Benjamin in Blunderland

Benjamin's heart was pounding as he frantically looked for a way out of the maze, and then he saw a part of the hedge that was missing some branches at the bottom, and he scurried under the hedge. He didn't even notice the pain as the branches dug into his back because of the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He sat down on the ground, trying to catch his breath, and he heard his name."Ben!"

He saw his father walking towards him, and he put his arms over his head to protect himself. As he sat crouched, he waited -but nothing happened, so he opened one eye just in time to see the giant of a man crumple to the ground with tears running down his face and soaking into his long sleeved dress shirt.

"Dad?"

Benjamin slowly crawled over to the sobbing giant before him and put his hand on his shoulder, craning his neck around to see his father's face.

"Dad, don't cry. It's OK "

Benjamin had never seen his Dad cry before, but had seen tear stains on his cheeks sometimes when he'd been drinking- which was a lot. There were times when the football game had ended, and a marathon of infomercials invaded the TV screen and still he sat there, staring at the screen. Benjamin had never understood why he was watching endless loops of toilet bowl cleaners and magnetic eyelashes, but never asked him why, for fear of an outburst.

And now Benjamin hated seeing him cry, even if he had been terrorized by him before. His Dad reached out his arm around Benjamin, pulling him close, and said shakingly , "I love you son, I always have. I have never been able to tell you that though. Losing your Mom was like losing my heart and I had you, but I had no idea how to show you that I loved you then- even now. I always wanted to be a good Dad but didn't know how."

Benjamin felt the tears welling up in his own eyes and then they spilled out, running down his face and neck. His Dad took out his handkerchief and wiped Benjamin's tears away, and that's when he noticed the "B" on the corner of it.

He looked at his Dad. "What does that B stand for, Dad?" His Dad mustered a smile and said "Son, I got that the day you were born, I ordered it from Amazon as soon as your Mom decided on a name for you. There was a couple who sold their embroidered stuff on the small business section there. I had it two days later!"

Benjamin seemed confused, why would his Dad carry that all the time if he hated him? But he didn't say anything, but he was starting to maybe understand more things now.

"Dad, how'd did you find me here?

And in a split second his Dad leapt up, still holding Benjamin, with a smile on his face and said " I knew because I used to come here too."

He then told Benjamin of how he grew up without a father and how he felt to blame for his Dad leaving. And how he climbed the same tower and fell down through the darkness, laughing all the way down. No Name had been peeking through the hedge, and as he dried his own tears he remembered when young Josiah had come and spent every day in Blunderland. He had shown Josiah the ropes, and noticed the similarities between father and son. He knew that this day would come many years ago. He watched as Josiah threw Benjamin up on his shoulders and then said something to him, which made them both laugh.

"Benjamin, did you see the carousel where they have the zebras here? You do know that they paint those stripes on every day, right? I've always wondered. If they were black with white stripes, or white with black stripes. Come on, let me show you the rest of the obstacle course and then there's a little secret section that nobody knows about."

He could see No Name's little twig legs under the one scraggly hedge, and he looked over there and smiled and winked. No Name crawled under the hedge and did a little skip over to them, his little furry heart swelling with joy.

Empty boxes started raining from the sky and there was a giggle from the box dropping baboons, who were always up for fun. As the father and son walked by the train tracks, the beavers were knitting sweaters on a right side up train. The smell of kettle korn popcorn filled the air as a purple Volkswagen happy van pulled up pulling a wagon with a giant tub of corn popping. Benjamin opened his mouth and a sweet salty nugget jumped right in. Riding on his father's shoulders made him tall, so he was just the right height to catch the nuggets as they popped up into the air and out of the wagon. After numerous popcorn catches, Benjamin was thirsty so they headed for the creamsicle wagon, cradled by an ancient tree, and slurped an icy orange dream of a sicle.

" Samuel, have you told Benjamin about the secret place?" Josiah asked his old friend. No Name laughed and said " Really? You remember my name... you're the only one. "

Josiah set Benjamin down and kneeled in front of the little creature. He put his hand on Samuel's little head and quietly said " Of course I remember your name- you were the only friend I had when I was Benjamin's age. You have been a faithful and loyal friend for all these years." He stood up and said to Benjamin, "have you ever heard of the Totters? They're tucked away in the forest by the River, down where legend has it that there are meerbirds too... nobody knows they're there, but I think I know where Berganashio is. You're gonna LOVE it there! Come on, Samuel- lead the way!"

So, what other adventures await Benjamin? Josiah? Samuel? And are they going to be here in Blunderland, or does another fun world await them?

Stay tuned for Part Four by the one and only Rowan Finley!