Mr. P. (my new nickname for Peter), actually let me stay to watch my uncle do the movie scene. I was very grateful, but he made me promise not to attack the cloaked guy again. I agreed and said sorry to the guy. I had actually made him bleed!
Orlie stayed with me to �keep an eye on me� as Uncle Billy had said. I was sitting on his lap, on a chair marked �Sean A.� whoever that was. Nothing else mattered though, I was seeing hobbits! Well, fake ones, but they were still playing short people, like me. To my dismay, the other two hobbits weren�t short... they were actually taller then Bobo. I couldn�t believe it. I�ve never met anyone, besides Orlie, who was taller then Uncle Billy, and now everyone here on the movie set was. The world was so strange sometimes.
The scene I was watching the hobbits act out was the one where a hobbit named Merry, broke a carrot. They guy that was playing Merry was funny. I learned his name but decided to call him Merry, just because I could remember that one. Merry was very nice and he showed me his hair colour that was under the wig he was wearing, it was white! I asked why he looked younger then Uncle Bobo if he was really old enough to have white hair like my grampa. He just laughed at me and put his wig back on. Boy, these people sure like to laugh at the strangest things.
I watched with amazement as I watched Uncle Billy and the other hobbits purposely fall down a hill, with huge vegetables in their hands. Uncle Billy was carrying a ball of cabbage the size of a basketball, and Merry was carrying a couple of carrots that were as tall as from the ground to my knee. They were big.
After watching the hobbits fall down a lot and Uncle Billy saying something about mushrooms, Peter called in a very loud voice �Cut! That�s a wrap!�
As if signaling something, everyone broke out in cheers and applause, even Orlie who scared the dickens out of me with a very loud �Whoopee!�, which knocked me off his lap onto the ground. I decided to clap while I was down there, seeing as how everyone else was still clapping.
Uncle Billy raced over and plucked me up off the ground, swinging me around in the air. He was in his hobbit costume, so I reached over and stole his wig, placing it on my own head. I wondered what I looked like with brown hair. Uncle Billy smiled at me then looked up at Orlie.
�Thanks mate.� He said, �I owe you one for taking care of the little rascal.�
�No problem, the little one was fun and entertaining. It was better then talking to Viggo and Sean about American versus Irish politics. Trust me, as a Brit, neither man cares to hear my opinion.� Orlie laughed, his whole face lighting up.
Uncle Billy chuckled. �Well then, I�m glad she saved you. See you tonight, and reminded Viggo because I know he�ll forget.� he added.
Orlie nodded. �Not a problem Billy. I�ll be there at 6 sharp.� Orlie turned to look at me, �And I will see you tonight love. Remember, we�ve got that special thing to discuss, plus you still owe me the fishing story.�
I saw Uncle Billy turn a light shade of red as I grinned evilly remembering Orlie�s plan. �Okie dokie.� I replied, as Uncle Billy took my hand and we started heading back to his trailer.
On our way past Elijah, Merry, the other hobbit named Sean, and Mr. P. Uncle Billy called out �Dinner at 6, don�t be late!�
I heard a couple �yeps� and an �all right� as we left the forest, heading back up the path back to Uncle Billy�s trailer.
I sat on the couch, watching Arthur while Uncle Bobo changed out of his hobbit costume. I was kinda happy when he took off the ears �cause they were really strange looking on him. They were exactly like Orlie�s, but my uncle said I hadn�t seen the normal Orlie yet. I wondered what he would look like without his elf costume on. I guess I would find out tonight.
Uncle Billy came out of his room dressed in his normal clothes, jeans and a tee shirt. I didn�t notice because Buster was telling Arthur a joke. I liked Buster as much as I liked hobbits. Haw-bits. See? I like that word.
All of a sudden, the TV screen went black just as Buster was about to revile the punch line of the joke. I gasped in horror as I realized what had happened. I quickly turned to see Uncle Billy holding the remote-thingy and pointing it at the TV.
�Okay Kiddo, you ready to go?� he asked as if nothing had happened.
I just stared at him, my mouth hung open. He just made me miss the punch line of Buster�s joke... and he was okay with this?
He looked at me funny since I didn�t answer him. �Alex? You ready to go?� he repeated.
�I missed the end!� I finally gasped, which only got me a confused look from my uncle. �Now I�ll never know the end of the joke, ever! Uncle Billy...� I whined, sorta mad at him.
He frowned. �Sorry kiddo, but we have to go. We have guests tonight and you need to help me make dinner. For 11 people, including ourselves. I really am sorry. Will you ever forgive me?�
He looked so pathetically sad, I had to. I broke into a grin and jumped off the couch. �Aye. I forgive you Bobo. But do you know why 6 is afraid of 7?� I asked, hoping he did so I wouldn�t miss Buster�s punchline.
A grin came across his face. �Help me make dinner and I�ll tell you.� Uncle Billy bribed.
�Deal.� I said, sticking out my hand to shake on it. I was getting used to this whole �hand-shaking� thing. Uncle Billy took my hand and shook it, than we headed out the door to his waiting car.
Uncle Billy opened the door for me �cause I couldn�t lift the handle enough to open it myself. I told you being short sucks.
I hopped in as Uncle Bobo shut it behind me. I got my seatbelt on all by myself as he went around and got in the driver�s seat. I looked at him closely as he fumbled around for his keys. He looked better without the hobbit hair.
As we headed out of the movie set, Uncle Billy sighed.
I looked at him quizzically. �What�s the matter Bobo?� I asked.
He was silent for a moment, as if he was thinkin� about somethin� real hard. �I�m sorry to have to tell you this Alex, but for tonight�s dinner you have to� dress up a bit.�
I frowned. �Dress up?� I repeated, not liking where this was going.
He nodded. �I had my assistant pick you up a nice dress, I think you�ll like it.� He said
Hesitating a little.
�A DRESS?!� This was bad. This was very bad! I hate dresses and he knows that! They make playing really hard� and I won�t be able to fight Orlie if I was wearin� one. Uncle Billy couldn�t be this mean. I looked up at him. �Please don�t make me. I�ll be good, I promise.�
He grinned a bit, almost as if he enjoyed seeing me suffer like this. �Now Alex,� he started, �It�s just for tonight. Don�t you want to look like a girl for once for the nice folks who are coming over tonight?�
�No.� I grumbled. �I�ll look stupid.�
Uncle Billy shook his head. �Tell you what. You wear one tonight and I�ll let you stay up until nine-o-clock. Deal?�
Nine-o-clock? Whoa. That was pretty late and I would be dumb to pass up a chance to stay up until nine-o-clock. I accepted the bribe.
That�s when I remembered Buster�s joke. I still didn�t know the answer and we had been in the car for five whole minutes. That�s a whole hand of minutes!
�So?� I asked.
�So what?� Uncle Billy asked.
�Why was 6 afraid of 7?�
Uncle Billy chuckled, �Because,� he began, �7 ate 9.�
I cracked up at that. 7 ate 9? That was the best joke ever! I was still laughing, tears rolling down my cheeks, as we pulled into Uncle Billy�s driveway. I think Uncle Bobo was getting sick of me giggling, because as soon as he turned off the car, he opened the door and jumped out really quickly. I was still laughing when he opened my car door and picked me up, throwing me over his shoulder. The blood rushing to my head made me stop laughing, and I think Uncle Billy was grateful for that.
�Okay Alex. It�s 12:00 and you know what that means.� Uncle Billy smiled.
I groaned. �Awww, Uncle Bobo. Do I have to?�
He nodded and directed me towards my bedroom. I disliked naps very much. I didn�t see the point in them. Why should I be forced to sleep when I�m not�
I yawned at this point, which caused Uncle Billy to smirk. � Ah ha! See? You are tired my dear niece and a nap will help you stay up until 9 tonight.�
Oh yeah. I forgot about that. See? My uncle is the bravest and the smartest uncle ever.
I pulled off my sneakers and jumped onto the cushy bed. Uncle Billy had made it for me, which was great, cause I was forced to make my own bed at home. I didn�t bother mentioning this to Uncle Billy because he seemed to enjoy doing things for me.
I crawled under the sheets while Bobo shut the blinds. He handed me Mutsy, my stuffed doggy, and kissed me on the forehead. I smiled at him as he headed towards the door.
�I�ll wake you in one hour.� He said in almost a whisper. �Then we can get started on cooking. Okay?�
I nodded, half asleep already. Being six was hard work, what with going on tours, attacking bad guys, and planning tricks to play on uncles. I smiled, slowly drifting off to sleep as I thought of the plan that Orlie and me were gonna do tonight. I couldn�t wait.