Lap 1

 

 

 

A boy walks into the front gate carrying a stuffed tiger in one hand and his sheet of pledges in the other.

 

"Where is the check in table? I want to see the prizes!"

 

Lined up along the wall are the prizes for finished a set number of laps. This year, the best and final prize is a tall, shiny Mardi-Gras hat. 

 

Inside, his parents lead him to where he is supposed to go. After handing in his pledge sheet, he is given a punch card.

 

"How many laps are you going to do this year?" asks one of the men at the table.

 

"All of them! I want to get the funny hat this year!"

 

Turning to his stuffed tiger he says: "Come on buddy, let's go!"

 

Running off the man at the table shouts "Hey! No running. It's a walkathon, not a runathon!"

 

He doesn't sound mad though, more amused than anything else. The boy doesn't stop.

 

The tiger is having a great time. It isn't too often that he gets to go out. Everything is too spaced out in the neighborhood and you have to drive to get anywhere you want to do. The tiger can't drive.