NORTH TO ALASKA
The boys were loading their dishwasher after a simple but much enjoyed dinner at
home in the loft when Brian remarked: “Hey Sunshine - I heard Debbie won a
10-day trip for two to Alaska for next spring. Mikey called to tell me and….”
“Yeah,” Justin replied. “Hunter told me today too. She just heard about it
herself. It’s really neat though. I called her to congratulate her. She’s really
happy - and she’s lucky too. She’s always said she wanted to go to Alaska but
she didn’t think she would ever get the chance. It was like - a dream of hers –
and now it’s come true….”
“She won some contest from Gerbil’s Pet Food Company?” Brian went on. “She
finished off the statement ‘I always use Gerbil’s Pet Food for my pet because…’
in 25 words or less? Now that’s a pretty weird promotion all right. I wonder who
their ad agency is?”
“I dunno, Bri,” Justin laughed. “Sounds a little more creative than some stuff
from Kinnetics though….”
“Might’ve been more creative back in 1935, Kiddo,” Brian grinned at him. “Not in
the twenty-first century. But don’t I remember you mentioning that crazy contest
to me a couple of months ago? Like - you saw it in some magazine in the
dentist’s office. I thought it was weird then….”
“Yeah,” Justin allowed, “I do remember that – now that you mention it. But I
guess I forgot….”
“Did you mention it to Debbie back then too, Sweetheart?” Brian asked. “You
might be partly responsible for her success. Maybe you could claim a reward….”
“I don’t remember if I did or not, Bri,” Justin told him. “I might have. But I
don’t think I’ll be claiming any reward. This is Debbie’s victory….”
“I wonder what she wrote in her entry, Babe,” Brian continued, “Seeing that she
doesn’t have any pets to feed any Gerbil’s Pet Food to? Did Hunter happen to say
what she wrote?”
“Nope,” Justin said, “And I didn’t think to ask either. Must have been pretty
good though.”
“Yeah,” Brian agreed, “And Deb is not widely known for her elegance in speech….”
“I bet the judges were looking for sincerity, Bri,” Justin replied, “In fact I
think I remember that was in the magazine ad for the contest – that they were
looking for sincerity…..”
“Well I’m sure that our Deb would be very sincere,” Brian laughed, “In telling
why she feeds only Gerbil’s to the pet she doesn’t have. So is that all you know
about Debbie winning?”
“Well I know she’s taking her good friend Rosie O’Connell with her and they’re
both real excited.” Justin told him. “But why would you ask a question like
that? Why should I know any more? That’s all Hunter told me. So what else…?”
“Like – I know something more about it, Taylor,” Brian admitted. “One more very
interesting thing. It’s a big secret though – so you can only tell one person
and no more. Debbie’s rules on secrets. I guess Debbie just told Mikey and Mikey
just told me and I’m just gonna tell you – so maybe Hunter doesn’t know….”
“Know what, Brian?” Justin seemed a trifle nervous. “What’s the big secret?”
“Debbie like – never entered that contest, Kiddo,” Brian revealed. “She was like
– really surprised when she won….”
“Gee whiz, Brian,” Justin marveled. “That is a surprise – and really strange
too….”
“You know who I always think about when there’s something strange, JT?” Brian
smiled at him. “And I’m usually right.”
“Well if you think I had anything to do with it, I’m not admitting anything,”
Justin smiled back. “Maybe Deb talks a little too much but I’m not admitting
anything.”
“That’s too bad, Baby,” Brian told him. “If I knew who did that really great
thing for Deb, I’d like – like to give that person some kind of reward….”
“What kind of reward did you have in mind?” Justin asked him – perhaps just out
of idle curiosity - but maybe not.
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