The Lady and the Frog
By Jean Boonstra
Ben waved his arms dramatically as he concluded his skit. “And that,” he said with a big smile, “is why the lady let the frog into her kitchen.”
Mr. Garcia nodded his approval. “Bravo, Ben,” he said.
Wyatt smiled, too. “Good job, Ben,” he agreed. It was their skit. He wrote the words and Ben acted them out.
Ben grinned and bowed. “Mr. Garcia,” he asked, “Can I act out the skit around the campfire tonight? Please?”
“Ben,” said Mr. Garcia, “Yes! Your skit was hilarious, and it has a good message.”
Wyatt’s smile faded. “Hey,” he protested quietly. “Your skit? It’s our skit. I thought that we were a team?”
Mr. Garcia looked at his watch. “It’s time for lunch. See you around the campfire tonight.”
“Wyatt,” Ben said enthusiastically. “Mr. Garcia loved our skit.”
“Well, I’m glad,” Wyatt answered, a little annoyed. “I worked really hard writing it.”
They walked to towards the cafeteria and got into the lunch line behind their counselor Jake.
“Jake, Mr. Garcia loved my skit!” Ben said excitedly.
“Oh, well good job Ben, I’ll look forward to it tonight,” Jake said.
“Wyatt,” Ben said, “Did you hear Mr. Garcia laugh during the part when the frog knocked over the butter dish?”
“Yes,” Wyatt answered quietly.
“Ah, I must be a good actor,” Ben continued. “I’ve never heard him laugh so hard!”
Wyatt was tired of hearing Ben talk about his acting.
“Hey, Caleb,” Ben said excitedly. “Mr. Garcia loved my skit.”
Wyatt stepped out of line.
“Hey, Wyatt, where are you going?” Ben asked.
“I’m suddenly not very hungry,” he answered.
That night around the campfire Mr. Garcia introduced the skit. Wyatt pouted as he thought about everyone calling it Ben’s skit all day.
“Campers,” said Mr. Garcia. “You are about to hear a funny skit with a good message behind it. Wyatt come up front!”
“Who me?” Wyatt said surprised!
“Wyatt, yes come up here. Campers, Wyatt wrote the skit. He’s a talented guy.”
Wyatt smiled, and then he noticed Ben. Ben looked sad, and Wyatt remembered how he’d felt all afternoon when Ben got all the credit for the skit. “Thanks Mr. Garcia,” Wyatt said, “Ben is going to act it out and he’s a really talented guy.”
Mr. Garcia smiled. “Come on up here, Ben, and perform ‘The Lady and the Frog’ for us!”
The Campers cheered. Ben smiled. Mr. Garcia sat down next to Wyatt. “Hey, Wyatt,” he said quietly. “Ben’s been bragging about the skit all afternoon. I was just trying to give you the credit you deserve.”
Wyatt smiled. “It’s alright. He deserves credit too. Look at him, he’s a natural!”
“Wyatt, that was a cool thing that you did,” Mr. Garcia said.
“Thanks Mr. Garcia,” Wyatt said and smiled as Ben acted out their skit. They were a good team after all.
