Babes in the Woods

There were clouds gathering, and Jimbo pointed them out.

He said, “See those clouds coming from the East?”

The girls both turned and scanned the sky in the other direction from where he pointed.

“The West!” he said. “I mean, there, in the West.”

The twin girls, aged five, both turned back to the original direction and nodded with great earnestness, their blue eyes wide and sufficiently impressed.

The clouds were not dark-dark, but their Uncle Jimbo and his manner of urgency more than made up for the lazy white clouds lack of foreboding.

His older sister was waiting. “Where the hell you been?” she was going to ask. He could already feel her scowl. You were supposed to just take them down to the lake!

“You always have to be cognizant of the weather,” he said, and his two nieces nodded again.

“This is fun, isn't it?” he asked as he led the way. His heart was pounding, a great wide smile was on his face.

Jennifer and Stacy looked at each other, a quick glance. The clock in their stomach said it was time to go back. Their parents were waiting with weenies ready. And root-beer. And Barbequed potato chips.

Jimbo wished he had brought a compass, but he had not.

“I'm hungry!” said Jennifer.

“Are you ready to eat?” Jimbo asked as if it had just occurred to him.

Both girls moved their heads up and down with great excitement.

“Okay,” he said. “Let's see if you know the way!”

Jimbo thought they were both nuts, but followed them anyway, trying to keep up as they all trotted through the trees in the opposite direction.

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