and Bobby as annoying little brothers, "kids," but we don't really have any extra bedrooms. I did suggest the attic, but Mike reminded me that it's full of belongings that we don't have anywhere else to put. Even if we cleared it out, that would take time, and the way Greg's acting, I'm not sure if he can stand another day with "the little boys."

Mike and I also discussed the garage, but even on a tropical island it would be cold at night since there are only three walls, and no carpeting. Not to mention that Greg wouldn't have any of his precious privacy. Furthermore, as a mother, I would worry about Greg's safety, sort of on his own. Yes, the island isn't as dangerous as it was when he was Bobby's age, but there are still wild animals in the jungle. (We are, however, camping in the jungle this coming weekend, but as a family, and with all the safety precautions.) And there are now all these strangers on the island.

Then I suggested Mike's den. I know, it's where he does most of his work, but I'm sure he could use his office at the Howell mansion for some of that. Mike obviously is not crazy about the idea, but he said he'd sleep on it. (And I have snuck into the bathroom to jot this down, but I should go back to bed.)


September 8, 1971

Greg Brady went over on the ferry after school today. He's dipping into his savings for a new boat to buy decorations and furniture for his new "pad." He wants a room of his own so his dad is actually letting him have the den! Even if we'd had a den when I grew up, my father would never have let my big brother get away from me in a separate room. Even when I borrowed my brother's shirt and never returned it. (I still haven't.)

Greg wants the room to have a "funky" look, which is I guess like "hip" and "groovy." The lava lamp is pretty neat, but they always make me think of volcanoes, and then I start wondering if the one on our island is inactive. (The Professor says yes, but he's been wrong before.) I helped Greg carry the stuff home, in boxes and bags, so no one saw all the crazy colors. I can't imagine how his family will react.


September 9, 1971

My goodness! Mike is definitely rethinking his agreement to let Greg move into the den. Greg has transformed the place into some sort of hippie "pad." It's gone from Danish Modern to American Disaster. I hope it's just a phase. Alice told me she's afraid to clean in there because she's not sure what's trash and what's décor.


September 11, 1971

Greg went over to Blenford again on Thursday. He told me about an older girl, a senior, who he wants to impress. She's very pretty and stylish, and he felt like a little kid next to her, especially in his back-to-school outfits. I think his clothes are fine, but I admit I haven't changed my wardrobe much over the years, not counting costumes and dress-ups. He wanted some "hip threads" for Friday, especially since he was going to be home by himself all weekend.

His family is going on a little camping trip, just into the jungle on our island. They don't have the time for a big trip, like to the Grand Canyon, or the time they went to King Kaliwani's island. This is just a little adventure to celebrate the start of school. (Jan, by the way, is trying to get used to wearing her glasses for school.) Greg usually loves camping, as I saw this summer. But now he thinks he's too grown up for it.

So he's staying home. He's not going to throw a wild party or anything. He's not even going to have anyone over. He does want to invite that senior girl (he doesn't know her name) to the pizza parlor and maybe the movies, and not worry about curfew. I guess if I see them on the ferry today, I'll know, or if Mary Ann reports that they got pizza.

He did show me some of the clothes he bought, with more of his "boat money." The striped trousers and fringed suede jacket are even more with it than what I wore when I was a Gnat five or six years ago. I can't imagine wearing something like that to school, but I grew up in a different time.


September 13, 1971

Well, Greg continued to change last week, to fit into what he thought a "man in high school" should be. He bought some clothes like a rock singer, not the Mosquitoes but something even more modern. He looked clownish to me, with those stripes and polka dots, but he didn't think so of course. Mike thought the fringed jacket and headband made him look like Sitting Bull.

Greg also tried to call us "Mike and Carol," but Mike quickly put his foot down about that. Nonetheless, we did agree to let him stay on his own that weekend. We had planned the special treat of the jungle campout I mentioned earlier, but Greg thought it was for "kids." Yet, when Peter and Bobby asked me if they should pack for Greg just in case, I encouraged them, all of us hoping Greg would have a change of heart.

And he did. Mike had a good talk with him when we were about to head out to the jungle, and Greg admitted that he was realizing he's not a man, but rather one of the younger students at his school, with a lot of growing up to do.

We all had a lovely time camping. We didn't see any dangerous beasts, just mischievous monkeys and birds. Greg took a lot of pictures, because he's the main photographer in the family. I think he's glad he went. We all were.