186. Packing for the Next Journey

Theodore Bear said Good-night to Cassandra and Jeffrey and George and soon all was quiet in the house.   He got out his backpack and opened it.  "It has been such an exciting day but I think I had better pack up tonight to be ready to leave after breakfast in the morning," Theodore thought to himself and picked up the honey bottle.  "Dear me, this is nearly empty, there is only a sip or two left," he sighed, "and somehow my bows are starting to look a bit creased after being carried around in my backpack for such a long time. Oh no, my blue one is fraying and coming loose. I had not noticed that before."  Theodore tried to spread his bows out nice and straight on a cushion for the night and then placed his brush and the red spotted handkerchief next to the backpack.  "I will wear my green bow like I always do for travelling," and Theodore smiled at the thought.  He hung his walking cane on the arm of the chair.  "There that is all ready.  Now for a good sleep," and Theodore settled down for the night.

Theodore Remembers

Theodore Bear put out the light and made himself comfortable.  He could see the big golden full moon shining through the window and then closed his eyes.  But he just could not fall asleep.  He turned over.  "Today was so exciting," he mused and began to think about the lake and the big ship.  Then he thought about Jenny Bear and Miss Festival Bear and the concert and the fireworks.  "That was so enjoyable,” he remembered and was still wide awake.  Earth Bear and the beautiful Mountain Park and Daisy Bear, Oscar Bear and Timmy and the sandcastle and the four bears, Frederick Bear and that wonderful drumming evening, Duty Bear at the big airport, Benjamin and Barbara Bear's little guesthouse, Ferdinand  Bear, Hernando Bear and Merlena Bear's happy birthday party. . .  One by one all these lovely memories flooded through Theodore's mind and he re-lived the amazing travels and experiences he had had and all that he had seen and learnt.  "What good friends I have. I would so like to see them all again soon," and he sighed a deep contented sigh and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Theodore's makes up his Mind

The next morning Theodore was awake early.  He jumped up and rushed over to his backpack.   He took out his Super Special Concession air ticket and looked at it carefully.  "Yes, it is still valid for one more flight," he said to himself, "and the idea I had in the night is the right one.  The clever people say you should sleep on an idea and that is what I did.  I will tell Cassandra and George and Jeffrey about it at breakfast and I am sure they will like my new plan."  Theodore quickly brushed his fur before arranging the brush and the red spotted handkerchief next to each other in his backpack. "Hmmm, these look a little straighter today," he said as he picked up his bows from the cushion and placed them all gently on top.  He fastened the buckles carefully and then tied the green bow neatly around his neck.  He heard that the other bears were up too and it was time to join them  around the table under the big tree again.  "Good morning, Everybody," Theodore greeted and smiled broadly.

Theodore's New Plan

"Good morning, Theodore," the bears replied and Cassandra said,  "Please, help yourselves to fruit and nuts and juice.  There is also raspberry tea if anyone would prefer that."  Breakfast was a happy occasion and soon Cassandra asked the question on everyone's mind.  "Theodore, we are seeing you off at the airport today but you still have not told us where you are going.  You have such a cheerful twinkle in your eye this morning – what are you planning?"  Theodore smiled again and began, "You will be very surprised to hear where I am going.  I have a new plan and from here I am heading home!  Yes, indeed, I am going back to my little house in the desert, but not for long.  I have a special plan and I will tell you about it now."  "Well, we are surprised," all three bears said almost together, "we thought you would be travelling for a long time still and visiting all the exotic places in the world.  What is your plan?  Please tell us."

Till we get Together again

"Last night I almost felt homesick!" Theodore Bear said with a sheepish smile. "I was thinking about all the wonderful Bear Friends that I  met at Merlena Bear's party and then spent lovely times with along the way while travelling and I would so like to see them all again.  It will be my birthday soon so I thought I would go home for a while and invite everybody to come and celebrate it with me.  Cassandra, Jeffrey and George, you are the first ones to get your invitation and please do come.    There will be a birthday cake and plenty of snacks and we will sing and play games and Frederick Bear and I will show you how we learned to drum together.  I am so excited I can hardly wait.  You will come, won't you?"   "Yes, yes, of course we will come," all three bears shouted together.  "What a marvellous idea, Theodore, we can hardly wait to see everybody again too," they said.  And the bears were so happy that they linked paws and danced around the table together. "A Party, a Party, oh what fun. That's as good as said and done." they sang in deep growly voices and cheered and shook paws. Then it was time to set off for the airport.

184. So Easy?

As they walked along the bears watched some of the small boats moored next to the wooden walkways being prepared for sailing.  They saw the owners put on their life jackets and loosen the ropes before starting the engines and expertly guiding their crafts between the others.  "It all looked so easy," commented George Bear.  "Yes," said Cassandra with a smile, "when you know how.    Today is lovely weather and smooth sailing but it can be a bit choppy when the wind blows. When a gale is expected the harbor is closed to traffic as it could be dangerous."  Theodore shook his head.  "I still don't think I would like to be in such a small boat," he said and the others laughed but agreed with him.  "No," said Jeffrey and Cassandra, "we would rather be on firm ground." They walked on, went out through the turnstile and headed homewards. 

Tomorrow's Plan

That evening after supper Theodore was very thoughtful for a while then he said, "Cassandra, I have really enjoyed spending time with you here.  Thank you so much for everything and especially for taking me on the cruise today.  That was a lovely trip but tomorrow I must be on the move again.  I still have my Super Special Concession Ticket so would like to go to the airport and catch a plane.  George and Jeffrey, it was good to see you too and I hope you will still have many fine opportunities to attend special events with your suits and flags."  "It was wonderful to have you here, Theodore," said Cassandra and George and Jeffrey nodded in agreement, "and I hope you will visit me again one day. We will come with to the airport tomorrow to see you off. For now we need to catch up on some sleep and maybe dream of faraway places.  All this talk of traveling gives me itchy feet to go too."

183. The Captain's Advice

George and Jeffrey Bear waved their little flags excitedly and said, "Yes, this is our first cruise and we are having a great time."   Theodore nodded and Cassandra explained that she had sailed on the lake before.  "Do you all live here?  I hope you will join us on another cruise," the Captain said.  "I live here," replied Cassandra, "but my friends are just visiting.  Theodore has been traveling for a while already."  Theodore smiled broadly and told the Captain some of the interesting things he had seen and done since he started out. "It has been a wonderful experience," he said, "I have enjoyed every day and wish everyone could travel to see new places."  For a moment the Captain looked thoughtful.  "Once I was Captain of a ship that took cargo all over the world so I have travelled too.  It was indeed wonderful, so keep going, Theodore."  The bears shook paws with the Captain again and thanked him for the visit.  "Bon Voyage," he said, "till next time."

A View from the Top 

By now the ship was already on the way back to the harbor and Theodore could see the entrance in the distance.  "Now we know a little more about how the ship sails safely in and out of the harbor," he said and stood close to the window to watch.  "I would like to stand at the front of the open deck to get a really good view," he said later.  "Good idea," agreed the other bears and they hurried up the stairs.  The ship slowed down, sailed slowly into the harbor and edged its way to the mooring place.  The thick ropes were once again fastened to the bollards on the quayside and the crane lifted the gangplank securely. It was time to disembark and the bears felt quite sad that all the excitement of the cruise was over.  They walked along with the crowd but stepped back to have a last look at the ship.  "Oh, take note," said Theodore and laughed, "look at the ship's name. Joybelle!"  "How fitting," said George.  And it was. 

182. The Man in the Uniform

Theodore Bear was sitting at the window sipping juice and watching the other ships and boats out on the lake.  Through the window on the other side of the deck he could still see the skyline of the city.  "Cassandra, this is a super surprise and I had no idea that a cruise is so much fun.  I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am."  George and Jeffrey agreed with Theodore and Cassandra looked pleased. "If you are ready now we can go to meet the Captain. That is a real honor to be invited to the bridge.  I have never been there either so today brings a surprise for me too," she said and waved her paw to the waiter. He led the way up stairs right to the top of the ship and stopped outside a door with a shiny sign saying CAPTAIN.  He knocked gently and when the door opened, there stood a man in a smart uniform.  He smiled and said, "Ah, my Very Important Passengers. Welcome on board.  Come inside" and he shook paws with each bear, asking their names.

The Captain on the Bridge

"My name is Cassandra and this is Theodore, George and Jeffrey," she said placing a paw on each bear's shoulder as she introduced them, "thank you, Mr Captain, for inviting us and showing us around."  Theodore could hardly believe his eyes.  "This is not the type of bridge I was expecting to see," he thought to himself, "just look at all the screens and dials and phones and what a wonderful view from these big windows that look over the front of the ship so the Captain can see all the other ships on the water."  The Captain laughed and said, "Theodore, your eyes are almost getting bigger and bigger looking at all this equipment that we use to navigate.  It seems very complicated but it is not really," and he explained some things to his guests. "Just enjoy the view from up here and stay as long as you like.  Is this your first cruise?"  

181. Theodore's Voyage

Theodore smiled to himself.  "My first voyage," he said to Cassandra and they laughed together.  He looked at all the other boats again and took note of the tall pillar with the flashing light on top at the end of the harbor wall.  The ship began to pick up speed and he watched as it slipped through the harbor entrance to sail out onto the lake.  He could feel the cool breeze blowing gently past his face and saw a fish jump up out of the  water to catch a dragon fly.  George Bear said he would like to walk around to to see the little waves spread out on the sides and behind the ship and they all went with him.  They had a lovely view of the city with the tall skyscrapers, the bridges, the trees and the big ocean-going ships in the main harbor where the powerful cranes were turning back and forth as they unloaded the cargo.  "This is wonderful," said Theodore, "and one hardly feels that you are moving when the ship is sailing so smoothly."

The Invitation

After a while Cassandra said, "Would you mind if we went downstairs now to the closed deck? I am feeling a bit chilly.  We can have our fruit juice there too."  Here the groups of four chairs were set around tables at the windows. They found good seats and soon a waiter came.  Cassandra took out the tickets with VIP written on them and the waiter smiled.  "Why, hello," he said, "hmm, Very Important Passengers. Yes, we do not have bears on board every day," and he named all the various juices they could choose from.  "I can hardly make up my mind," said Jeffrey but decided on a  ripe blackberry juice. The waiter brought tall glasses of juice and then he said, "The Captain heard that you are on board and he would like you to come up to the bridge to meet him."  "Oh, that would  be wonderful," said Cassandra, "my surprise is going to be even more special. Will you please show us the way afterwards?"  "Certainly, Ma'am," replied the waiter, "wave to me when you are ready."