It was a busy Thursday evening at the Twinn Continuum. The crocs and other reptiles were practicing their routines for the Labor Day Parade. Cavendish had gotten a bit faded from hanging around the reflecting pool all summer, and Kerry and Carin were polishing his scales with shoe polish. Penny was repairing a flag that had come loose from its post.

"I say, please be careful Kerry," said Cavendish, wiggling, "that tickles." "Sorry, Cav," said Kerry. "But you won’t look your best in the parade if we don’t polish all of your scales." "Left!" called Carlisle, "Left, right, Left."

The crocs all marched somewhat raggedly while Sid slithered from side to side. "EYYYYYYYYEEEESSSS LEFT!" commanded Carlisle. "Thur, which is our left?" asked Catherine. Carlisle rolled his eyes. "Just watch me, Catherine. OK, Taryn, take it from the top!" Taryn launched into the Washington Post March on her bugle. "Left, right, left! " Suddenly Alice and Quinn appeared, carrying a very large box. The parade was forgotten and everyone gathered around to see what was happening. "This box weighs a ton," panted Alice. "It’s addrethed to Carlisle." Catherine announced, as she hopped onto the box so she could get a better look.

I wasn’t expecting anything," said Carlisle, who had climbed onto Carin’s shoulder. "I hope it isn’t the Croc Camp shirts finally arriving now that the campers have all gone home." :"Gee, Alice, you have only been here for two days and already they put you to work," Penny observed admiringly. "Thanks for helping with the delivery." "You’re welcome. I like to be busy," said Alice. "I love it here because there is always so much to do!" "You can say that again," said Quinn, sinking down on the bench next to Alice, who was eyeing Cavendish a little nervously. "Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you," whispered Quinn.

The Emmas clustered around the box and Carlisle opened it with a slash of a mighty claw. They heard noises coming from the box and suddenly, out popped a very big croc! "My fellow Americans," began the new croc, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Clinton. I am from the swamps of Arkansas and I am named after President Bill Clinton. Let me quote to you from his first inaugural address..."

"Oh, thank you, Clinton, but that won’t be necessary," replied Carin, spying a familiar purple box. "Uh, Carlisle, why don’t you and Clinton go get acquainted while we open this other box," "Sure," said Carlisle. "I am Carlisle and this is Cavendish ("Awfully good to meet you old boy. What ho." said Cavendish) and this is Catherine ("Honored to meet you, thur"). Why don’t we adjourn over here for a few moments." He led Clinton over to where the crocs had just been parading. "Certainly," said Clinton. "Perhaps you would like to hear an excerpt from President Clinton’s first State of the Union address. ‘Mr. Vice President, Senators...’"

"Kerry, you open the ribbon," Taryn was saying. "You are the newest Emma, and we have a tradition that the newest Twinn always gets to open the next one." "But Alice is newer," protested Kerry, who wanted to be fair. "That is OK, Kerry, go ahead," said Alice, who was worried that there might be more crocs inside the Twinn box. "I will open a box when I hear there is a Berkeley coming home." "All right - stand back - here I go!" joked Kerry.

Kerry pulled the ribbons open and up popped a blonde Emma.

"Hi, everybody! My name is Sally, what’s yours? And where is Carlisle? I have heard so much about him. I’m just dying to meet him!" The Emmas introduced themselves as well as Alice and Quinn. "It’s so exciting to be here," said Sally. Carin brought Carlisle over and introduced him also. "Oh, it’s such an honor to meet you, Carlisle," said Sally. "I hope you don’t mind that I brought Clinton along."

"Does he always give speeches?" asked Penny. "Yes, unfortunately, he grew up in the swamp next to where the Clinton library is and he would go in at night and read all of President Clinton’s works. He memorized all of them. Don’t get him started about Hillary or even Socks the Cat or he will talk your ears off. But I was hoping you might want him on the staff at croc camp." "Uh, well, I guess maybe we could start a history course," Carlisle said, trying to be polite. "No, wait," said Sally. "Watch. The campers are going to love this!" She jumped on Clinton’s back and he gave her a ride around the yard. "He gives the best rides and never gets tired." "Plus he doesn’t talk while he is walking around," whispered Carin to Kerry, who giggled, "Thank goodness."

"That looks like fun," said Kerry. "Give it a try," said Sally, stepping aside. "You don’t need a saddle or anything." Clinton obligingly gave rides to all the Emmas and even took Quinn for a turn around the yard. "Who’s next?" he asked when she got off. "My fellow Americans–" "Me! Me!" piped up Alice suddenly. She gingerly got onto Clinton’s back with some help from Sally. "Wow, I can’t believe I am riding a real croc."

"He’s hired," decided Carlisle, impressed that even Alice wasn’t afraid to ride on Clinton. "I say Carlisle old chap, it’s going to be different around the olde Croc and Keg tonight hey wot?" joked Cavendish. "Yes, just wait till he finds out you are not one of his fellow Americans," the girls giggled.

© JE Sturgis 2005.