Chapter Forty-Six
"Hi-ho, Muppet Boardi-
oh, hi Bob!"
"Hi-ho, Mup- Hi Craig!"
"Hi-ho, Muppet- Oh hi Mom!"
"...Uh, no, we haven't picked a date yet."
"Yes, it's real."
"Hi-ho, Mu- Oh hi Steve! Yeah!"
"Hi-ho, Muppet- Oh, well thank you."
"Hi-ho, Muppet Bo- Oh, Susan! Yeah, hi, been a while! Oh well thank you!"
"Hi-ho, Mup- Hi Grover!"
"Hi-ho, Mup- Didn't we all ready talk?"
"No, it was my idea. ...Well, yes, but
this time it was my idea. ...Yes I'm sure."
"Hi-ho, Muppet-"
"Hi-ho- Yes, this is Kermit the Frog-"
"Muppet Boarding House."
"Hi-ho- Sorry, no interviews."
"He's not here."
"Wrong number."
The phone rang for quite possibly the thousandth time.
Kermit sighed and turned to Miss Piggy. "
You answer it!"
She giggled and merrily picked up the phone. "Kissy kissy, this is Miss Piggy's voice mail system! To leave a message that moi will never hear, press one. To leave a number that moi will never call, press two. To talk to moi's publicist, press three. To get a life, press-" She looked at the phone and shrugged. "Must be a bad connection." She hung up.
Kermit sighed and shook his head. "And I suppose now they'll magically stop calling?"
"Mm-hm!" she said smugly. She set a kiss between his eyes.
He sighed and shook his head.
"Uncle Kermit?" a small voice said from the doorway.
Kermit glanced at the clock. "Robin, it is
way past your bed time," he said. He scooped the young frog up and marched towards the stairs.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Robin looked like he was all ready asleep as he crawled into his bed. Kermit smiled gently and sat down beside him. "Long day today," he said as he wrapped his arms around the young frog.
"Mm-hm," Robin mumbled as he set his head against his uncle's side. "You and Piggy are gonna get married, right Uncle Kermit?"
Kermit nodded. "Yup," he said. "That's right."
"And then she'll be my aunt?" Robin mumbled.
Kermit nodded again. "Yup."
Robin was quiet for a moment. "That's neat," he whispered.
Kermit settled back against the headboard. "Yeah," he said quietly. "It really is."
Robin stiffened, stretched, yawned, and settled back in. "Uncle Kermit?" he mumbled. "Will you read to me?"
"Sure," Kermit said. "Just something short tonight?"
He reached for a book that did not have a place on the shelf, because it permanently sat on the nightstand, right beside his nephew's bed. He turned to a page that was considerably more worn than any other page in the book. They both had it memorized, but there was something special about looking at the page.
Kermit smiled and read it quietly. "Halfway down the stairs is a stair where I sit. There isn't any other stair quite like it. I'm not at the bottom. I'm not at the top. So this is the stair where I always stop."
He smiled at his nephew, who would probably be asleep by the end of the page.
"Halfway up the stairs isn't up and isn't down. It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town. And all sorts of funny thoughts run 'round my head. It isn't really anywhere- It's somewhere else instead."
Kermit gently closed the book and set it back on the nightstand. He smiled at his now sleeping nephew.
"All sorts of funny thoughts," he murmured. He was quiet for a moment. "You know something, Robin? ...I don't think you're really asleep yet. I think you can still hear me. ...Well. ...You know something? You were really great in the number today. I mean that. You were really great."
He thought for a moment.
"I think it might work," he whispered. "I think people might stand up and listen now. I think... well, I hope, anyway. ...I hope a lot. ...It's a good thing, to hope, you know. Never stop hoping, Robin. ...And never stop hopping, either. It's good for your legs."
He smiled to himself. After a moment, he lightly shook his head and looked at his sleeping nephew.
"But I really hope it works," he whispered. "It felt good doing that number, you know? And knowing that... It just might help. ...I like that feeling. I like feeling that... I can help over there."
He lightly swallowed.
"I just wish the feeling would stick around," he whispered.
He lightly strummed his nephew's arm and brushed the thought away.
"I like it home," he whispered. "I like being here, and watching you grow up, and being with everybody... But best of luck to Bob. Gee whiz. You know some people hope this war's over soon, and- well, I hope it is too, but... I hope it ends for the right reasons."
He leaned over and kissed the young frog's head.
"You shouldn't have to worry about that, though," he whispered. "You're still young. Young and sweet and innocent... And that's a very good thing. Hold onto it for as long as you can, Robin. It's a very good thing."
Kermit settled back against the headboard.
"Your uncle's gonna get married soon," he whispered. His eyes were dreamy. "...Wow. ...I wonder if we'll give you any cousins. ...I wonder if that's possible. ...I wonder if I could raise them right." He looked at the small frog under his arm. "I wonder if I can raise
you right."
He curled around the young frog and held him tight.
"...Well, we'll see, I guess," he murmured. "You're on the right track so far, anyway." He gave his nephew a kiss. "Sleep well, little Robin. Sweet dreams."
He shifted, settled the young frog properly against the pillow, and reluctantly stood up and walked away. He stopped at the door and turned to watch his nephew sleep for a long moment.
"I love you," he murmured.
Then he turned out the light and quietly closed the door.
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