QUICK, BEFORE IT SINKS
It seems that the bad things in life take over the good. Like when you take the time, as a favor, and clean a friend's room. You could spend all day long and get it really nice. Then, as you finish dusting a statue, it falls and breaks. Your work is ignored and you are scolded for the statue instead of being praised for the cleaning.
At least, that's what it seemed like to the young man in a white cap as he stared at a big mess. He grumbled as he picked up branches and other things that were cluttering the area.
"I got some nice juicy lobsters but do they care? No, just because I moved a stick," Gilligan grumbled angrily. He was sweating like crazy, and his hands were covered in blisters.
"Ouch! Rotten thorns!" he cried out in pain, not watching the palm branch he was dragging. His finger bled a little, and he kicked the branch away with a scowl.
"Stupid branches! How come I get to do this by myself?" he kept mumbling, unaware Skipper had come back to check on his progress.
"Because you're the one who is responsible for the mess, and I ordered you to clean it up," he answered, smiling at his little buddy.
Gilligan clenched his fists in front of him and picked up the branch he kicked, ignoring his friend.
The Skipper shrugged and moved away to a big rock, where he sat down and sat, sipping on a drink he held, watching Gilligan work.
"It's not fair! I always get blamed, even when this was the Professor's fault!" Gilligan fumed. He had stolen a quick glance, and saw Skipper had moved and he decided to continue his rant.
Professor though heard Gilligan's grumbles as he came down as well to see his progress. Since he last saw him, which was about an hour before, that Gilligan had cleaned up most all of the mess. He sighed as he watched his friend mutter angrily, upset and confused. Gilligan threw another branch on to a big pile he made and went for a really big one. But a hand got in the way and lifted the palm branch.
"Why don't you go get some fruit and have a snack? The Skipper and I can finish," the Professor said, trying not to show he overheard Gilligan's angry remarks. Gilligan stared at him until Professor urged him to leave again and then he ran off.
"Gilligan! Professor what did you say to him?" Skipper asked as he looked up to see Gilligan leave.
"Let's finish up, Skipper," the Professor answered, dragging the branch away. Jonas Grumby stared at him, but helped out. It took only half-an-hour for the two to complete the job.
The Skipper folded his arms. "You don't have to cover for him, every time, Professor," he said, annoyed. To him it seemed everyone was now ganging up on him for punishing Gilligan.
"It wasn't his mistake. I didn't tell anyone about my stick in the lagoon, and speaking of not telling, I didn't tell him about that dye a while back," the Professor answered, and the Skipper lowered his arms. "We all made mistakes here at some time or other, Skipper. To err is human, to forgive, divine," he went on. Then Professor Hinkley excused himself and trudged back toward camp, feeling slightly better. He passed Gilligan on the way. He now had a tray full of fruit.
"Good work clearing the brush, Gilligan," he praised him.
Gilligan smiled slightly. "Thanks Professor. Sorry about moving your stick," Gilligan answered, apologizing, but the Professor waved his remark away.
"Yes, its fine, Gilligan," he said, and hurried off, patting Gilligan's shoulder as he left. Gilligan found the Skipper at the lagoon still, shaking his head.
"Sorry for running off, Professor told me to get fruit, but then he changed his mind," Gilligan explained.
"Forget it, little buddy. We finished cleaning… let's just go back to camp," the Skipper answered, and trudged off still shaking his head. "I certainly don't make mistakes," he muttered to himself. Gilligan shrugged, sat down on the sand and started eating the fruit he was carrying. When he finished, he pulled out his book.
Dear Diary,
What a werd day. Prafesser is always maken experiments. Wish hed label his stuff. I fond a stick in the water and used it to make sure my cages dont drift off. Eended up maken a mess as usual. Prafesser thught the iland was sinken!
Gilligan