Notes: Thanks to Mari and Sammy for being their always awesome selves. You're the best, ladies!

Readers and REAL McRollers - Thank you for your amazing support! It is always appreciated.

Hope you enjoy!

Brainstorming (A McRoll in the REAL World Story)

"Hey DJ," Steve said, stepping out onto the back deck to find his son seated at one of the tables, pencil in hand and yellow legal pad in front of him. He smiled. "That looks like the idea pad. Am I interrupting?"

DJ smiled back and shook his head. "I'm doing a little brainstorming."

"Mind if I join you?" Steve asked, nodding to the bench beside him.

DJ's smile grew. "Sure!"

"So what are you brainstorming?" Steve asked as he sat down.

"You know how we have Open House at school next week?"

"Yeah," Steve replied. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Well, Principal Roundtree wants to make Open House more fun and interactive this year, so he asked some of the older grades for ideas."

Steve grinned. "And of course you want to help. That's awesome, buddy. What have you thought of so far?"

DJ set down his pencil and picked up the pad, looking down at what he'd written. "Well, since he said something fun, I thought maybe some kind of game. Like bingo or something."

Steve chuckled. "Grandma Ang would approve. What are you thinking?"

"Well, that's the thing. He also said it needs to encourage families to really go around the school and see the different rooms we use like the art room and the music room and the gym …"

"Makes sense," Steve said. "That's what Open House is for, right?"

"Right." DJ's lip twisted slightly. "But you pretty much just sit still for bingo, so that doesn't really work."

"I see what you mean," Steve said, nodding. "So we need to think of something that gets people moving around the school."

"Right." DJ picked up his pencil, tapping it against his lips as he thought. "Ooh!" he said suddenly. "Remember when we went to that museum in L.A. with Joan and Aunt Mary and Uncle Aaron? They gave us those little booklets and when we did one of the activities we got a stamp in it. Then once we had all the stamps we got to turn it in for a prize."

"I do remember that," Steve said with a nod.

"What was it called again?"

"A passport. Like how when you travel to other countries you have a passport to prove your identity, and it gets stamped wherever you go."

"A passport," DJ repeated. "That's right."

"Do you think that would work in a school?" Steve asked.

"I think so. Mr. Roundtree said there were going to be activities in different rooms. So every time a family visits a room and does the activity, they'll get a sticker in their passport."

"Nice," Steve said. "Will there be a prize for finishing?"

DJ bit his lip. "I'm not sure. I guess that would be up to Mr. Roundtree. Maybe there could be a raffle that families could enter if they finish?"

"Maybe. But the prize could also just be the satisfaction of finishing, right?"

DJ smiled. "Right. I'll put it down on the list." He bent over the pad to write down the idea.

"Okay, so we got bingo and passports. Did Mr. Roundtree say there were any other goals for the Open House activity?" Steve asked.

"Not really. Just that he wanted families to get to know the school better," DJ replied.

"Okay. Maybe something that gets people answering questions about the school."

DJ straightened, eyes widening. "Like a quiz!"
"Yeah, like a quiz. How would it work for Open House?"

DJ paused, thinking it over. "Well, since the goal is to know the school better, after the families go around to all the rooms, they can answer questions like …" He bit his lip, thinking. "Like, where would you find the stuffed elephant in the school?"

Steve grinned. "I know that one. The library."

DJ grinned back. "Yeah, but do you know his name?"

Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Do I know his name? After all the Elephant & Piggie books I've read or listened to over the years? Of course I know Gerald's name. It's the pig's name I can't remember," he teased with a wink.

DJ giggled and picked up his pencil to write the quiz idea down.

"You've got a lot of good ideas there, DJ," Steve said. "I think your principal is going to be really happy to see how hard you've been thinking about ways to make Open House better for all the families that come."

DJ smiled at the praise, but as he looked over his list again, he twisted his lips slightly. "It's just … none of them feel quite right yet."

Steve nodded. "Okay. When do you have to turn your idea in?"

"Tomorrow," DJ said and bit his lip.

Steve winced. "Not a lot of time. Does it have to just be one idea?"

DJ cocked his head, thinking. "I guess not. Mr. Roundtree didn't say."

"Well, let's see what else we can think of, and then you can turn your whole list in if you want."

DJ beamed. "Okay!"

As they shifted closer to focus on the task at hand, the backdoor opened and Angie barrelled outside followed by Catherine at a more sedate pace.

"DJ! Mommy said we can go to the library!" she said with a squeal, grabbing the edge of the table and bouncing in place. "It's new scavenger hunt day!"

DJ and Steve immediately looked at each other and father and son smiled knowingly, both nodding.

"I think we have a winner," Steve said.

DJ grinned. "I gotta call Michael."

Hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned next week for Open House!

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