Story Fourteen - Part One

If you’ve never heard of Monkey June, you should probably go back and read some of the stories before this one. If you have heard of her, then you already know that she was a girl who loved monkeys. That’s probably the simplest way to describe her. There was a lot more to it than that, though. She was actually quite obsessed with monkeys.

Every corner of her room was decorated with something monkey-related. Everything she wore had monkeys on it. She had monkey hair clips, monkey shoes, monkey stickers on her water bottle, a monkey hat, a monkey backpack…

She even had the word ‘Monkey’ in her name! (And if you don’t know how that happened, you really should go back and read the earlier stories. Didn’t I suggest that a minute ago?)

If you have followed Monkey June’s adventures at all, you’ve probably heard about her family’s summer trips to an island I’m not allowed to tell you the name of. I call it ‘Mango Beach Island’ in these stories.

At a very young age, she had made friends with a monkey there she called Mango Monkey (but she also knew his monkey language name, which was U-EE). Mango Monkey had a wife named Ree-EE (Monkey June called her ‘Beautiful’) and they had a little kid monkey named EE-U (Monkey June called him ‘Bunky’).

The little monkey family lived in a secret underground home on the island, deep in the forest where the people of the island didn’t usually go. Monkey June knew where their house was (and what their house was), but she kept all of that information secret so no one would bother her friends.

This story is not about a summer trip to that island, so you may be wondering why I reminded you about all of those things. I can’t answer that right now, but if you are patient for a little longer, you will find out…

It was an ordinary Tuesday at school. It was a new school year for Monkey June and her friends. During the first few weeks of school, MJ had enjoyed meeting her new teachers and getting used to her new classes. She had been happy to discover that her best friends Marilyn and Carolyn were in almost all of her classes this year! She also got to see Ryan and some other friends at lunch every day, even though they were not all in the same grade.

Monkey June was a little sad that one of her older friends, Chill Phil, had moved up to middle school. It was Chill Phil who had invented her name, after all—and she had invented his nickname in return. The good news, though, was that in their town, the middle school and the grade school were right next to each other, so she would still get to see Chill Phil from time to time whenever the schools got together for various programs.

It was an ordinary Tuesday at school, as I said a moment ago. Monkey June was sitting in her third class of the day, not paying much attention to what the teacher was saying, and wondering if she would get in trouble if she tried passing a small note to the kid next to her (she didn’t know his name yet). The note wouldn’t be for him, but it would have ‘Please pass this note over to Carolyn or Marilyn!’ written on the outside of it. For some reason, the teacher had separated Marilyn and Carolyn and Monkey June on their third day of class, and it had become very hard for them to talk to each other during class. The teacher frowned upon note-passing, though.

As she wondered whether it would be worth the risk (and tried to decide how tiny to make the note), Monkey June heard someone say her name.

“June,” her teacher said, “I’ve called upon you three times now. Are you daydreaming so deeply that you can’t hear your own name?”

“Really?” Monkey June asked, frantically looking at the board and trying to read everything on it as quickly as possible. “I’m not sure I know the answer. I didn’t raise my hand, though. Did I?”

“I didn’t say that you raised your hand. I said that I had called upon you. You are wanted in Principal Evans' office. Immediately. Whatever she wants cannot wait until class is over. Please gather your things and go there as expeditiously as possible.”

“That is very strange,” Monkey June said to herself as she got up, gathered her things, and looked over at Marilyn and Carolyn. They both had very concerned looks on their faces. Being summoned to Principal Evans' office was hardly ever a good thing. Monkey June smiled at them silently and gave them a shrug. She didn’t have to tell them that she would tell them all about it at lunch. They already knew that.

After she left the classroom she said to herself, “‘Expeditiously’? Who says that?”

When Monkey June got to Principal Evans' office, she could not believe her eyes. Not because it was Principal Evans' office—she had been there before. It looked almost exactly the same as it always did, with Principal Evans sitting behind her big desk looking stern—glasses still on her face, thank goodness—and wearing her usual prim and proper style of dress and hairstyle.

The office didn’t look the same as it always did because of who else was sitting near the desk. It was someone Monkey June would never have expected to see in that office in a million years. She would never have expected to see him in her school in a million years. She would never have expected to see him in her town in a million years!

“Good morning, Juniper,” Principal Evans said. “Please have a seat. I wouldn’t normally allow unscheduled visitors to ask me to call a student to my office in the middle of a class period, but this matter seems to be of some…urgency.”

“Good morning, June,” the man said warmly but also sadly. “I’m so happy to see you again. I only wish that it could be in happier times. I’m afraid I have come bearing bad news.”

Monkey June was still so surprised at seeing Mr. James sitting in her principal’s office that she had a hard time thinking of what to say. He was the owner of the big hotel on Mango Beach Island (not its real name). His family had owned it for generations. She and her family saw him there every summer when they visited the island for their family vacation. It didn’t make sense that he would be in her school.

She finally said what usually popped out of her mouth when something unexpected happened:

“This is very strange.”

“It is indeed strange,” Mr. James said gesturing at the chair next to his, “and for that, I apologize.”

Monkey June sat in the other chair (usually reserved for students who were in some kind of trouble) and turned a bit to face Mr. James, who was in the other ‘bad student’ chair. It was a little funny, seeing a grown-up like him sitting on such a small chair, but what didn’t look funny at all was the serious look on his face.

“I wanted to discuss this with you and both of your parents,” Mr. James went on, “perhaps at your home, but there was no time to waste, so I came straight here. This situation is of the utmost urgency. Your parents are—”

“—are right here!” Monkey June’s mother announced as she came rushing into the Principal’s office. Monkey June’s father was not far behind her. The office was suddenly quite crowded!

“Mr. James,” Monkey June’s father said, “it’s so good to see you again. Strange to see you here instead of on our favorite island, but still…”

“It’s good to see you as well,” James said. “Now I can tell all three of you what’s happened, and how you can hopefully be of help.”

“Don’t you mean all four of us?" Monkey June asked, glancing over at Principal Evans.

“No,” Mr. James said apologetically. “I’m afraid what we have to discuss can’t be shared with everyone. Principal Evans, would you mind leaving us for a bit so we can discuss this important matter in private?”

The look on Principal Evans' face said that she definitely minded being asked to leave her own office, but there was something so serious in Mr. James' voice that she decided not to argue. She got up and walked towards the door.

“Of course,” she said politely, turning back. “I have a meeting here in half an hour. I trust that will be enough time.”

With waiting for an answer, she left, closing the door behind her.

“Mr. James,” Monkey June’s dad asked. “What’s this about? Why are you here?”

“You must come to the island,” Mr. James said to Monkey June, his voice dark and mysterious. “Your friends need you.”

“We already have plans to visit in a few months,” Monkey June’s mother said. “Is this something that can wait until we—”

“No,” Mr. James said. “I’m afraid there is no time to waste. We must leave tonight.”

“Tonight!” Monkey June’s father said. “That’s rather sudden. I’ll have to see if I can change our tickets. We’ll also need to pack, and—”

“My personal plane is waiting at the airport now,” Mr. James said. “No need to worry about tickets.” He turned back to Monkey June. “Your friends are in danger. Their home is no longer safe. They need to move, and they won’t listen to any of the humans I’ve sent to them.”

“Why is it not safe?” Monkey June asked.

“There have been some small earthquakes on the island. The wooded area around their home has collapsed in a few places. You and I know what their home is made of, even if no one else does. You know how old the wood of their house is. It’s unstable. They must leave it before the next earthquake strikes—which could be in weeks, days…or even hours.”

“When do we leave?” Monkey June asked. She had heard everything she needed to hear. Her friends needed her.

“We can leave whenever you and your family are ready,” Mr. James answered.

“Tonight, then,” Monkey June said. “Dad, can we go home right now so I can get packed?”

“I’ll get everything packed,” her mother said. “I’ll stay home with Corey and you and your father can go with Mr. James. For now, just finish out the school day. By the time you get home everything will be ready.”

“Thank you,” Mr. James said.

“I don’t know how I’ll be able to pay attention through the rest of this school day,” Monkey June said, “but I’ll do my best.”

The rest of this story is a conversation that took place on the playground at (or slightly after) recess later that same day…

Location: Playground. Recess. Secret meeting in progress.

Marilyn: MJ you can’t be serious!

Carolyn: When she’s talking about monkeys she’s serious, Marilyn.

Monkey June: That’s right Carolyn. I’ve got to do this. Those monkeys need me.

Ryan: Can I come? I’ve always wanted to visit a cursed monkey island.

Marilyn: I don’t think it’s cursed anymore, Ryan.

Carolyn: I don’t think it was ever really cursed. Monkey June and her dad caught the bad guys who were using the island, and they’ve been in jail for years.

Monkey June: Since they’re gone, Mango Monkey and his family can move to Monkey Island. My dad and I are going to help them move.

Ryan: Why can’t they stay where they live now?

Marilyn: It’s not safe, Ryan. They’re underground house is really old.

Carolyn: It’s made of wood that’s hundreds of years old. It could collapse.

Monkey June: SHH! I think I hear someone coming!

Ryan: Chill Phil, is that you?

(Principal Evans approaches.)

Principal Evans: I am NOT any kind of Phil! Why are you kids out here on the playground? Recess ended five minutes ago. I hope this isn’t more of your monkey business, young lady!

Monkey June: It kind of is monkey business, but the kind that involves real monkeys, not the kind that gets kids into trouble at school.

Principal Evans: (taking off her glasses) Get to class. And remember: I’ve got my eye on you Juniper.

(Principal Evans leaves.)

Ryan: Why does she call you that?

Marilyn: She uses ‘official report card names’ for everyone.

Carolyn: Monkey June, I’m worried about this trip of yours. What if there’s still something dangerous on that island?

Monkey June: Don’t worry. I’ll have this with me…

(She opens her backpack and pulls out…her MONKEY PILLOW!)

(The other kids gasp with surprise.)

Carolyn: I thought that was hidden somewhere where you’d never find it! How is it in your backpack!

Monkey June: I figured out where it was! I spent most of the summer searching my house and never found it. And trust me—I know where all the hiding spots are in my house. I realized that it must be somewhere else. I secretly searched my grandpa’s house when we went to visit him. Nothing. I searched the school. Nothing. I searched…well, a lot of places. Then it hit me—Kids' Choir!

Marilyn: Kids' Choir?

Ryan: You left it at Kids' Choir?

Monkey June: No, Ryan. Not me. My mom did.

(Marilyn, Carolyn, and Ryan all looked confused.)

Monkey June: She gave it to a trustworthy person at Kids' Choir and asked him to keep it in a safe place until I needed it. He’s already got all kinds of stuffed animals, so it would probably fit right in. He could hide it in plain sight! So last Wednesday at Choir, I just…took a chance and told him I needed it.

Marilyn: You acted like you already knew that he was keeping it safe?

Monkey June: Exactly. And he gave it to me on Sunday.

Ryan: Smart!

Carolyn: Won’t your parents be mad if…

Monkey June: I don’t think so. They know how important this mission is. I won’t use it unless I really need to. I figured out a way to keep it hidden until I need it.

Marilyn: I wish we could go with you, Monkey June. I’ve always wanted to meet your friend Mango Monkey.

Carolyn: And Beautiful. And Bunky. And Mr. James.

Ryan: And the bad guys!

Monkey June: This is about earthquakes, Ryan, not bad guys. Besides, you really wouldn’t want to meet those guys. Trust me.

Marilyn: We’d better get to class before Principal Evans notices we’re still out here.

(They all head to class.)

To be continued in Monkey June and the Raiders of Monkey Island - Part Two!