Vic Romano
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WOW! It's so cool to learn about Kermit's family, this is REALLY good stuff, Lisa!
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Swamp Call
- Thread starter TogetherAgain
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redBoobergurl
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I really liked this chapter! It was still so serious and sad, but then we've got Fozzie going "it's a wake up call!" which I just LOVED! And then the way you described how they all spent the night, it's just so heartwarming and family like and it just gives me chills! And I liked at the end how Maggie teased Kermit about being called "Kermie". Excellent stuff Lisa, keep it coming (I'm serious, drop out of school and make this a living....)
Beauregard
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It truely is your best work, Lisa!!!
TogetherAgain
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...If only...redBoobergurl said:
I'm so flattered, you guys! I'm SOOOOOOOO happy that you like it- here's another chapter. It's another kinda depressing one, but I tried to throw in that tiny little touch of comedy...
TogetherAgain
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Chapter seven
Kermit checked the sky again. It was time to wake Robin up. He gently shook the young frog. “Robin,” he said. “Wake up.” Robin squirmed a little. Kermit gently shook his again. “Come on,” he said. “Rise and shine, Frog Scout.”
Robin rolled over and looked sleepily up at his uncle.
“Good morning,” Kermit said.
Robin sat up in his uncle’s lap and rubbed his eyes. “Good morning, Uncle Kermit,” he mumbled. He looked around, remembered where he was, and looked expectantly up at Kermit.
Kermit took a deep breath. “Robin,” he said, “You know how I said I’d know by morning how long your Aunt Maggie is staying?” Robin nodded, suddenly a little more awake. “She’s leaving tomorrow morning,” Kermit said. “And we’re going with her.”
“We are?” Robin asked, excited. “Why?”
Kermit sighed and put a hand on his nephew’s back. “Well Robin,” he said, “Remember a few years ago when Grandma was really sick?”
Robin thought for a moment. “A little,” he said. “I remember that I saw my mom crying.”
Kermit nodded. “Well, Grandma is really sick again, like she was before. Except that... this time she’s worse.” He pulled Robin a little closer. “So we’re going to the swamp for a while.”
“How long will we be there?” robin asked.
Kermit shook his head. “I don’t know, Robin,” he said.
Robin watched his uncle carefully. “Uncle Kermit?” he said. “Is Grandma gonna be okay?”
Kermit looked out at the sky, not answering at first. He sighed. “I don’t know, Robin,” he said. “I really don’t know.”
Robin didn’t like the look on Kermit’s face. He hugged his uncle. The older frog hugged him back, wondering which one of them was comforting the other.
“Does everyone understand what we’re doing this week?” Kermit asked for the fourth time. He was sitting on the edge of the stage, with everyone else sitting in the audience. He was being unusually thorough, considering it was the beginning of the week, and everyone was losing patience. They grumbled something that Kermit figured was about as close to a “yes” as he would ever get.
“Does anyone have any questions about anything for the week?” he asked. No one raised their hands. “Anyone?” he asked. “Any questions? Anything at all?”
Clifford was frustrated. They understood, they were set for the week, they were more prepared than they had ever been the day after a show, so why couldn’t they just get to work already? Feeling a tad rebellious, he raised his hand. “Yo, Kerm!”
“Yeah Clifford?” Kermit said.
Clifford put his hand down. “Can I take Maggie out to dinner tonight?”
Kermit scrunched up his face. “No.”
Johnny stood up. “Hey Kermit, since he’s not takin’ her, can I?”
“NO.”
“Good choice, Kermin,” Pepe said. “Jou know she would much rather go with me, okay.”
“NO!” Kermit shouted. “Did it occur to you guys at all that maybe Maggie’s here for a reason? That it’s directly related to something important that I’m about to tell you? Did you even know that she cried herself to sleep last night? Or were you too busy imagining she might be romantically interested in one of you? Which, by the way, she’s not! So just leave her alone!”
A thick silence filled the room. Most of the men looked down in shame. Everyone else’s faces were deeply etched with concern. Kermit took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He looked at his feet.
“She... she didn’t really... cry herself to sleep, she just... she cried for a while, and then she fell asleep. But-“ He looked up and found himself looking straight into Miss Piggy’s eyes. That one look was all he needed to know that she had been worrying about him all morning.
“Kermit?” Fozzie asked gently. “Why is Maggie here?”
Kermit took a deep breath. His eyes did not move from Miss Piggy as he spoke. “About ten years ago,” he began, “my mom was diagnosed with brain cancer. They found the tumor early, and they treated it, and she was okay. Then a few years ago, they found another tumor. But they found it early again, and treated it, and she was okay.” He hesitated a moment before going on. “What Maggie came to tell me... is that- they found another tumor. And this time... they didn’t find it early.” He looked down at his feet and took another deep breath. “If we don’t do anything, then, she only has- at the most- two to three months to live. But they have a new treatment. They don’t know if it works. It’s some kind of operation. And if it works, she’ll be okay. If it doesn’t, she won’t be any worse than she is now. And if- if something goes wrong during the operation...” He took a deep breath. “...She might not make it out of the operation at all.”
He sat there for a moment, trying not to let his own words sink in. He shook the thought from his head, looked up at his friends, and moved on.
“Tomorrow morning, Maggie, Robin, and I are going back to the swamp,” he said. “I don’t know how long we’ll stay there, it depends... well, it depends on a lot of things. But until I get back- Scooter, Rowlf, and Clifford, I want you three in charge. You know what I do, split it up however. I’ll call you guys whenever I can to check in. Basically, just continue the show as usual. Any questions?”
They hesitated. Fozzie raised his hand. “Kermit, what about Robin’s school?” he asked. “How is he gonna learn?”
Kermit shrugged. “Same way I did,” he said. “Same way all his brothers and sisters and cousins do. We’ll keep him caught up.”
“Hey Boss,” Scooter said, “Will there be a way for us to contact you?”
“Well, not really,” Kermit said. “I’ll call you guys whenever I can.”
“What if there’s an emergency?” Rowlf asked.
Kermit thought about it. “If there’s an emergency... Worst-case scenario, take the train to Leland and go to Wilson’s Pet Shop. Wilson will know where I am, he’ll help you out. He’s a nice guy.”
“Hey Kerm?” Clifford said. “People are gonna notice pretty quick that you’re not around. Whadda we tell the reporters and the fans when they start to call?”
Kermit nodded. “Tell them it’s a family emergency, and I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
“Kermit?” Gonzo said. “What if we’re abducted by evil aliens who want to take over the world and hold us hostage until they get a hundred calendars from 1955?”
“GONZO!” everyone shouted.
“What?” he said. “It could happen.”
Kermit checked the sky again. It was time to wake Robin up. He gently shook the young frog. “Robin,” he said. “Wake up.” Robin squirmed a little. Kermit gently shook his again. “Come on,” he said. “Rise and shine, Frog Scout.”
Robin rolled over and looked sleepily up at his uncle.
“Good morning,” Kermit said.
Robin sat up in his uncle’s lap and rubbed his eyes. “Good morning, Uncle Kermit,” he mumbled. He looked around, remembered where he was, and looked expectantly up at Kermit.
Kermit took a deep breath. “Robin,” he said, “You know how I said I’d know by morning how long your Aunt Maggie is staying?” Robin nodded, suddenly a little more awake. “She’s leaving tomorrow morning,” Kermit said. “And we’re going with her.”
“We are?” Robin asked, excited. “Why?”
Kermit sighed and put a hand on his nephew’s back. “Well Robin,” he said, “Remember a few years ago when Grandma was really sick?”
Robin thought for a moment. “A little,” he said. “I remember that I saw my mom crying.”
Kermit nodded. “Well, Grandma is really sick again, like she was before. Except that... this time she’s worse.” He pulled Robin a little closer. “So we’re going to the swamp for a while.”
“How long will we be there?” robin asked.
Kermit shook his head. “I don’t know, Robin,” he said.
Robin watched his uncle carefully. “Uncle Kermit?” he said. “Is Grandma gonna be okay?”
Kermit looked out at the sky, not answering at first. He sighed. “I don’t know, Robin,” he said. “I really don’t know.”
Robin didn’t like the look on Kermit’s face. He hugged his uncle. The older frog hugged him back, wondering which one of them was comforting the other.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Does everyone understand what we’re doing this week?” Kermit asked for the fourth time. He was sitting on the edge of the stage, with everyone else sitting in the audience. He was being unusually thorough, considering it was the beginning of the week, and everyone was losing patience. They grumbled something that Kermit figured was about as close to a “yes” as he would ever get.
“Does anyone have any questions about anything for the week?” he asked. No one raised their hands. “Anyone?” he asked. “Any questions? Anything at all?”
Clifford was frustrated. They understood, they were set for the week, they were more prepared than they had ever been the day after a show, so why couldn’t they just get to work already? Feeling a tad rebellious, he raised his hand. “Yo, Kerm!”
“Yeah Clifford?” Kermit said.
Clifford put his hand down. “Can I take Maggie out to dinner tonight?”
Kermit scrunched up his face. “No.”
Johnny stood up. “Hey Kermit, since he’s not takin’ her, can I?”
“NO.”
“Good choice, Kermin,” Pepe said. “Jou know she would much rather go with me, okay.”
“NO!” Kermit shouted. “Did it occur to you guys at all that maybe Maggie’s here for a reason? That it’s directly related to something important that I’m about to tell you? Did you even know that she cried herself to sleep last night? Or were you too busy imagining she might be romantically interested in one of you? Which, by the way, she’s not! So just leave her alone!”
A thick silence filled the room. Most of the men looked down in shame. Everyone else’s faces were deeply etched with concern. Kermit took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He looked at his feet.
“She... she didn’t really... cry herself to sleep, she just... she cried for a while, and then she fell asleep. But-“ He looked up and found himself looking straight into Miss Piggy’s eyes. That one look was all he needed to know that she had been worrying about him all morning.
“Kermit?” Fozzie asked gently. “Why is Maggie here?”
Kermit took a deep breath. His eyes did not move from Miss Piggy as he spoke. “About ten years ago,” he began, “my mom was diagnosed with brain cancer. They found the tumor early, and they treated it, and she was okay. Then a few years ago, they found another tumor. But they found it early again, and treated it, and she was okay.” He hesitated a moment before going on. “What Maggie came to tell me... is that- they found another tumor. And this time... they didn’t find it early.” He looked down at his feet and took another deep breath. “If we don’t do anything, then, she only has- at the most- two to three months to live. But they have a new treatment. They don’t know if it works. It’s some kind of operation. And if it works, she’ll be okay. If it doesn’t, she won’t be any worse than she is now. And if- if something goes wrong during the operation...” He took a deep breath. “...She might not make it out of the operation at all.”
He sat there for a moment, trying not to let his own words sink in. He shook the thought from his head, looked up at his friends, and moved on.
“Tomorrow morning, Maggie, Robin, and I are going back to the swamp,” he said. “I don’t know how long we’ll stay there, it depends... well, it depends on a lot of things. But until I get back- Scooter, Rowlf, and Clifford, I want you three in charge. You know what I do, split it up however. I’ll call you guys whenever I can to check in. Basically, just continue the show as usual. Any questions?”
They hesitated. Fozzie raised his hand. “Kermit, what about Robin’s school?” he asked. “How is he gonna learn?”
Kermit shrugged. “Same way I did,” he said. “Same way all his brothers and sisters and cousins do. We’ll keep him caught up.”
“Hey Boss,” Scooter said, “Will there be a way for us to contact you?”
“Well, not really,” Kermit said. “I’ll call you guys whenever I can.”
“What if there’s an emergency?” Rowlf asked.
Kermit thought about it. “If there’s an emergency... Worst-case scenario, take the train to Leland and go to Wilson’s Pet Shop. Wilson will know where I am, he’ll help you out. He’s a nice guy.”
“Hey Kerm?” Clifford said. “People are gonna notice pretty quick that you’re not around. Whadda we tell the reporters and the fans when they start to call?”
Kermit nodded. “Tell them it’s a family emergency, and I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
“Kermit?” Gonzo said. “What if we’re abducted by evil aliens who want to take over the world and hold us hostage until they get a hundred calendars from 1955?”
“GONZO!” everyone shouted.
“What?” he said. “It could happen.”
theprawncracker
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Ok, this is the first time I've ever cried and laughed at the same time.
Poor Kermit...
But Gonzo's line was awesome, just awesome.
Poor Kermit...
But Gonzo's line was awesome, just awesome.
Beauregard
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The sparkle is there, the magic is there...the tears...
...The older frog hugged him back, wondering which one of them was comforting the other...
The laughter is there! The zany is there!
“Yo, Kerm!”
“Yeah Clifford?” Kermit said.
Clifford put his hand down. “Can I take Maggie out to dinner tonight?”
Kermit scrunched up his face. “No.”
Johnny stood up. “Hey Kermit, since he’s not takin’ her, can I?”
“NO.”
“Good choice, Kermin,” Pepe said. “Jou know she would much rather go with me, okay.”
And the sadness is there...gripping us with an icy grip...
“Kermit?” Fozzie asked gently. “Why is Maggie here?”
But...what's the worst that can 'appen?
“Kermit?” Gonzo said. “What if we’re abducted by evil aliens who want to take over the world and hold us hostage until they get a hundred calendars from 1955?”
Apart from that...
“What?” he said. “It could happen.”
...The older frog hugged him back, wondering which one of them was comforting the other...
The laughter is there! The zany is there!
“Yo, Kerm!”
“Yeah Clifford?” Kermit said.
Clifford put his hand down. “Can I take Maggie out to dinner tonight?”
Kermit scrunched up his face. “No.”
Johnny stood up. “Hey Kermit, since he’s not takin’ her, can I?”
“NO.”
“Good choice, Kermin,” Pepe said. “Jou know she would much rather go with me, okay.”
And the sadness is there...gripping us with an icy grip...
“Kermit?” Fozzie asked gently. “Why is Maggie here?”
But...what's the worst that can 'appen?
“Kermit?” Gonzo said. “What if we’re abducted by evil aliens who want to take over the world and hold us hostage until they get a hundred calendars from 1955?”
Apart from that...
“What?” he said. “It could happen.”
redBoobergurl
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Ohhhh, I loved this chapter. It was really well written, much like this whole story has been! I love little Robin going "is Grandma going to be ok?" I know exactly how he feels having been through that with a couple of grandparents. I love how Kermit locked eyes with Piggy. And, I loved Gonzo's line at the end, because after all, these are still the Muppets so humor does still play a part. Excellent chapter, keep it coming.
