GILLIGAN MEETS JUNGLE BOY

"I can't believe it!" the Skipper moaned, as he turned off the radio.

"Cheer up, Skipper. Bobby must be having it harder! Imagine him sleeping in a real bed now and going to school, stuff he's never even seen," Gilligan said, with a cheerful smile.

"Yeah" Skipper agreed softly. "Wait... Bobby? You named the jungle boy?" Skipper asked as he realized what Gilligan had said.

"Well, yeah, I don't think he understood, though. I kind of miss the little guy," Gilligan rambled on. He went quiet, then, thinking about the fun he had with the younger boy.

"The way you two were clowning around, I thought he was your kid brother," Skipper laughed.

Gilligan chuckled. "Yeah, it was nice having someone to look up to me; I grew up the baby of the family, next to my brother and sister." Gilligan said.

"I thought you were an only child?" Skipper asked. "That's right, I remember them now. Mark and Mary right?" Skipper asked, as he suddenly remembered.

"Yeah. Mary's birthday is next week - she'll be twenty-seven, and Mark is turning twenty-five," Gilligan said. It had been a long time to him, now, since he had been picked on by his two annoying siblings. "Mary has a new baby girl. She'll be a year old next week, too. They share the same birthday. Her name is Karen," Gilligan kept going. It felt good to talk about his family; he missed them terribly.

Gilligan put his hands in his chin and pictured his niece and his pretty big sister. He didn't notice or hear the Skipper leave. "Say Skipper, you think they'll get a letter if I throw..." Gilligan began to ask, but he then realized he was alone. "Skipper? Oh, well. Probably wouldn't work anyway; none of my ideas do," he said to himself, and continued to remember his family.

XXX

"Skipper?" Professor called out to the captain as he left the hut. The Professor had to chase after to get him out of his cloud. "You all right? You were acting like a zombie," the Professor said.

The Skipper chuckled as he saw his friend. "Sorry Professor, I was just thinking, Gilligan was rambling about his family again and… Bobby," the Skipper explained.

"Bobby? Oh, the jungle boy! He's reached civilization," Professor said but by the look on the captain's face.

"Yeah, but dear, sweet, Bobby only echoed what we taught him, It will be years before he can talk good" Skipper said and shook his head.

"Calm down Skipper, we'll find a way off the island."

"I know. It's just that Gilligan is driving me crazy, he was going on about his niece and his sister's birthday next week" Skipper said.

"I don't blame him, I would do anything to be back teaching and experimenting, only so much you can do with tree bark and coconuts."

"I'm sorry, Professor. I guess we all are tired of this... paradise."

"I should be the one that's sorry, Skipper. I didn't mean to bum you out," Gilligan suddenly popped up from the jungle after listening to the men's conversation.

"Forget it, little buddy. I'm glad Bobby or whatever his name is, got there safe," the Skipper said, deciding not to scold his friend for eavesdropping.

"All right, Skipper. I brought my pole with me," Gilligan went on, deciding it best to change the subject. "Shall I get some fish for dinner?" he asked, and both men made gagging noises.

"Why can't there be steaks in that lagoon, Professor?" Skipper asked, and the Professor laughed.

"Is that a yes?" Gilligan scratched his head.

"Whatever, little buddy. Not like there's much else here," Skipper answered. "I wish we could eat his frog or that duck" he whispered to the Professor once they were out of sight.

Gilligan waited till his friends were gone to cast his line. He sat on a rock and took out his diary from his pocket.

Dear Diary,

I dun now wher they were hinen but besid wrong-way a jungle boy was heer on the iland, I thinked he likked me. we played foluw the leeder and he showd me this cool thing, it had invsuble gas and we bilted a raincote baloon that he escapd in. I thinked I was his big bruther, sur nice to be one instade of the litle bruther. I do miss Mary and Mark tho I hop they havent gave up hopes, I wills sees them agian.

Gilligan