On Sickness and Wellness

"Ahhhhh-chooo!"
Kit went to her front door to see what all the commotion was about, only to find a miserable old bird, his feathers sopping wet and his eyes red and swollen.
"I neeth to know ith I can thleep on your couth tonithe?" asked the bird, his nose clogged and stuffy.
Kit gave him a puzzled look. She hadn't learned any new languages lately, and his postnasal dialect wasn’t helping her any.
"I'm thick!" he exclaimed.
"I can see that," answered Kit. She quickly ushered him inside, while the children watched.
"OH NO!" sighed Nate.
"What?" whispered Gus.
"This means I have to put up with Albatross complaining about you until he recovers from his cold."
"Complain about me?" asked Gator.
"Yeah you."
"Why would he complain about me?"
"You’re his favorite thing to complain about. Gus did this. Gus did that. He never stops telling stories to my mother about how you are always up to some sort of trouble." Gus knew he was trouble for Albatross and that meant Albatross was trouble for Nate. When Augustus Gator got on Albatross’ last nerve, Kit Fox was always the first to hear about it. That meant Nate Fox was the second to hear about it.
"Oh dear!" exclaimed Kit as she ran to the front closet and pulled out a quilt.
"Albatross, you can lie here, and I'll make you some cuttlefish chowder."
"You know how muth I lovth Cuthellfith Thowder. Oh thank you, Kith," he replied as he settled into the couch.
She tucked a quilt around his neck, and went to the low cabinet to get a hot water bottle.
"Ohh, man," exclaimed Gator from just outside. "This is the worst thing I think that has ever happened. I cannot tell you how sorry I am Nate"
"Don’t worry about it. There’s nothing we can do about it now."
Nate and Gus went inside to investigate the situation. Albatross was snorting and sniffing and getting bird germs all over Nate Fox’s favorite quilt.
"You poor dear," said Kit, "How did this happen?" Nate's eyes grew wide as he waited for Albatross to tell her about balloons and azaleas and trees.
"I guess some flu bug bit me today while I was in my garden."
Gus and Nate exchanged looks of pure relief.
"Well, you can never tell when the flu is going to hit you." Albatross nodded. "It dropped from the clear blue sky."
Nate could not believe it. Albatross was letting them off the hook. He wondered what Albatross had in store for them.
"Nate," Kit called, "Go to my room and pull some sheets out of the closet, you need to make yourself a bed on the floor of your room."
Nate sighed. He didn’t want Albatross to share a bedroom with Nate. Nate went into his room and laid some blankets and pillows on the ground for Albatross to rest on. Then he returned to the living room.
"You will be sleeping on the floor. Albatross can use your bed until he gets better. Nate became upset when he heard Albatross would get the comfy bed while he slept on the cold, hard ground. Now Albatross would be spreading bird germs in Nate’s bed, too. He could hardly believe it. Before he snapped at his mother, Gus caught him by the arm and whispered in his ear, "You’d better be careful. If she finds out who made him sick, you might be sleeping outside instead of in your bedroom."
A frightened look came over Little Fox's face. He quickly went to his mother's room and retrieved some more sheets and pillows to place on the floor. He piled them beside his bed and left them there until bedtime.
"Mom, I think I'm gonna go play a bit," said Nate, as he headed for the door. They played in the creek, then Mother Fox called them in as it began to get dark outside.
As they walked through the front door, a pile of half-eaten onions and wadded tissues greeted them. Albatross was sprawled out on the couch, unable to move. His head felt like a big bag of rocks, and when he talked, hith voith thounded like thith. That may have been the worst part of his cold. As far as Little Fox was concerned, the half-eaten onions were the worst part. And as far as Kit Fox was concerned, her tired, aching feet were the worst part of his cold.
"COUGH! COUGH!" he coughed, and Kit let loose of a heavy sigh. Her hospitality was being extended beyond common courtesy.
"Nate, I have been too busy this afternoon. Can you make a peanut-butter sandwich for you and August," sighed Kit.
"Yes, mother," he said.
Peanut butter sandwiches were Nate’s specialty. He spread orange marmalade on one piece of bread, then spread peanut butter on the other. He sliced bananas and arranged them carefully on both pieces of bread and jammed the two halves together. Nate then took his knife and cut the sandwich diagonally, giving one half to Gus. They quickly gobbled up their sandwiches and then made another and they gobbled it up, too. Gus thought it was the best peanut butter sandwich he had ever eaten.
"Nate, can you and Gus clean up after yourselves? I'm awfully tired," called Kit Fox.
"Yes, Mother," said Little Fox.
They cleaned up the breadcrumbs and then washed the knife and put everything back in its proper place.
"Nate?' she called.
"Yes?"
"Can you fold Albatross' clean clothes and set them on top of your dresser for me?"
"Yes mother," he sighed. With Gus’ help, he folded clothes and stacked them on the dresser. Then they sat in the living room for a bit and played a game of stone, leaf, and stick (which was Nate’s very own version of rock, paper, and scissors). As they did, Albatross coughed loudly and then coughed again, even louder.
"Nate, I need you and Gus to come in and help clean up the bedroom," she called again.
"Yes mother," he said.
Nate went into his room and began picking up the onion rinds, tissues, and emptied glasses, putting each in their rightful place.
Just as Little Fox had reached the sink, Kit Fox called for him again.
"Yes, Mother?"
"Can you wash the dirty glasses for me?"
"Yes, Mother," he groaned.
As Gus and Nate finished up the last bit of dishes, Booey came up to the window and peeked in.
"Can you come outside and play kickball?" whispered Booey.
"Ab-so-lute-leee!" said Gator, who immediately made for the door.
Just as Gus Gator reached the front door, someone knocked from the outside. It was none other than Booey Skunk.
"I've got it!" shouted Gus.
"Hold on one second there, Augustus," said Mother Fox.
"Yes, Ma'am?" he asked.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
"Well, I," he stuttered.
"Yes?"
"I um, I have to work on Albatross’ garden. I promised him I would."
"Okay, run along then," she answered him.
"But Nate promised, too," added Gator.
"Well, let us check on Albatross and see what he wants you to do."
She went into Nate's room to talk to Albatross. He was sound asleep.
"Well, I guess that means we have to go," said Nate Fox
"You're not going anywhere, mister. Everyone else can leave. You have to stay and help me clean up after Albatross Albatross."
"But, Mother," whined Nate.
"No buts about it. You're staying here and that is final."
Gus and Booey began to head out, but Booey stopped as he saw that Nate was being left behind.
"I feel bad just leaving Nate like this."
"Better him than me," said Gus.
"We should stay and help. We can't just leave him in there alone with Albatross."
"I can," said Gator, "just watch me."
Gator proudly trotted away from Skunk, while Skunk stood his ground. It wasn't long until Gator slowed his pace, waiting for Skunk to join, but Skunk wouldn’t join him. Gator stopped and turned around. Skunk had his hands upon his hips and his foot was tapping in anticipation of Gator's return.
Sure enough, Gus returned to Booey’s side.
"I'm only doing this for Nate's sake, not because I think you're right or anything," said Gus.
Booey smiled brightly. "I know."
Now that Albatross had three attendants, he could get his juice faster. He could also have someone rub his temples whenever they hurt. Best of all, someone could replace the cold water in his bath. Even with all this help, Albatross was keeping everyone very busy.
Finally, Kit sent Gus and Booey out to fetch Madger Badger. Hopefully, Madger Badger could find out what was wrong with Albatross.
"Okay, you two run along and see if the good doctor can come and visit with Albatross. We need to get him better, and we need it quick."
"Yes, Ma'am," said Booey.
"You can count on us," said Gus. Booey just looked at silly Gus Gator and shook his head.
"I know I can count on you two," said Kit as she patted Gus on the head, then looked at Booey, then winked. Booey smiled back at her; then he led Gator into the woods, searching for Madger Badger.
Luckily, Madger was at home, even though his waiting room was occupied with some "waiters." Among them were a frog with cramped jumpers and a duck with a broken quacker. Madger had seen these types of things many times before. The remedies were quick and simple. He told the frog to rest and nibble on plenty of milkweed and he fed some Hawthorne berries to the duck and his quack was as good as new.
"Sir, we need your help," said Booey.
"What is it?" he said.
"It's Albatross Albatross. He has a cold."
Madger sighed and shook his head, then asked where Albatross was. Booey told him he was at the Fox house, resting in Nate's bed. Madger knew Albatross would be in good hands with Kit Fox. He also knew how Albatross was usually sick more often than not. Madger knew he had better hurry over to the Fox house and save Kit as soon as possible.
Madger Badger gathered up his stethoscope and his medical bag, and put on his bifocals then set off for Kit’s house with Booey and Gus.
Madger led Booey and Gus across the ravine and up over the bluff. From the bluff, a spiral of smoke could be seen coming from the canopy of trees. Kit was cooking dinner. Soon, they were back in the woods and soon after that, at the doorstep of the Fox house.
As Nate heard Booey knocking on the door, he rushed to let them in. He cranked on the doorknob, then showed Madger Badger inside, along with Booey and Gus. Kit did indeed have her hands full and anyone could plainly see that. Her hair was out of place and her apron was smeared with cuttlefish chowder.
"Oh my!" exclaimed Madger, "let us get you off your feet."
"But I need to get a spoon for Albatross."
"What you need to do is sit down and rest. I think I have just the cure for Albatross."
So Kit Fox laid down on the couch and let Madger Badger and the children handle the rest.