Uncle Billy�s beach bag has all ways been my favorite thing to investigate on trips; he even brings his beach bag when he comes over to my house to visit� sometimes, if I�m lucky. Today, however, was the day that I would have full control over the bag �cause Uncle Billy was too busy surfin� to pay any attention.
I glanced over at Mr. Bean and Liv, who were still talkin� about vegetables. Good, they weren�t paying any attention and I could have all the treats to myself.
I carefully pulled the bag over to sit in front of me on Uncle Billy�s beach blanket. I reached for the zipper and slowly pulled the top of the bag open. Peering inside the canvas bag, I grinned in excitement at what I saw.
Uncle Billy sure knew how to pack a bag to go to the beach! There was loads of cool stuff in there, like sunscreen! Oh, and my lunch box that had a picture of a hobbit on it. Uncle Billy said it was a �proto-type�� whatever that was! I didn�t mind though, it had a picture on it of Bobo as a hobbit AND it always had the best lunches in it. I couldn�t wait to find out what Uncle Billy had packed for me. I dug deeper into the beach bag finding some weird things, including a folded up piece of paper. This intrigued me, so I quickly unfolded it, glancing over my shoulder just incase anyone was watching. This piece of paper could hold very important information� like a map to a treasure! I sighed at the thought of all the money I could get if it was a treasure map� maybe even 100�! I could buy a mansion with that much money� wow.
I quickly glanced over my shoulder at the adults and they seemed too busy talkin� to notice my piece of paper. Excellent, then the treasure would be only mine and Uncle Bobo�s� well, Orlie can have some too, I suppose. 100� was a lot of money, so I guess there would be enough to go around.
I turned my full attention back to my paper and grinned. Carefully and slowly I opened the folded paper, I hoped I didn�t rip it or nothin�.
The paper had a lot of writtin� on it and I could make out a couple of the words, but that didn�t matter. There was a picture of a mug of somethin� foamy� oh! I know! Pop! Okay� so there was pop and� I looked even closer at the other picture and finally made out what it was. There was a stick figure on a surfboard. A surfboard? How now what would that have to do with a treasure?
I contemplated this new information inside my head then promptly decided it would be best if I tried to make out what the paper actually said.
�Fun� pub� n-night�� I whispered, trying to make sense of the words that I knew. I skipped over a couple that didn�t make sense because I figured they weren�t important.
After a few minutes, I grew bored of the treasure map. From what I did know though is that the treasure was pop, not money (oh well), and that it was where surfboards were� and I could only find it in a pub at night. This was ridiculous, how am I supposed to find a treasure at night when I�m not allowed out of the house after seven-o-clock? I�d have to ask Uncle Billy� or bribe him.
Tossing the paper to the side, I continued searching through Uncle Billy�s beach bag. I found a couple cans of pop that was spelt differently then most. It was spelled B-E-E-R. Pop companies would do anythin� to sell you somethin�.
I was still going through Uncle Bobo�s bag when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around slowly, wondering who it was and promptly yelped in horror.
�Merry! You scared me!� I sighed, letting out a loud breath of air.
Merry chuckled and pointed to my lap. �So, you�re going to come out pubbin� with us too I see.�
I glanced down at the can of pop with the weird name and furrowed my brow. I looked back up at Merry in question. �Pubbin�? No� This is�� I tried to explain before I was whoosh up into the air, almost kickin� Merry in the face in the process. Luckily Merry ducked or I would�ve nailed him right in the side of the head� on second thought, THAT would�ve been funny!
�Not over my dead body.� I heard Uncle Bobo sigh from behind me. �I think the wee girl is all ready giddy enough without the extra alcohol.�
Alcohol? It was pop! Silly Uncle Bobo.
�You said it Pip.� I heard Orlie laugh. He was over talkin� with Liv and I grinned at him. I had a secret about treasure and no one else knew yet.
The rest of the time on the beach was fun. I learned that we were on was called New Plymouth or somethin�. I heard Mr. Bean talkin� about it while I was trying to dig a hole. I figured if I dug long enough, I could maybe get to Disney World. Have you ever heard of it? It�s in America and someday I�m gonna go there and meet Mickey Mouse. Uncle Billy said he�d take me one day. I couldn�t wait.
Merry, Uncle Billy, and Liv had all gone back out into the water. Orlie opted to stay with me �cause Mr. Bean was takin� a nap. I didn�t feel like goin� in the water just yet. I wanted lunch first, but Uncle Billy said we�d be eating a little later today �cause we�re at the beach. Oh well. I was content in just digging my hole.
I glanced over at Orlie who was readin� a big adult book. You know the ones I�m talkin� about, the ones with one billion pages.
�Orlie.� I whispered, checking to make sure I hadn�t wakened Mr. Bean.
Orlie ignored me.
�Orlie.� I tried again. Still no answer. Why was it that everyone ignored me when I had somethin� important to say?
I gave up at this point and decided the only way that I would be able to get his attention was with my shovel. So, for the second time that day, I threw somethin� at someone�s head, checking first to see if Uncle Billy was watchin�. Luckily he wasn�t and �m pretty sure he didn�t hear the yelp from Orlie when the shovel made impact. What a baby! The shovel was plastic.
�What was that for?!� he asked/groaned at the same time.
�You were ignoring me.� I replied, standing up and walking over to him and promptly sitting down in his lap. �Is it lunchtime yet?�
Orlie checked his watch. �Not yet love, still a little longer. Are you sure you don�t want to go for a swim?�
I thought for a moment. My tummy was rumblin�, but maybe swimmin� would make the time go faster.
�Okay.� I agreed, standin� up. �Race ya.�
And with that, I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me down to where Uncle Billy was, and again I quickly lost by default. I told you, being this short is not fun, especially when it comes to races. Now, not only have I been beaten by Bobo twice, but now Orlie! This was unfair and I was goin� to make sure I wished extra hard to get taller� maybe even taller then Uncle Billy!
I sighed happily at the thought, then remembered I was still runnin�. That�s also when I noticed that there was a solid object in front of me. Oh no.
Last thing I remember was hitting my head and being knocked back onto my rump. After that, everythin� went dizzy and there were five Orlie�s. I heard a commotion, but I really didn�t understand what was goin� on, but I saw for some strange reason, Merry hoppin� around on one foot howlin� at the top of his lungs. Uncle Billy was in front of me, beside me, and to my other side as well, tryin� to get my attention, but I was still was shocked that there were five Orlies. I didn�t think the world needed that many, one was already too much!
�Alex? Alex kiddo, you all right in there?� I finally heard Uncle Billy. I shook my head quickly, and then nodded.
�Yep, just a little dizzy�� I said. �Is it time for lunch yet?�
I heard Liv laugh, and saw Merry lookin� down at me, shakin� his head. �She�s the perfect hobbit Bobo.� He quipped, �She�s short, likes to eat, and knows how to get into mischief. Are you sure she can�t come pubbin� with us tonight?�
�I�m quite sure.� Uncle Billy said, scooping me up off the ground and onto my feet. Of course, Orlie wouldn�t let me walk, so I got a short piggyback ride to the beach blankets.
Now we had lunch.
Liv had brought a cooler and so had Mr. Bean. I had figured they were just chairs but they were really packed with tons of food.
I settled for my own special lunch that Uncle Billy had packed instead. Why? Because Mr. Bean had pulled out a plastic bowl full of green stuff that looked a lot like Elijah�s cookin�. It scared me.
�Peanut butter sandwich� apple� juice carton� candy bar�� I froze as I saw the last package at the bottom of my �proto-type� lunchbox. I leaned closer to get a better look, and I realized the truth. A wave of joy washed over me as I saw the greatest thing in the world, chocolate chip cookies.
�Thank you Uncle Bobo!� I squealed, picking up the small package and tearin� it open.
�Wh- Alex, after your sandwich kiddo!� Uncle Billy laughed at me.
I paused, licking my lips. There was only one thing to do in a situation like this. I turned on my acting skills.
�B-But I c-can�t w-wait that long an� m-my head hurts and Merry hurt me.� I whimpered.
�Oh no you don�t. You aren�t blaming this on me you little runt.� Merry called over. �And to think, I wanted you to come pubbin��� he droned.
Uncle Billy winked at me. �Nice try Alex. After your sandwich.�
Well, it WAS worth a shot.
The adults chatted about boring things as I gobbled down my peanut butter sandwich. It was good, my mum all ways puts too much peanut butter on, and my dad puts too little on. Uncle Billy is perfect at makin� food. Have I mentioned that he�s the best cook ever?
As I sat there eatin�, I noticed the treasure paper again. Pub� pub� wait. Wasn�t Merry talkin� about goin� pubbin� tonight? Maybe that�s where Merry was goin�!
I grinned happily to myself, I was goin� to get my treasure and Merry was unknowingly gonna help me.