SURPRISES IN MY SOUP story

“SURE SMELLS GOOD!” shouted Travis, licking his lips.

“Yah,” answered Matthew, his younger brother.

A large pot of soup POPPED and SPUTTERED on the hot coals of a campfire. Other sizzling sounds, like pals, danced and bubbled in the summer air.

“Hope there’s lots and lots!” thundered Travis, his tummy anxious for food.

“Don’t worry,” grandpa said, holding an armload of wood. “There’s enough for one good-sized bowl each.”

After sitting on a canvas-folding chair he asked, “Aren’t you cold, Matthew?”

“Nope.”

“The wind is chilly,” said grandpa.

“We’re okay, grandpa,” Travis piped up. “I’ll get his jacket from the car, if he wants.”

“Nope,” Matthew said stubbornly. “I’m big enough to get it myself. He did.

The view was beautiful from their campsite on the shores of Economy Lake. Across the water a small island filled with trees. And above, clouds clumped across the sky like candy floss heading right for them.

Bobbing loons paused long enough to send a warning across the sky.

Before anyone could say, “Let’s eat!” a sudden wave splashed inland.

“Yikes!“ Matthew yelled, as his feet were drenched. “That water is cold!”

“Yah!” Travis shouted. He headed quickly to the car for his rubber boots.

“Me three!!!” grandpa hollered loudly. “Looks like we may get a ‘DOOZER’ of a storm.”

The wind seemed to be in a nasty mood. It began to scoot waves like snarling pussycats against the shore.

A Hairy Woodpecker joined other birds and animals taking shelter.

The wind swooped down and whipped off the soup pot’s cover. And it sailed away like a Frisbee.

Spruce trees began to shake.

Sea gulls screeched.

As the wind began a boxing match with their dining tent, grandpa held tightly to his grandsons. They watched their woodpile crumple and slowly float away.

Twigs and embers fell into the bubbling soup. Even some leaves joined the party. Waves marched against the shore, like a parade of soldiers.

Loud "SPLASHES!" covered everything.

Matthew was not afraid. He was excited and jumped onto his beach Matthewress. “Hey Travis!” he shouted. “Want to use my raft?”

Grandpa was busy pushing Travis higher up a tree. Water sloshed back and forth against his boots. “Guess we set up too close to the shore,” he mumbled.

The pounding wind poured more water across the low land. Grandpa and grandsons scrambled around in the foamy waves.

Suddenly, the storm ended as if someone pulled a huge bathtub plug. Water quickly drained into Economy Lake.

Travis was wrapped around a tree limb, like a spaghetti noodle. Little Matthew sat in grandpa’s lap holding tightly to his beard!

But, somehow the pot of soup still sat upright in the soaked fireplace.

And it was filled to the top. Even if lake water was added, Matthew, Travis and Grandpa were still hungry.

"LOTS MORE SOUP TO EAT!!!" everyone shouted.

The sun soon returned from behind the clouds. And before long, clothes and sneakers lost their soaking.

“It’s important to be dry,” grandpa said. But grumbling tummies were important too thought the boys.

"Time to eat!" shouted Travis impatiently.

“Finally,” Matthew said, rolling his eyes.

Bowls and spoons were found among the fallen woodpile. Behind the canoe, and one in the squirrel's tree hideout.

Matthew was served first. Travis being older didn’t mind waiting. Besides, his bowl was larger.

A huge portion was saved for grandpa. After all, he did have the largest tummy. As he lowered his spoon, Grandpa shouted, "Look!"

Something jumped out of his bowl then fell back with a splash. It looked like...but couldn't be. There! It leaped again.

"A little speckled trout!" grandpa shouted. There was only a moment to enjoy its beautiful colors. Then it flipped high, before tumbling to the ground.

It was funny watching grandpa try to catch the wiggling fish. Whenever he came close, the little fellow jiggled away. Then jumped and squirmed across the campground finally landing in the lake.

A noisy “SPLASH!” meant “Goodbye-bye folks.”

Grandpa dragged himself to the dining tent. “I need a rest,” he said, flopping into his chair.

Something was moving in Travis’s bowl! “YESSS!!" he roared. Soup exploded in all directions as a loud “RIBBIT! RIBBIT!” filled the air.

"FROG!!" Travis and Matthew shouted together. Except Matthew's yell sounded more like, "FOG." He fell down laughing as Travis ran after the creature.

It leaped over a backpack, turned and hopped between Travis's legs. The boy tripped, trying to catch it. But the frog soon “Plunked” into the lake.

Travis decided he too needed a rest.

Meanwhile, Matthew stood ghostly still as he stuck his finger in his bowl.

No trout swimming around, no jumping frog.

Only himself and …“YIKES!” Something came flying out of his bowl. Then landed on top of his nose!

A grasshopper stared at Matthew. At first, the boy didn't dare move, but in the excitement, he lost his balance and fell backwards over a log.

And the insect hopped all the way to the lake.

Matthew scrambled like a bed bug and dived under the upturned canoe. This might be a good time for a morning nap, he thought. He was soon lost in dreamland, same as his brother and grandfather.

Not far away, a speckled trout peeked from the water's edge. Then a frog arose on the lake’s surface. The grasshopper was braver and skipped to shore.

Each listened carefully making sure it was safe.

All they heard was "ZZZZZ’z" coming from three areas of the campground.

Now the trout wiggled further onto shore.

The frog made awesome leaps.

And the grasshopper followed with short skips.

They wiggled, leaped and skipped right up to the open pot of soup.

AND ATE ALL THAT WAS LEFT!!!

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© Richard & Esther Provencher
Website: www.wsprog.com/rp/