The Wagon Wheel Bunk Beds
Alice and her brother inherited a set of bunk beds from their cousin Jimmy who’d outgrown them. Up until then, they’d shared two mattresses stacked up on the floor. The bunk beds were kinda run down, but they were pine wood and one on top the other. The duo was glad they’d have room for both their bed and floor space to play.
“I’m older so I get the top bunk!” Alice shouted at her little brother and she stuck out her tongue to emphasize the point.
“Mama, she gets everything her way!” whined Robert. He was only six and he didn’t know how annoyed his Mama was with whining.
“Now Robert, it’s true Alice’s getting her way, but just for now.” Mama’s soothing voice cuddled him right up!
Alice thought to herself, “now why is she sticking up for me, but it sounds like she’s on his side? Oh dang, she’s prolly trying to make up to him for him losin’ those two front teeth of his. Well I’ll show him! He isn’t ever going to get his turn on that top bunk.”
Rob was kinda short with chunky legs, but Alice grew a whole bunch this year. When she wore her school dress from last year, it was right up under her behind. She could chin herself on the end of the top bunk frame, then stand on the wagon wheel end piece, then swing herself on up, without even having to breathe out. Robert couldn’t do that. Alice was betting that he wouldn’t grow for a long time. He could get on the top bunk if he used the ladder, but soon there won’t be a ladder and he won’t be able to get up there! “It’s going to be my own little hideout spot,” Alice reasoned.
“Now Robbie, why don’t you come help me set the table for supper.” Mama told him. It sounded like a question, but that’s not what it was. She never really asked anything like that.
“Do I hafta?” Robert was starting to whine again. Alice had to work fast. When he turned his head to pout at Mama, she slipped the ladder under the bed and pushed her old dress in front of it.
“There!” she thought., “Nobody’ll ever notice it gone.” “I’ll set it Mama,” Alice crooned in her sweet as punch voice. “Let me help you.” Rob eagerly slipped off to play with his toy cars. He didn’t suspect a thing. “Just wait till he figgers it out.” Alice thought and beamed over at Mama, “I’ll be happy to give Robert a turn on the bunk bed as soon as he can pop up there all by hisself!”
Mama turned and smiled at Alice real sweetlike, “Now that’s being a big girl! I knew you two could work this out all by yourselves.”
They ate supper after Daddy got home. Robert didn’t like it ‘cause he hates green beans. He wanted sausage and cakes instead. Mama pretended not to even notice him. Alice thought, “Maybe if she does that long enough he’ll just go way.”
Later, when they were getting in bed, Robert said, “tomorrow it’s my turn up there, ya know!” Alice smiled down at him.
“Just soon as you can get up here, you can sleep here” and then she crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue, pushing up her nostrils with her thumbs so she looked real hideous. Robert hadn’t noticed the ladder was gone and tomorrow Alice was going to hide it where no one’d find it ever again.
“Ally?”
She slowly shook her head as she come back to reality and looked down at Rob in his hospital bed. His leg pulled up in the air and his face nearly as pale as the sheets.
“Ally,” Rob shook her hand, “I said, do you remember that summer we got those bunk beds? Man, if it weren’t for you hiding that ladder, I never would have learned to climb! I owe my whole life to you.”
“Oh Rob!” she blurt out between sobs, “I’m so sorry! If I hadn’t hidden that ladder, you wouldn’t’ be here today!”
“Yeah, but I wouldn’t have the satisfaction of climbing Mt. Rainier either!” He beamed over at her. “I won’t give up mountain climbing for the world. If a missing ladder didn’t stop me, you know one little ol’ broken leg won’t hold me back.”
Ally squeezed his hand tightly, “Yeah, I know. You’ll be back out there in no time. Just remember to take a cell phone with you next time, okay? You really had me worried!”
“Roger that boss.” and with that Rob fell back asleep, his big sister by his side.
© Sue Barton 2004
