The 3 Musketeers ©
They've changed, these 3 musketeers, over the years.
Since elementary school they've banded together. And now they're finishing
their first year of high school.
We call them the 3 musketeers, but they're known to others as Bart, Board, and P.J.
Those are their nick names of course, heaven forbid they use their given names. P.J.'s handle originates from the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches he devours; Board came from the "crud bike" he owns which might as well be "cardboard"; and Bart is of unknown origin but probably because his passion is smarties. However, since no self-respecting kid would tolerate "Smart", he's been changed to Bart. Such is the logic of young adolescence.
I remember their biggest concern was their dislike of girls. Girls were alien, to be tolerated only because they sometimes shared candy. It was infinitely more fun to scare girls with snakes and insects.
But then their attitude gradually changed and they took up dancing. Suddenly their hair and Clearasil and clothes became their greatest concern. The telephone became their lifeline. The wait while they were fussing over grooming in the bathroom reached monumental proportions.
Food became essential fuel. But only certain types: submarines, pizza, hamburger, fries... a bit of Mexican for the exotic touch.
Sports were part of the scene, too. One excelled in tennis while the other two broke into basketball. That
helped to enhance their image with the fair sex who were now calling the boys' homes with increasing frequency.
And then P.J. made the first move. He acquired a girlfriend. The girlfriend acquired more than she bargained for. She acquired the 3 musketeers.
Right now the next most important element in their lives is transportation, i.e. their bikes. And whether or not they have designer bikes with designer seats and all the paraphernalia that make up an "awesome" bike.
Ah, but next year the 3 musketeers, alias Bart, Board, and P.J., will change even more.
They will put away their childish deeds - like running, terrified, from "spirits" in the woods on Hallowe'en. But they will keep their manly deeds - like taking the first plunge into the frigid waters of Lake Huron each Spring.
And they will learn to drive... a car.
They've changed, these 3 musketeers, over the years.
We just hope their friendship doesn't.