"I guess the easiest way to start, is to tell all of you what I talked about with Honey yesterday." Trixie stopped for a moment and directed a cheeky smirk at her almost twin.

"And no Mart - it's not another mystery - so there."

Mart tried to assume an angelic expression. "Why fair Beatrix, what caused you to make such a preposterous and uncorroborated speculation?"

"Try who instead of what, brother mine. I may have been out of things this week but I still managed to hear a few things. So sorry to disappoint you, but no mystery."

Mart held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "My apologies, pray proceed."

"Thank you. Anyway, since New Years Day I've been doing a lot of thinking. This is what I was telling Honey. I've really been bothered about how much I take things for granted, especially how fortunate I am compared to so many others. I know I like to complain about doing chores, heck, I think we all do."

At this, the group exchanged quick grins of acknowledgement.

"But this goes deeper than that. Remember how we all like to get together and watch the Rose Parade together?"

More nods of agreement circulated around the table, along with some puzzled expressions.

Trixie continued. "As I was watching the parade and listening to Bob and Stephanie* talking about all the different entries, it just dawned on me what we're not doing."

"I knew it!" interrupted Di. "I thought that's when you started getting quiet."

"What do you mean, what aren't we doing?" This comment came from Brian who couldn't stay silent any longer.

"Hey everybody," said Jim, "give her a chance to keep talking."

"Thanks Jim." Trixie shot a quick beam of gratitude towards her favorite red-head. "I realized after the soul searching I just mentioned that maybe the money we help raise for charities isn't enough. I mean it's easy to give money, but it takes something more to become involved directly. After all, isn't that what you want to do with your school someday Jim?"

"Yes," Jim answered somewhat hesitantly. "But you know that's still a ways off. I still have to finish a lot of schooling before that can happen."

"Exactly! That's my point!" Trixie thumped the table for good measure. "Why do we have to wait till later? Surely there are things that we can do now, right here in our own community. Spend time with underprivileged kids, volunteer work, things like that!"

Seeing the look of skepticism and caution on everyone's faces, Trixie stopped abruptly and started talking slowly and quietly again.

"Now you see why I waited before I said anything. I knew the first thing you all would be thinking. 'There goes Trixie flying off the handle again.' Well, that's where you're wrong. I have been thinking things through carefully this time. I do have an idea for what we can do, but like I told Honey yesterday, this would involve other people too. People that I don't have the right to speak for. So that's all I can really tell you right now."

Honey was the first to speak. "I don't know about the rest of you, but Trix you know I'll stand behind you 100%. And you're right, about what you said yesterday. We are very lucky. I started feeling guilty too."

Stillness settled over the table as the rest of the Bob-Whites sat and mulled over everything Trixie had said. Just then the bell rang for the end of lunch.

"Oh gosh, I didn't mean to take our whole lunch!"

"That's ok." said Jim. "We're just glad to have you here at lunch. And when you can tell us more, I know I can speak for the rest of us in saying, I can't wait to hear what you come up with."

Trixie smiled gratefully at the group. "I really do have the best friends. Thanks everybody, I'll fill you in on the rest as soon as I can. Gleeps, we'd better hurry so we aren't late to class."
Earlier that week…

Trixie walked slowly toward the open doors of the stable, nervously chewing her lower lip and reminding herself for the umpteenth time why she was doing this. She poked her head around the corner to see if anyone else was in the room besides Regan. Yes! The coast is clear.

Trying to act nonchalant, Trixie walked into the room. "Hi Regan!"

"Well, hi yourself! What's the matter, vacation getting a little too boring? Feeling the urge for some good old manual labor?"

Trixie sucked in a deep breath in preparation before taking the plunge. "Actually, Regan, I came to see you because I need to talk to you about something. Well, um, you know, to run an idea past you, to see what you think." The last few words came out all in a rush.

"Whoa - slow down! Now, why don't you just tell me what's bugging you. It can't be all that bad."

"Oh, no, no, no! It's not like that! There's nothing wrong. It's just, well, I had an idea the other day that I've been thinking about, but I'm not sure it can be done. No, not that it can't be done, whether the people I'm thinking of will want to do it. Argh! I'm making such a mess of this!"

Trixie thumped down on the chair at Regan's desk and put her head in her hands. Regan sat down on the desk and gently took hold of her hands. "Hey now, quit being so hard on yourself. This is your buddy Regan you're talking to. Now why don't you just start over from the beginning and tell me what you really wanted to say."

Trixie took another deep breath and smiled gratefully at Regan. "Thanks Regan."

"Ok. Here's what I wanted to talk to you about. The other day I started thinking about you and the horses. About what's going to happen once all of us go away to college. I mean, we hardly give you enough help as it is right now. So just think what it will be like then!"

Regan started to talk, but Trixie rushed on. "No, don't tell me that you don't mind, and that you're just doing your job. I know that. But honestly Regan, you know what I'm saying is true. We don't give you nearly the help that we should. But that's not the whole point of what I want to talk to you about. For once I'm trying to do things the right way, so instead of telling everybody about my idea and then coming to see if you would agree, I'm coming to see you first."

Regan's sandy eyebrows arched up, almost touching his forehead. "I am impressed Miss Fidget. Go on."

"I have an idea. An idea that will give you more help and benefit other people at the same time."

Trixie stopped abruptly at the sound of footsteps in the yard. "Listen Regan, I can't finish talking right now. Is there a time when I can come talk when everyone else will be gone?"

"Hmm, lemme see." Regan looked down and pointed to a day on the calendar on his desk. "Yes, here we are. Mr. Wheeler mentioned that he and the family were going into town in the afternoon, so we'd have to exercise the horses in the morning."

"Great! I'll come back then and tell you the rest, that is if you don't mind?"

"Mind! Are you kidding? I'll just die if I don't hear the rest of this!" Regan gave Trixie a big grin. "Off with you now. Jim's almost here."

"Thanks Regan. I'll talk with you later." Trixie rushed out the door and hurriedly waved at Jim before heading down the path to home.
Back at school…

As Trixie sat in her afternoon study hall, she reflected over all that had transpired since watching the parade with her friends. After all it's the same parade we watch every year, it's not like Bob and Stephanie said anything that they haven't said a million times before. It's just that this year it seemed to mean so much more. Maybe it's because, for the first time, I understand the importance of my friends and how much they've added to my life.

Trixie sighed and looked down at the homework she had been attempting to work on. How can I concentrate on something so trivial. I wish I could just skip high school and start doing what I want to do. Sure hope my appointment with Regan goes well.