Five pairs of feet strode into the lobster pound. Three were wearing sneakers, the other sandals, and the last pair nothing, since they don't make shoes in root sizes.

"So...this is the place." said Reginald Bushroot. He was once again wearing his sweatshirt.

"Right." said Eric. "We'll wait for the guy to come out."

They were in a small room that served as an office. There was a desk and a couple of chairs there, and a calendar on the wall. There was also a large model of a lobster on one wall. The smell of fish and the ocean was very noticeable, and it came from the closed door on the other side of the room from the entrance.

Lily sat in one of the chairs as well as Forrest. Maggie, curious as ever, scooted around the room looking at everything in sight, although there wasn't much.

"Maggie, stop poking into things." said Reginald.

Just then, the door opened, and a tall man wearing a sweater and overalls came out. His hair was tangled, and he had a growth of stubble on his face. Reginald was glad he no longer needed to shave himself. He smiled slightly.

"Hi, folks." said the man. "After some lobster?"

"Yes." answered Eric. "We'll want about three."

The man gestured towards the door. "Come on in and see what we have."

They stepped into a larger room. A wide opening on the other side revealed a deck, with a ladder on the end, presumably leading to sea level. There were two men in the room, pulling lobsters out of the distinctive wooden traps. They gave the visitors a glance, and spared an extra glance for Bushroot, but quickly went back to thier work.

"Today's catch is in the livewell." said the manager, pointing to a large wooden box. "Better watch the kids-the lobsters'll give them a nasty pinch."

Maggie was already leaning over the edge of the livewell, about to put her fingers in the water. Lily stepped quickly over and took her by the arm.

"You're staying with me, young lady." she said as she led her daughter towards the door. Forrest was content to observe the surroundings.

Eric reached into the water and pulled out a squirming specimen. "This one looks good. What do you think, Reg?" He held it out to the plant-duck.

"Er...looks good to me." said Bushroot as he backed up a foot. "Just watch those claws...I don't need a trimming." Eric laughed.

"Don't worry." he said. "They put rubber bands on the claws before we take them home. They won't hurt you."

Trying to seem enthusiastic, Reggie nodded his head vigorously. Lily giggled at the sight of his anthers bobbing back and forth.

Eric placed the lobster in a bucket and picked out two more. "We'll take these." he told the manager.

"Okay...go back out to the office and I'll bag and band them for you." He kept taking glances at Bushroot, who responded with a friendly smile. He was used to being glanced at, and he didn't care anyway.

A few minutes later, the manager came out with the lobsters wrapped up in plastic bags. "That'll be 12 dollars, folks." The Bushroots and Eric had agreed to split the cost, so they handed over a five and a single each. Eric picked up two lobsters, and Reginald got the third. He seemed less nervous now that the lobster was in a bag and the claws were banded.

Eric was the last one out. But the manager stopped him.

"What is it?" asked Eric.

"Your friend...the tall guy. He looks like someone I saw on the news. The guy was in with some gang trying to take over the world or something."

"No." Eric shook his head. "You're thinking of someone else. That person's not around anymore."

The manager shrugged. "Okay." Eric left.

* * *

They drove into town. "Where are we going?" asked Reggie, surprised.

"To the supermarket." replied Lily. "I'm buying corn on the cob to go with the lobster."

Reggie sighed. "I could have grown corn for you for nothing."

"Reggie, honey, we're on vacation." said Lily, patting his cheek. "You shouldn't be working."

Lily went in to buy the corn. She also picked up a bottle of Pixie Cola, which showed a pixie on the label zapping cans that suspiciously resembled Kookie Cola cans. She looked at the label for a moment. "Interesting." she said before going to the cashier.

The corn and cola bought, they drove back to the cabins. The children went to the rocks to play, while Lily started dinner and shooed Reggie and Eric out of the kitchen.

"Fine!" called Eric. "I didn't want to see you put the lobster in the water anyway!"

"Lobster?" replied Reginald. "What about putting the corn in that boiling water?" He shuddered. They went outside and took a walk down the road.

"Let's go into the office." said Eric when they reached it.

"Are we allowed?" asked Reginald.

"Sure." said Eric. "I had the run of this place when I was younger. We'd even go into the owner's house...of course, we were friends of thiers."

Bushroot laughed, and they went in.

The office was relatively small. It consisted of two large wooden benches with a table between them to the right of the main door. Directly in front was a shelf running along the wall and a cupboard above it. And along the right wall was a glass cabinet with a number of knickknacks in it. Reginald began inspecting the items carefully. Eric sat down on one of the benches.

"How long have you been coming here?" asked Reggie.

"Since I was small. I don't even remember the first time I was here. But I have a lot of good memories."

Bushroot nodded. "You're so lucky. I never had time for memories like this-before, or now."

"It's not too late." replied Eric. "You've got some memories already, just by being here."

Reginald smiled. "That's right. And I'm going to bring my family back here. I want the kids to get some good memories like you have."

"Here." Eric handed him a card. "You'll need this."

The small card had the phone number and address of the cabins on it. Although there were actually several more lying on the table, Bushroot held it in his leaflike hands as if it were solid gold. "Thanks." he said simply.

Then they heard a familiar female voice outside...an angry-sounding voice.

"Where are those two? If my supper gets cold, I'm not feeding them again...I'll...."

"Oh-oh." said Reggie. "I think it's time to go back."

They went outside, and Lily grabbed Reggie by the arm. Eric followed behind, wisely keeping quiet. The children were noisy enough, as they giggled at thier father and 'uncle'.

Lily's right arm shot out like a rocket towards the cabin. "Inside, both of you, before I get really annoyed." The two men sheepishly obeyed.

They sat down to dinner. The three lobsters were on a plate in the middle of the table, while an ear of corn lay on each adult's plate. Lily had removed the kernels from the children's corn.

"Okay..." said Bushroot. "Just how do we eat these lobsters?"

"Like this." Eric picked up a lobster and an object that looked like a nutcracker, but was larger. He opened it up and placed the lobster between the jaws. Then he squeezed.

With a loud CRACK the shell split open. The children squealed with delight, Lily put her hands to her beak and Reginald's eyebrows shot up. Eric then pried it open further with his fingers, revealing the white meat underneath. "Now, you can get at the meat." he said as he pulled some out with a fork and put it on his plate. "Who wants to open the next one?"

"I'll try it." Reggie reached for another lobster, and Eric handed him the cracker. Bushroot placed the lobster between the jaws as he had seen Eric do, and squeezed. But he was nervous, and held the cracker out at arm's length. He squeezed again, harder. It CRACKED open, and Reginald dropped the lobster on the table. Eric laughed, and Lily and the kids had to giggle.

"Funny, funny." said Bushroot. He stuck his leafy fingers into the crack and pried, but it was difficult for him to get a good grip. He tried again, and gave it a hard yank. It split in half, and some of the meat flew into his face. "Yeow-w!" he shouted as he dropped the lobster again.

Eric and Lily were beside themselves at the sight of bits of lobster meat sticking to Bushroot's face and in his foilage. One was even stuck to an anther. The children giggled helplessly.

"Very funny!" he exclaimed. But in a moment he started to smile himself, and said "When I open a lobster, I don't fool around." Eric and Lily's laughter dwindled to chuckles. Dinner was put on hold while Reginald went to clean up.

After he returned, the supper started in earnest. They let Lily open the third lobster, which she did like an expert. Then they dug into it. The lobster meat was delicious in melted butter, and Eric showed them how to crack open the big front claws and get at the meat there, not to mention suck the meat out of the legs. Reginald decided to pass on that. The corn was delicious as well, and Bushroot ate it as heartily as the others, having no objection to plant products being eaten. Of course some was saved for Spike, and the Pixie Cola, they learned, was a variation of Jolt Cola.

When supper was over, the table cleared and dishes done, it was time to sit and relax for thier final evening in Milbridge. Reginald sat between his children and started reading them a story from one of the books they had bought. Lily went outside. Eric sat at the table and watched his friend reading, then got up and went outside himself.

* * *

Lily had gone down to the beach. Eric followed her, looking behind to see if any of the others were coming. Apparently not. As his shoes crunched on the tiny seashells, Lily turned and noticed him.

"Hello, Eric." she said. "Thanks for coming outside. It's too nice an evening to be indoors, especially on our last night here."

"I never get tired of coming here." replied Eric.

Lily looked out towards the dark ocean. "I meant to take a few pictures. It's too dark now, but I'll take some tomorrow."

"That's one thing I always regretted." said Eric. "I never took pictures when I used to come here."

"Well, you were a child." said Lily. "You could hardly be blamed for not thinking about it."

"I suppose..." Eric let his voice trail off as he climbed up on the rocks.

Lily giggled a bit. "Don't fall."

"Hey," said Eric with a grin, "if your husband can navigate these rocks, so can I."

Lily bent down and picked up something. Eric jumped down and went over to look-it was a smooth pebble.

"I think I'll take this with me." she said. "The kids can't have all the souvenirs." She chuckled.

"I'm so glad you suggested this place. Reginald needed a vacation so badly. We all did. We wouldn't have known where to go if you hadn't suggested this place. It's so beautiful...it's perfect."

Eric smiled. "I knew you guys would like it."

Lily looked at Eric. "I want to thank you for being such a good friend to Reggie. It means the world to him to have people around who understand and care about him."

Eric nodded. "Sure I care. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. I never met a person that feels more like a real, genuine friend...but of course I mean you as well."

"But I'm his wife." she said. "He needs someone like you, as well."

"I'll never be ashamed to call him friend. I'll do it in the middle of St. Canard."

Lily smiled. "He wouldn't be ashamed, either. You probably noticed he dosen't care what people think of him anymore. Reggie is happy now...really, truly happy."

Eric's eyes were stinging. "I'm glad he is. So am I, to have such a friend. And to feel like a part of this family."

"Eric..." said Lily, "you are a part of our family. Surely I don't need to tell you that."

Eric had to turn away. He felt overwhelmed by Lily's words. He wiped his eyes. "Thank you. Thanks so much..."

"You're very welcome." she said. "So...where are we going next year?"

A smile broke out on Eric's face. "How about Portland? I know a great motel with an indoor pool, two restaurants..."

"Sounds like a plan to me." replied Lily. "Reginald told me you mentioned once that you spent New Year's there as a child one year. Is that true?"

"Yes." said Eric. "Yes, we did."

"Perfect!" exclaimed Lily. "Then that's what we'll do. Ring in 2001 in Portland."

"But...shouldn't we ask..."

"No buts." said Lily. "We're going, and don't you dare try to get out of it."

Eric grinned. "I wouldn't dare try."

Suddenly they heard a familiar voice calling from the cabins. "Lily! Eric! Where are you guys? What are you doing? Hello!"

"Wouldn't you like to know, Mister!" cried Lily, but couldn't suppress a giggle at the end.

A sudden rustling of grass. Then a thud as a figure landed face down on the sand. Lily ran over and helped her husband up, still giggling.

Bushroot looked at them, his expression more confused than angry. "What are you guys doing down here?" he asked.

"Just talking." said Lily.

"Oh..." Reginald looked from one to the other. "Okay."

"You're not jealous, are you, Reggie?" asked Lily.

Reginald clapped his hands to his chest. "Me? Jealous? I don't have a jealous bone or chloroplast in my body."

"That's good."

"But...er...what were you talking about?"

Lily pointed a finger into his chest. "We were making plans. And you'll just have to wait and see."

Bushroot shrugged. He knew his wife well enough to know that "wait and see" would be exactly what he'd have to do. He climbed back up the small hill, followed by Lily and Eric, and they all went back into the cabin.

* * *

It was morning. Everyone get up a little more reluctantly than usual, since thier time by the seashore was coming to an end. Eric packed his things and carried the bag outside.

He noticed Reggie standing on the road, looking towards the beach. He stopped to put his bag in the van, then walked over.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Reginald sighed. "It's Lily. She decided she wanted to take pictures. Naturally, the kids and Spike followed. We'll never get home!"

"Are you that anxious to leave here?"

Bushroot looked around. "No...not really. But it would be nice to get back to the greenhouse and see how the plants are doing."

Eric nodded. It was hard to leave, but at the same time, he wanted to return as well.

"Lily! Guys, come on!" yelled Reggie. "We'd like to get home!"

"Coming, Daddy!" Maggie's voice piped up from what sounded like far away. Soon, she, Forrest and Lily, with Spike bringing up the rear, appeared from behind some rocks and rejoined thier father, husband, master and friend.

"I hated to stop you, Lil, but..." said Reginald.

"It's okay." replied Lily. "I got a lot of shots. We'd better go."

She climbed into the van. The kids and Spike got into the back, leaving only Eric and Reginald standing in front of the Bushroot's cabin.

"I know I've said it a million times, Eric..." said Reggie. "But thanks for suggesting this place. You've done me...all of us a world of good."

"No problem." replied Eric. "I wanted someone else to see what a great place it was. Who better than my best friend and his family?"

Bushroot smiled. "I'm coming back. That's a promise."

They walked over to the van and climbed in. Eric sat beside Forrest, who gave him a small smile, unnoticed by anyone else. Then Reginald started the motor, and they pulled out from between the cabins and onto the dirt road. They drove up the road, through the trees, whose branches moved back to thier original places. Then the van turned onto the main road, and drove out of sight.

Reginald Bushroot, Spike and St. Canard are the property of Disney and used without permission. Lily, Maggie and Forrest Bushroot are the property of Tracy Pierce and used with permission. Eric is property of the author. This story was written so Eric could share one of his favorite places with his best friend and his family, and not for profit. (C)2000 Eric Smith.



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