Baloo Saves the Sundae
Higher for Hire
The atmosphere was frantic at the small shipping company by the harbor.
Baloo rushed into the office, addressing his boss seated at her desk. "Hurry up with that paperwork, Becky! This is an A-number one emergency!"
"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" The point of Rebecca's pen was a mere blur as she filled out form after form.
Kit ran through the open office door. "Cargo's loaded, Papa Bear."
"Get the Duck started, Li'l Britches. I'll meet ya out there."
"Roger that!"
Baloo grabbed the pile of paperwork Rebecca was still writing on. She leaned over the desk, then started crawling over the desk, scribbling furiously, as he slowly pulled the documents away.
After adding the last signature, she shouted, "Done! Go! Go!"
"I'm goin'. I'm goin'!" Baloo replied, hurrying out the door and down the dock. The orange-trimmed yellow seaplane waited for him, propellers spinning.
Seconds later, the Sea Duck roared off at record speed.
Moments after clearing the cliffs, Baloo pushed the throttle wide open, muttering, "Wish I still had my overdrive."
"Think we'll make it in time?" Kit asked, looking worried.
Baloo, his jaw set in determination, said, "We have to."
Later in Bragging's Heights…
The Sea Duck skidded to a stop at the posh Bragging's Heights airport. The city was famous for hosting every annual 'best of' contest where people from all over the world competed for anything from the smartest hamster to the highly coveted biggest rubber band ball award.
Baloo, box in hand, hopped out of the seaplane, closely followed by Kit. They sped into the nearby convention center. It was big enough to swallow most towns and was always packed with people.
"One side! Outta my way! Important delivery comin' through!" Baloo shouted. He wasn't stopping for anyone, not even for a man carrying a heaping tower of pies for the Best Whipped Cream Pie contest, which caused a lot of splattering and spluttering, or for card towers for the Best Playing Card Tower contest.
No, Baloo and Kit weren't stopping for anything. But they did have to detour around a parade of pachyderms being judged for the World's Biggest Elephant contest.
On and on, they wound their way through the massive convention hall, past various contests until they finally spotted the one they were looking for: the World's Best Ice Cream Sundae contest. Ten contestants stood behind a table on which reposed their sundaes; each was a masterpiece of ice cream goodness.
There was no time to lose. The three judges were one contestant away from Louie.
Pilot and navigator hurried over to Louie, who looked extremely relieved and happy to see them. "Baloo, my main man! I knew my upstandin' friend wouldn't let me down."
Louie took the box from Baloo and opened it. He pulled out seven very important sparklers and stuck them in various places atop the sundae. He lit the sparklers just as the judges approached.
"Ooo!" the three judges gasped in amazement. They had never seen an ice cream sundae so decorated. Sprinkles, yes. Whipped cream, yes. All sorts of fruit toppings, yes. Never sparklers.
The head judge shared questioning glances with the other two judges. They all three nodded.
"It's unanimous." The head judge pulled a blue ribbon out of his pocket and handed it to Louie. "This year's World's Best Sundae goes to Louie and his Krakatoa Special."
Baloo, who had found a serendipitous spoon on the table, had already started to eat the Krakatoa Special. He didn't need a blue ribbon or a judge to tell him it was the world's best. "You better believe it!"
The End