A Wandering Heart
Part 16: One Fine Day in November
by Kim McFarland

It was a brisk day in late autumn. Janken and Scooter rode their bicycles to the back of their usual meeting place. Scooter unlocked the back door and they walked their bicycles in. Scooter was wearing a warm jacket, and did not take it off, as the empty theater was not heated. Janken's winter fur had grown in, so he barely noticed the chill.

As they walked through the backstage Scooter remarked, "Things are really happening now."

Janken saw what he meant. The renovation had been in progress for months now. For a while it had looked like it was being dismantled from the inside out. Now new surfaces were beginning to appear, giving hints as to what it would look like when finished. Currently the stage was being rebuilt. Janken could see places where trapdoors would be. He looked up. The fly space rigging was completely gone. Too bad; he had liked climbing up to the catwalk to see the stage from above. Oh well, there wasn't much to see now anyway.

Carrying takeout boxes containing their lunches, they went to their usual spot in the audience. It was a little off to one side; the armrest between two seats had broken off. Scooter inserted a DVD into the player. He had not told Janken what movie he had picked; he liked to surprise him. When the menu appeared on the drop cloth hung over the curtains in lieu of a screen Janken remarked, "Now that's a generic title."

"If you just see one holiday movie, this is the one to see. It's a little early, but what the heck."

Scooter started the movie. A few minutes in Janken nearly choked on his salad. He coughed a few times, then started giggling.

"What's so funny?" Scooter asked.

Janken pointed. "If you were a ten-year-old human being you'd look like him!"

Scooter looked at the Screen, surprised. "It's just the glasses."

"Yeah, sure," Janken said, still laughing.

They watched the movie while eating their lunches. Scooter, who had had plenty of experience with safe, happy, feel-good Christmas movies and specials, enjoyed the subversion of the usual clichés. Janken, whose cultural background did not include Christmas, took it at face value and laughed just as much.

Afterward they sat and talked, arms around each other's shoulders. Scooter said, "Pretty soon they're going to start working on the renovation on the weekends. Deadlines."

"We'll find someplace else to hang out," Janken replied.

They were speaking softly, close enough that their noses were nearly touching. Scooter said, "Too bad, though. This place is perfect."

"We wouldn't be able to use it much before winter break anyhow."

"Yeah." They both had a lot on their plates, with finals coming up, plus another production they were both working at the same time. They had been making time to spend together, a few hours a week just to themselves. "At least we'll see each other backstage."

"It'll be fine," Janken said. "We'll have plenty of time over the break."

"There's that to look forward to," Scooter agreed.

"This year will be better than last year, for me at least. I always get homesick at the beginning of winter."

Scooter assumed that where Janken came from they didn't celebrate Christmas, as that was another of Janken's knowledge gaps. "Why then?"

"I miss celebrating the winter solstice. It makes me think about how far I am from everyone I grew up with. I miss my family."

"Can't you go home to visit?"

"It's not that simple," Janken said sadly.

"Well... is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not about that. But thanks," Janken said, and kissed Scooter on the tip of his nose.

Later, as the two were picking up their lunch boxes, Janken said, "When will the theater open up again?"

"Next summer. We want to start rehearsals in spring. Wish we had until then," he said wistfully.

"Will it open as the Muppet Theater?"

Scooter looked up, startled. Then he said, "You figured it out, huh?"

Janken explained, "You've been so excited about the renovation. I could tell this theater means a whole lot to you, like it's been a big part of your life, so I did a little research. Looked this place up by address since the marquee is blank. Found out who used to perform here. Checked them out. And found you."

Scooter scratched the back of his head. "I hope you don't mind that I didn't tell you myself."

Janken smiled warmly. "No. You never lied to me, you just didn't tell me everything, and I guess I never asked. Now I know why you were surprised I didn't recognize you at first."

"Yeah. It's been really nice, having someone who doesn't think of me as Scooter the Muppet, but just as plain old Scooter."

"And who doesn't expect you to do the 'fifteen second 'til curtain' routine?"

Scooter smiled wryly. "Oh, yeah. You know how often I get asked to record answering machine messages? Sometimes ringtones. It's not like I'm mobbed or anything every time I go get the mail; I'm not Kermit. But, still... you wouldn't believe how many people still remember that stuff."

"I've been watching the DVDs. I can believe it. Those are great shows."

Hands in his pockets, Scooter smiled. "Yeah, they were. Maybe we can make some more of 'em."

"I hope so."

"Anyway... I'm glad you found out," Scooter said. "I'd have told you when we started using the theater anyway. I'd thought about just coming out with it before, but what would I have said? 'By the way, I'm famous. Want my autograph?' Ugh."

"To tell the truth, I'm glad I got to know plain ol' Scooter Grosse instead of Scooter the Famous Muppet. You're both pretty lovable, though," Janken said teasingly.

Scooter looked down, blushing slightly. Janken was so open and unselfconscious about his affection, as if there was nothing in the world unusual about two guys being in love, that sometimes Scooter did not know how to respond. Not that Scooter found it at all unpleasant... When he looked up again he said, "I wish the theater needed a camera operator. We'll just be doing live stage shows at first. We used to be wired for TV cameras, back when we did the old shows, but that equipment was so old, it'd be useless now. It was taken out, but we've left space backstage left just in case. If we luck out and get a TV contract after the first season, we'll put new cameras in the theater. I can put in a good word with Kermit for you, probably get you that spot. If you'd be interested."

Janken said, "Are you kidding? I'd love to be part of a show like that! It'd be a little scary, filming for TV, though."

"Don't worry about it. You're already pretty good, and I can show you the rest. And, you know, we'll have openings for the show. I know you're a little stage shy, but maybe if you tried something small, like a background part, you might like it on the boards. And, let's face it, with your looks you'd fit right in."

Janken laughed. "Thanks, Scooter, but I've got little talent and lots of stage fright."
"I don't know. You tore it up that time at the karaoke bar."

It was Janken's turn to blush. "That was just messing around. Stage lights are too hot for me; I'll stick to the cool, cozy backstage."

"Well, it takes people on both sides," Scooter said, patting Janken on the back.

"Yeah."

He put his arm around Scooter's waist, and Scooter put his arm around Janken's shoulders. They walked together to the exit, dropped their takeout boxes in the trash, then took their bicycles out the back and rode off.

Scooter and the Muppet Theater are copyright © The Muppets Studio, LLC. All copyrighted properties are used without permission but with much respect and affection. Janken and the overall story are copyright © Kim McFarland (negaduck9 at aol dot com). Permission is given by the author to copy it for personal use only.