And he also doesn't know he'll miss the Science Fair



This is a story about a boy.

A boy whose friends all turned eight before he did, so when his mother was Wolf den leader, he came to the Pinewood Derby and watched and dreamed and learned and made plans, but just barely missed being old enough to participate.

A boy who was disappointed when the cub scout committee couldn't get it together the following year and postponed the Pinewood Derby for a few months.

A boy whose family moved him to Utah at a very inopportune time as far as the Pinewood Derbies were concerned, leaving just before one, and arriving just after the other, thus missing both.

A sad boy.

This is also a story about a family who planned a trip to get out of River City in the dregs of January to go to a sunny, tropical place. And a Cub Scout troop who scheduled a much-dreamed-about Pinewood Derby for the very same week.

And the same boy who, upon learning of the Derby for next month and not yet knowing about the trip, came home and pored over the contents of his little derby kit and set straight to designing his amazing car on paper first. "Diamondback Rattler" is the theme, because snake cars are not only visually cool but also aerodynamic. With a penny on the bottom, because that's how you win and get to go on to the district.

And this is a story about two parents who looked at each other while the boy excitedly talked about his first Pinewood Derby and they shared worried expressions, because they weren't planning on tears on Christmas morning, but now there are bound to be some.

This is a story to be continued... .

Comments

Sarah said…
You really should talk to the cub leaders. Ask them if they can have a rematch. Offer to rent the track yourself.
oh, dear. Heartbreaking! (and funny at the same time -- as a post, I mean).
Mandy said…
This is Courtney not Mandy.
A lot of wards share a tracks so you could maybe host a rematch.

Mandy suggested finding out when the Lindon ward's derby is and seeing if he can participate in that.
Becky said…
I know the solution! Fly him down to AZ to go to his cousin's Pinewood Derby Race! Then Jacob will be thrilled and they'll have so much fun they won't care that they don't make it on to district.

Seriously. Consider your son invited.
The Fish Family said…
Oh that is so so SAD! Can he go with another troup or what ever they are called on another date?
Jen said…
Seriously breaking my heart! Want to come to ours?...
Didi said…
Poor Elliot! We're not doing ours until April if he hasn't found another pack to do it with by then! :) Don't tell him about the Science Fair ....
Anonymous said…
Send him to our house. Our Pinewood Derby is in January. He'll get to see his grandparents, stay and play with Crayton, who apparently shares in Elliot's passions for both Pinewood Derby and science. We would delight in his presence. Win win.
Andelin said…
Sad! I agree that you've got to get him in another race. We had a couple boys join our pack's Pine Wood Derby from outside of our pack because they couldn't make it to their own. You can ask a neighboring pack, they'll let him participate. And that way, if he wins, he can still go to the same district finals with his own pack. It would be too sad to let another year go by!
Andrew Dixon said…
What's up with the gang signs?

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