CHAPTER 3
The days leading up to the concert were the longest days Jules could ever remember. Every day after school, he would make an X on his countdown calendar. Now Jules had made countdown calendars before – at Christmas, summer vacation, and birthdays, but there was something about seeing his all-time favorite band live and in his very own town-well that just seemed like an extra special occasion.
Jules suffered through many seemingly ultra long endless days that found him counting, dreaming and planning, and wishing there were some way he could make time go by at a super-speedy rate, and then it finally happened – CONCERT DAY HAD ARRIVED! It was a school day – Friday, so of course the day was about 172 hours long from Jules’ point of view.
The morning seemed to drag, as the little cub understandably could not seem to stay focused on his studies. Things did begin to move at a more stellar pace by lunch-time, though there was still only one thing on the mind of our little pal, and it certainly was not history, fractions, or science.
‘Are you ready to trade marbles?’ Edgar inquired to a distracted Jules. ‘HUH?’ Jules countered to his slightly annoyed pal. ‘What do you mean, huh? Dude – you’ve been out of it all day-it’s Friday, you know we always trade marbles on Friday-now I KNOW you didn’t forget!’ ‘ I...I can’t today, Edgar, I have something to do.’ Jules had been trying to remain closed mouthed about the whole concert thing where Edgar was concerned. Throughout the long days of waiting and day-dreaming, he managed to do so by simply not saying a word about it – keeping it to himself, which was not a very easy task.
The little cub was about to burst on more than one occasion and let the cat out of the bag-he was just so excited about seeing his all time favorite band. So it was really nothing less of a miracle that he had never uttered a word of his joy to Edgar. There had been a time or two where Jules was going to level with his BFF, and simply tell him he was going to see Minor Skirmish with Fifi. In fact, the words almost flowed graciously into the air one particular afternoon when it was getting close to concert day, and it was hard for Jules to contain his enthusiasm. That was until he caught the expression on Edgar’s face when Anya and Fifi passed by their table at lunch. As much as Edgar was engrossed in his foot long hero sandwich, he still had the wherewithal in between bites to pose ready at the attack should the vixens veer too close to their table.
Jules could definitely see his pal would not understand being friendly with the likes of a vixen, let alone hanging out with one on a Friday night when they usually traded marbles. So in a quiet, even tone when Edgar pressured his pal for an answer, and just would not let up – Jules reassured him ‘I have something to do – maybe we can trade on Saturday.’ And left it at that.
Now Jules as we know is not heartless – he did feel the tiniest tinge of guilt for letting his pal down, but that feeling was soon released from his very being that evening, the moment the band came onto the stage. The concert was everything Jules thought it would be and more! The seating was fabulous – Jules could not get over the fact that he was so close to the stage. He felt he could reach right out and touch a member of the band.
Both Jules and Fifi were having a wonderful time, dancing and singing along. They knew just about every word to each and every song, and the ones they were not sure of, they certainly did a great job of faking. Yes, these two new-found consorts were lost in a frenzied world of fun, friendship and music. Right there in the vast space of enjoyment, there were no labels. Jules was not holding the natural enemy stance between kit and cub – this was just a case of two friends sharing a wonderful time together.
By night’s end, Fifi and Jules were exhausted from the sheer magic of the evening. Both kit and cub were having a wonderful time, and were in no way holding back any fervor as they made their way out of the concert hall. They sang and danced, hooted and hollered – and just had the most grandest of times.
Little did they know, Edgar too had made his way into town on that night. Our concert going pair had not noticed Edgar on the opposite side of the street with Esme – the two were just coming out of the movie theater. ‘Look – isn’t that Jules over there?’ Esme pointed out to her big brother, who was instantly overcome with complete shock by what he was viewing across the road. He simply could not believe his eyes.
Edgar was suddenly struck with that sinking feeling of betrayal. He felt his friend had totally ditched him to hang out with of all things – a girl! The disappointed cub slinked off, little sister by his side – with Jules and Fifi being none the wiser. This may have been a disappointing debacle from Edgar’s point of view, but there certainly was not a drop of solemness on the opposite side of the road.
These two new friends were enjoying the evening – which was especially meaningful for Fifi, as this was the first time in a long while she had made a new friend who was so fun and exuberant – and who could easily make her laugh! Fifi adored Jules for that. This looked like it was the beginning of what was going to be a beautiful friendship, and Fifi could have not been any happier.
Fifi’s adoration for Jules was not a slight toward her friendship with Anya and the other vixens she had come to call friend since her arrival to the township. The little vixen wasn’t trading one friend in for another, she loved and cherished each and every one of the vixens dearly. Jules was simply different. He seemed to be genuine and caring, and when you throw being a whole lot of fun into the mix, well that just made Jules one special little cub to say the least.
Fifi herself could not put it into words. There was something about Jules. He had a spark. This little cub sparkled in Fifi’s eyes, and it seemed to this young vixen – this did not feel like a new friendship at all, there was an easy, familiar connection – as if Jules and Fifi had known each other far longer than they actually had.
Both vixen and cub ‘got’ each others sense of humor, and as funny and mystical as it may sound, it seemed they could truly read each others minds. Right from the start, each were finishing the others thoughts. It was like this was a friendship that had been brewing and growing for a centuries, rather than for just a few short weeks.
It was not only Fifi who carried this wonderful feeling for her new pal – Jules marveled in the magic of it as well. He had only had one constant friend in the whole of his life – Edgar. His BFF was great and all, but Jules was experiencing something wonderful with Fifi, she was a ‘spur of the moment’ little vixen, which Jules relished. Fifi also laughed at his jokes! Anything he did seemed light and fun with her, and he loved that.
Aside from all the sweetness and light, there was more to this new friend formation-talk . There certainly was no lack of verbalization in the midst. Throughout the past few weeks, it was discovered they could talk about anything and everything under the sun for hours – and did!
Although Fifi was a vixen – the natural enemy of fifth grade cubs the world over, throughout the passing weeks Jules began to view Fifi as his ‘petite fleur,’ and always kept a watchful eye on Edgar and the rest of the fellas with their antics, making sure none of their Neanderthal nonsensicalities were aimed toward Fifi.
Jules’ chivalrous actions were always carried out under another guise, as there was no way this little cub could afford to be seen as a defender of vixens!
So when all was said and done, it would have been fair to say, on two opposite ends of the lush evergreen wood, on that fateful concert night, there were at least two little foxes who were finding it hard to fall asleep. Fifi had already sort of been day-dreaming about some of the other fun things she and Jules could do together. Fox Township’s newest vixen was feeling a little sad however.
Fifi would have loved to make plans right then and there on that very evening to hang out with Jules the very next day, but was in no position to do so. Her grandmother had arranged a play-date with one of the local young foxes – a trip to the harvest faire. Grandmother Faversham had arranged this day weeks earlier when Fifi was new in town, thinking it would be a great way to he
lp the little kit get acquainted with some of the other foxes in the township.
This was sure to be a fun time, but Fifi could not help but think ‘Why couldn’t she be going with her new friend – instead of someone she doesn’t know.’ Fifi also pondered the thought that she already had a good friend in Anya, and many of the other girls, so it all seemed a bit pointless. Fifi did see that it was only her grandmother’s concern for her, that made this play-date come about, so she went along with the plan – or at least put up a good front.
Not all that far around the corner, Jules could not help but smile as he lay thinking back to the concert he had attended just a few hours earlier. It simply was AWESOME! The little cub had so much fun, especially when he mocked Fifi for her off key singing, and when he teasingly made fun of her for not knowing some of the real words to the songs.
None of this was done in a hurtful spirit – Jules simply found it amusing to playfully mock his new friend, and he utterly adored her over-the-top faux hurt expressions she would flash back at him in retaliation. It had truly been one magical night!
The following morning, after many hours of tossing and turning with the plight of his visions weighing heavy on his mind, Edgar finally resolved himself to the fact he simply had not seen what he thought he had witnessed. There was no way, no how, on sweet heavenly earth that Jules had left his BFF hanging all alone on a Friday night, to go off frolicking with the likes of a girl!
There was just no way possible-surely he had been mistaken. So Edgar’s mission on that bright, sunny morning was to go to Jules – so he could put his mind at ease once and for all. Edgar knew there had to be a sensible answer to the entire Friday night foible.
Odd thing of it was, the dreaded play-date Fifi’s grandmother had arranged all those weeks ago had been set up with the help of someone else – Jules’ mom, unbeknownst to either of the younger set involved.
The grandmother had known Jules’ mother since she was a little vixen, not much bigger than Fifi – having been the schoolmarm over in the Commonwealth of Wistful Pines, where Jules’ mom had grown up. Neither Jules nor Fifi had even the remotest of inklings they were about to spend another fun-filled day frolicking together at the local harvest faire.
As far as Fifi was concerned, she was still that timid vixen who was leery about meeting new kits and cubs. Not one thing had changed there – in fact, if truth be known, for the many days leading up to this well intentioned rendezvous, Fifi pulled out all the stops in an effort to bring this situation to a screeching halt.
In many trials of desperation, Fifi had tried anything and everything, from wishing on shooting stars, to bargaining with all of the gods above, to faithfully making an impassioned wish on every 11:11 hour, but it all seemed to be done in vain. Play-date day had arrived, and Fifi met it with the same butterfly in the stomach feel she had on that very first day of school.
This arrangement seemed to have gone in one ear and out the other where Jules was concerned. Somehow he had all but forgotten the subject had been brought up all those weeks ago. Needless to say, this made for one very muddled little fox, who woke up greeting that Saturday morning with all the vim and vigor you would expect for a weekend. Jules awoke with the impression it was a hang out with Edgar kind of day, just the way Saturdays had always been, but our fine furry friend could not have been any more mistaken.
‘Hold up little one – where do you think you are off to?’ Jules’ mom questioned, as the precocious cub scampered to make his exit to go meet up with Edgar. ‘Have you forgotten you are going to the faire today?’
It was apparent that Jules was oblivious to the whole situation at hand. ‘Awwwwwww, Mom, I have to meet Edgar!’ Jules tried to reason, but any debate on the subject soon met an end upon a knock at the door. ‘Please go along with this and try to have a good time.’ Jules’ mother rationalized.
‘Madame Faversham is a very old and dear friend-and I am sure her grand-daughter is just as lovely.’ ‘GRAND-DAUGHTER?!’ Jules winced to himself in shock and disbelief. He did not know how all of this happened. Not only had his mom set up a play-date with some out of town ‘loser,’ but it was a play-date with of all things – a girl!-a vixen! ‘Didn’t she know this would ruin him if any of the guys found out?’ The little cubs’ eyes flashed around the room – he was looking for an out – anywhere he could go to get out of this untimely predicament. There simply was no place for salvation. Jules was going to have to bite the bullet and join his mom to greet their visitors.
This day of despair was not going to be pretty to say the least in Jules’ mind. Little did he know however, he was about to meet with a reprieve from this repugnant situation. ‘It’s you !’ Jules gleamed as he entered the room and saw Fifi. ‘Hi Jules!’ Fifi gushed. It was hard for either to contain their excitement.
This day had certainly worked out well for both little foxes, and a crisis of disastrous proportions had been diverted. Jules’ mom and Madame Faversham were both very delighted everything had worked out as it did.
Fall harvest day turned out to be in a word – awesome! From the moment the two little foxes arrived, it was non-stop eating and exploring, playing games and winning prizes. This was what lazy autumn Saturdays were made for. The day went off without a hitch, and any fears once harbored by Jules, concerning being thrown out of the ‘He-Man Woman Hater’s Club’ by threat of being seen in public with the likes of a vixen, seemed to have virtually vanished.
Jules was too engaged to care what anyone thought of him, as he frolicked with Fifi. This was going down in the record books as one of the best weekends either of the little foxes had ever had!
This was a statement which could not be applied to Edgar however. It seemed his weekend had certainly seen better days. The little fox had missed out on trading marbles and was never really sure what that was all about – and then to be disappointed once more the following morning when he went to Jules’ home only to find his pal was not there, was almost too unbearable.
Edgar simply did not know what to make of it all, but he was sure it would all be resolved sooner or later. There had to be some rational explanation to answer all of the forsaken cub’s questions.
CHAPTER 4
“Monday morning has never been a particularly easy day to face, and the Monday following what Edgar saw as his ‘slighted weekend’ was not going to be any sort of picnic. Jules had no idea what was in store for him when he arrived to class that day.
The little cub was still reeling from the fun he had with Fifi over the past forty-eight hours – and it would be fair to say it made the little cub a bit sad, that time passed so quickly – it all seemed to be over in the blink of an eye. As the dawning of a new week began, feeling just a little bit forsaken by his pal, Edgar made way directly to his desk, without uttering a word to anyone. This was completely out of character for Edgar, as Monday morning had always been his usual ‘catch-up’ day, where he stopped to chat with various friends about their weekend adventures.
On this day – nothing. And this silent spectacle had not gone unnoticed. Jules saw that his friend seemed a bit bothered, but he chalked it up to the missed marbles date. ‘Hey!’ Jules called over to his pal. It took a lot for him to do so, but Edgar responded in kind.
‘How was your weekend?’ Jules questioned. ‘It was good – how about you?’ Edgar said with forced enthusiasm. The slightest bit of attitude could be heard in his voice.
‘IT WAS GREAT !-I SAW MINOR SKIRMISH DOWN AT THE CIVIC CENTER – THEY WERE THE BEST!’ Jules could not contain his ferocious animation. ‘Sounds great – did your dad take you?’ Edgar questioned in a mocked tone – almost expecting his pal to be less than truthful in his response. ‘No – I went with Fifi, she had an extra ticket.’ Jules countered, forgetting he had vowed to keep that bit of information to himself.
It suddenly dawned on Jules what he had just said, when he saw the rueful look that washed over Edgar’s face. ‘Listen’ Jules began. ‘Sorry about not trading-it’s j
ust that,’ Jules tried hard to make excuses so he could quickly change the subject, and get out of this line of conversation once and for all. Edgar was not going to let this happen however, as he rudely interrupted his pal mid-sentence. ‘I know, it’s just that Fifi wanted you to go to the concert with her and you went – what is she – your GIRLFRIEND now? Huh ? Tell me Jules, exactly how long has this been going on? I mean, am I invited to your wedding or what?’
‘Don’t be stupid – you know I don’t like-like Fifi, she had an extra ticket – that’s all!’ But the more Jules tried to reason, the more he found himself on the receiving end of Edgar’s questioning raised eyebrow glare. The down-trodden cub was not in a ‘listen to reason’ kind of mood. Edgar began firing a barrage of accusations at his friend, and Jules never stood a chance.
‘It’s okay Jules, if she’s your girl – she’s your girl – it’s a little WEIRD, but there is no need to DENY it!’ Edgar was going full force at this point. ‘I don’t care WHO was playing WHERE – you would never catch me or any of the other fellas hanging out with a VIXEN! Just admit it, she is your GIRRRRRRL FRIEND!’ Edgar viciously teased.
Jules was flabbergasted! He had never known Edgar to be this relentless with him – this was his pal, his BFF! Jules felt gutted. He realized his pal was hurting, so he let him continue on his tirade, only halfheartedly trying to defend himself a time or two.
All The Little Foxes Page 3