Ralph Has One of Those Days

 

🐟I think Ramona needs a setup like this!🐡

 
            “Mona, I don’t know what to do today,” said Ralph.
            He was sitting at his usual spot on one of the logs by the fire looking at his toes and wiggling them around as if he hadn’t really looked at them recently.
            Ramona had her big sheet pan on the grid over the fire, and she was poking at some things cooking there with her long wooden spoon. At last she seemed pleased with the arrangement. She was carefully cooking some trout for later. She had to be careful because fish like to fall apart in the pan.
            “Are you hungry,” Ramona asked, hand on hip, swiping her hair back from her face, but paying close attention.
            “I’m not sure. I feel like there is a hollow place in my middle but it’s not that kind of hollow place, maybe,” said Ralph.
            “Are your eyes closed, Ralph?” she said.
            “No. Of course not, I’m looking at you,” said Ralph, just a little grumpily.
            “Are you looking in the wrong direction, Ralph?”
            “Why are you asking me these weird questions, Mona?” said Ralph, who actually did have his eyes closed now, having gotten tired of watching his toes wiggle.
            “What do you think the weather will be like later today?” said Ramona, as if she was changing the subject.
            He opened his eyes and looked up into the sky between the tree trunks and upper branches. He watched a bit of cloud drift through the blue patch overhead for a minute or so. He listened to what the birds were saying. It was mostly crow chatter. He smelled the breeze. It smelled like things growing and changing, with a note of ineffable sweetness.
            “I think it’s starting to warm up. I bet tomorrow will be sunny,” said Ralph, blinking a little as if waking up.
            Cherry, the little blond one, walking and talking well now days, walked up and leaned on her father’s knee where he sat. She sang a little song like small children do, an aimless little hum, as Pooh said in the book.
            “Look how tall Cherry is growing,” said Ramona. “She is becoming beautiful, but also wise!”
            “She is getting tall all of a sudden,” said Ralph, “but how do you know she is wise?”
            “Look how full of love she is,” said Ramona. “She knows the most important thing.”
            Ralph picked Cherry up and sat her on his knee. Cherry was always happy to sit there, so sit she did, humming the little song.
            Berry and Bob, who were entirely grown pumas now, joined the group around the fire. Berry sat on one side of Ralph and Bob sat on the other. They grinned and leaned on him. They practiced their puma purring too.
            When they did that Ralph always laughed, because he thought they might think they were guarding him. He did love those two cats.
            “Those cats sure love you, Ralph,” said Ramona, taking a seat by the growing group around Ralph.
            “How about Twigg? You’ve taught him so much and he pays such close attention to every words you say!” said Ramona. “Isn’t he a grand son?”
            Ralph said, “well, he’s not a grandson, but he sure is a grand son, Mona!”
            Hearing his name mentioned, Twigg came in from building something out by Ralph’s log.
            “Hi, Dad. Hi Mommy, I’m hungry!” said Twigg, taking a look at the pan on the fire.
            “You know what, Twigg? I’m hungry too,” said Ralph. He looked from face to face, his eyes twinkled. “A bunch of fried trout is exactly what I need!”
            “Hey, Mona! I feel great, but I’m really hungry!” said Ralph.
            “I believe you, Baby!” said Ramona.
            And just as if on cue, Maeve bombed down out of the treetops, calling her favorite word! She did that fancy hovering landing trick, saying, “hm, fish! Smells good, Ramona!”
            “You may stay for dinner, Maeve,” said Ramona!
            “Evermore,” said Maeve.
            It was a lovely day, and they all had a fine fishy dinner together, in the Home Clearing, nestled in a secret part of the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest!