Stanley's Back! Yay! March 28, 2021

 March 28, 2021

Stanley’s back!!! Yay!

Me: Yay Stanley! You’re home! How are you!

Stanley: Hi! I’m good. It’s so good to be home again! What an adventure this has been.

Me: Well, I’m glad you are here and okay. We’ve all been a bit crazy worrying about you and wondering what happened.

Stanley: I’m sorry you were worried. It’s a long story but I’ll try to make it short. <smiling>

You know I went to that party down by the lake last week with Rocky and a bunch of friends, right? I came back late and decided to take a dip in the pond before going to bed. When I got out, I heard voices down by the bridge, so I walked over to see what was going on. No one was there but the bridge troll told me some friends had come by and said they needed me to come over to the old barn. Of course, I went. You know I got my motorcycle, right? So, it was just a quick ride over.

Me: Yes. I know that now. What did they need?

Stanley: No one was around when I got there but I heard laughter and music inside, so I parked my bike and walked over to the barn. The next thing I remember is waking up and it was extremely dark. I couldn’t see a thing and didn’t know where I was. Then I realized I had a bag over my head!

Me: Oh no Stanley! Were you hurt?

Stanley: <smiling> No, no. I wasn’t hurt at all. I had a little headache, but I thought that was from the party earlier. If you know what I mean?

Me: I do. But then what did you do?

Stanley: Well, I took the bag off and could see I was in a small closet. I tried the door, but it was locked. There was a giant bag of chips and water up on a shelf and an old blanket in the corner, but I had no idea how I’d gotten there or how to get out.

Me: Oh no! That’s weird Stanley. Were you scared? Did you hear any voices or noises of any kind?

Stanley: No. It was eerily quiet. I kept thinking back through the evening but still had no memory of what happened after I walked up to the barn. Since then, however, I have pieced most of it together. Do you remember me telling you about the “5 Finger Gang”? That gang of raccoon hooligans that wrote the ransom note when your glove went missing last fall.

Me: Oh yeah. I do. Is that who did this?

Stanley: Yes, but they weren’t planning to kidnap me at first. It was an accident. When I opened the barn door to go inside, one of them was coming out and he pushed the door at the same time I pushed from the outside. I hit my head and it knocked me out. It was totally an accident, but they got scared and didn’t know what to do.

Me: Ah! So, the guys in the 5 Finger Gang aren’t the ones who wrote the ransom note I found with your clothes out by the bridge?

Stanley: Nope. They are. I mean yes. They did write it.

Me: Hmmm! What made them decide to kidnap you?

Stanley: Well, I heard them talking finally and recognized their voices. Archie, the ringleader of the group, is the one who came up with the idea to lock me in the closet and try to get a ransom. They were patting each other on the back and boasting about how cool it was that I’d literally “fallen” into their laps and this would be an easy way for them to make some extra money. Or, so they thought. They are sort of inept at being outlaws you know. Thankfully.

They got into an argument about how to handle the ransom and get the information out without giving themselves away. It was funny to hear their disguised and muffled voices as they practiced making the “frognapper” call. I almost laughed out loud. Unfortunately, they all agreed to keep me in the closet until the ransom was paid. So, I knew I had to think fast on my frog feet! I was concerned about all of you trying to put together enough for the ransom and, I didn’t want to be locked in the closet for several days either. So, I cleared my throat real loud, so they’d know I was awake, and told them I knew who they were, and I had a better idea on how to make way more than $100. I said I would share it only if they would let me out.

Me: Did they? Did you really have a better idea?

Stanley: <laughing> No. And no. At least, not right then, but my mind was on a roller-coaster ride trying to come up with something. That’s when I remembered reading online it was Spring Break in Florida and there was this big wrestling match going on. The top wrestlers could win up to $500 each. I didn’t want to share too much with them until they let me out, but I needed to get their minds off the ransom here. And, you know they all think they are the toughest raccoons around so I was right in speculating they would fall for this idea.

Me: I bet they did! That was brilliant Stanley! What made them finally let you out?

Stanley: I convinced them by telling them I had connections in Florida and could get them into the tournament, but I would only help if they released me. I thought they were going to do it, but then Archie said he’d go along with my idea, but I had to go with them. He wanted to be sure I wasn’t trying to trick them or anything. And I was. <grinning>

Me: Oh no! Was there really a wrestling tournament going on down there?

Stanley: There was! Although, I don’t have any connections and had absolutely no idea about how to get them into the tournament. lol

Me: I thought that might be the case. And I’m betting you were just fine going along with them to Florida for Spring Break. Amirite?

Stanley: <smiling big> Yeppers! You know it’s on my bucket list! So yes, I wasn’t upset at all about taking a little trip to Florida.

Me: Uh huh. I thought so. I want to know how you escaped them and got back home?

Stanley: My escape was easy. Remember I mentioned they are somewhat incompetent in criminal ways. When we got to Florida and the tournament arena, there were long lines and lots of people milling around. I told them I’d already taken care of their registrations and to just get in line and show their ID when they got to the front.

Then I left.

The last I saw of them, they were trying their wrestling moves on each other while they waited in line trying to prove which of them was the better wrestler. haha!

Me: <laughing out loud> Of course! You’re a lucky frog Stanley! Then you headed home?

Stanley: Well, once I was free of the guys and on my own, AND, in Florida for Spring Break, I wasn’t in a big hurry, if you catch my drift. I met a lot of fun people and had a great time at all the parties. Talented frogs like me aren’t just a dime a dozen down there. I was immensely popular! Especially, when all my friends found out I’m exceptionally good at karaoke! I guess you could say I “sang for my dinner”, sort of. <grinning big>

Me: <laughing> Well, Stanley, I am not at all surprised that you duped the guys in the gang and managed to entertain yourself and everyone else. And I’m really glad you’re okay and back home now. What are you all going to do with the $60 they raised for your ransom? You know your friends went to a lot of trouble to have bake sales and other events to raise the money to get you back.

Stanley: Yes. I do. Rocky told me about that AND that you were willing to pay the extra $40 to make it $100. So a big thank you to you too! It made my heart so happy to hear that everyone chipped in like that. I’m a grateful frog to have such wonderful friends. Maybe we should have a big party and celebrate every single one of us! We can really blow it out with $100! What do you think?

Me: <laughing> I think that’s a great idea Stanley! Everyone will love it!

Stanley: And you come too! We can have a karaoke contest and give prizes to the winners! What do you think?

Everyone’s favorite song during Spring Break was “Who Let the Frog Out?”

Do you know it?

Will you sing it with me??

I can hardly wait!