Ginger and the Three Bears

The Bear family is quite proud of their South Carolina beach side condominium.  Robert Bear, Sr. has put in long hours as a stockbroker and Cindy Bear has made a fortune selling Mary Kay products.  She has even earned a pink Cadillac.  Bobby Bear, Jr., who is six years old, attends the very best private school in New York City.  Yes, the Bears have earned their place among the elite of the Big Apple.

Labor Day weekend finds the Bear family at their condo enjoying the long weekend.  The state of the art kitchen is stocked with their favorite foods: tortilla chips and hot salsa for Daddy, mild nacho cheese for Mommy, and medium salsa for Bobby.  The great room has three chairs that are perfect for viewing the HDTV: a La-Z-Boy Baxter leather recliner for Daddy, a La-Z-Boy Diana chaise for Mommy, and a Lap of Luxury Child Recliner for Bobby.  The Select Comfort Sleep Number King Sized Bed the Bear parents ordered is waiting in the master bedroom.  Bobby has his very own Twin Extra-Long Sleep Number Bed.

After unpacking and setting the table for a snack upon their return, the Bear family sets out for a long stroll on the beach.

Ginger Gold is a twelve-year-old runaway from Charleston.  She’s been on the lam for about a month, living off what she finds in trashcans.  Sometimes she is able to fool the “do-gooders” who feed the homeless into thinking she is with her mother.  Ginger joins up with a group of runaways who hang out at the beach.  They sleep in an abandoned shed, steal anything they can, and hide from the law.  At first, Ginger finds this life exciting and the freedom enjoyable.  However, she begins to miss her home, her bad, her mom’s cooking, her friends, and, believe it or not, she misses her family.  She just doesn’t know how to go home.

Ginger decides to take a walk by herself so she can figure out what to do.  After walking for over an hour, she finds herself in a ritzy neighborhood of condos.  She spies a bench and sits down to rest before returning to the beach she calls home.  Ginger watches the condo dwellers arrive for the holiday weekend.  One family in particular catches her attention as they carry their belongings into their beach home.  An hour later the father, mother, and little boy emerge and head to the beach.  Her curiosity aroused, Ginger approaches their condo just to peek in the windows.  Imagine her surprise when she discovers they left the front door open.  The temptation is too great so she quietly slips into the room.

Ginger’s eyes fill with wonder as she gazes on the fancy furnishings and the food spread out on the table.  The salsa in the big bowl burns her mouth so she spits it out.  The nacho cheese is too bland for her.  The salsa in the small bowl is just right so she quickly wolfs it down.

Her stomach satisfied, Ginger moves to the great room looking for a place to rest.  The recliner is so big it swallows her.  She doesn’t fit comfortably on the chaise.  The small recliner is just right until it collapses under her.

A full stomach and the warm room cause Ginger to become sleepy.  She decides to explore the bedrooms.  She lies down on Mr. Bear’s side of the bed but it is too hard.  She moves to the other side but it is too soft.  Ginger lies down on the twin bed and falls fast asleep.

Time passes as Ginger slumbers.  Soon the Bear family returns from their jaunt on the beach.  Upon seeing the mess on the table, Mr. Bear quickly takes his family back outside, uses his cell phone to call 911, and waits.

When the police arrive, they enter with guns drawn and find Ginger asleep on Bobby’s bed.  They all go downtown.  When Mr. Bear discovers that Ginger is a runaway who wants to go home, he contacts her parents, finds that they have been searching frantically for her, and want her to come home.  The Bear family takes Ginger back to their condo to shower and wash her clothes.  Then they all pile into Mrs. Bear’s Cadillac and make the trip to Charleston.  Ginger the runaway has come home.