Eagles

The cold, rainy day had finally come when, after ten years of Scouting, Joe would be conducted into the world of the Eagle Scouts, accompanied by Wally and Curly. After all that time, and it had finally happened. After the fact, Collette almost felt like they had just married him off, it was such a big deal.
The family had been there: Grandma Snicketts, Grandma Combs, Uncle Hilario and Aunt Corliss, Uncle Balthasar and Aunt Tuuli, Bristol and Nerissa. Lace, Chester, Dulcinea, and Ju Blackberry were sick, at home. Wilbur brought them back some of the cake. But Grandpa Hobcoggin and Grandma Hobcoggin were there. Jimmy, Bluebell and Lolli, Rev. Marshall, Sinai and Rosie, Mr. and Mrs. West, Yaotl, Summer, all the Englishes but Diana, of course, and Bing and Eve, Addicus, Shakespeare, and Augustus, plus all of the other Boy Scouts involved in the ceremony, including Mr. Anchorage and his son, Demetrius…
Each of the boys gave a speech of thanks. Curly hammed it up. Joe hammed it up on accident. And Wally didn’t ham it up at all.
“It was really good to have Wally and Curly with me when I started getting burned out at the end,” said Joe. “Like in the last three years.”
The audience laughed.
“Well, three years out of, like, eight,” he tried to explain.
When all Eagle Scouts present in the audience were called up to the front to recite together, Dad and Uncle Balthasar also participated. It was funny to see the two of them stand up together, almost as if they were little mischievous boys again.
The boys were given their Eagle Scout cards, Eagle Scout certificates (framed), Eagle Scout neckerchiefs and neckerchief ties, handshakes, jokes, etc., from the Scout leaders conducting everything.
At the end of the ceremony, Augustus played “Final Countdown” from the sound booth in the balcony.
There were two cakes and lemonade. The guests stayed around for awhile at the end to congratulate and catch up with other friends.
It was a good day.