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CreativityTranscript
00:00UP WILLOW CREEK, WITHOUT A PADDLE, BY YOU MAY
00:04In the small town of Willow Creek, Arizona, where the sun always seemed to shine brighter
00:09and the air smelled sweeter, lived a spunky eighteen-year-old named Benita Batcook,
00:15though she only went by Benny. She was the kind of girl who wore her heart on her sleeve
00:21and mud-stained sneakers on her feet. Her parents, Betty and Bartholomew Batcook,
00:28were always on their toes, trying to keep up with their daughter's never-ending antics.
00:34One sunny afternoon, Benny had decided to take her mischief to a whole new level.
00:40She had heard about a new construction site just outside of town and couldn't resist the
00:45temptation to explore. With a mischievous grin, she threw a backpack over her shoulder
00:51and a baseball cap over her brazen-haired head and set off on her adventure.
00:58As she passed by her neighbors, she caught sight of one of her classmates
01:02sitting on his front porch with a Game Boy.
01:05Hey, Blake, I'm checking out the new construction site. You're coming with me.
01:10Blake looked up from his game.
01:11Oh, I am, am I?
01:13Benny distinctly heard a crunchy scream sound effect that indicated a game over.
01:19Yes, you are. You're dead, anyway.
01:21As they approached the construction site, Benny's eyes widened in excitement.
01:26There were cranes and bulldozers everywhere,
01:29and what looked like a new shopping mall was slowly taking shape.
01:33Without a second thought, Benny climbed over the chain-link fence.
01:38Behind her, she heard Blake shake the fence and whisper, screaming.
01:43Hey, I thought you said we were just checking it out. You didn't mention trespassing.
01:48Benny cocked her head, delighting in Blake's reaction.
01:51Trespassing? I don't see a sign that says anything about trespassing.
01:57What do you think the fence is here for? What are you going to say if you get caught?
02:01Benny affected the look of a terrified damsel in distress.
02:05Oh, sir. Thank goodness. I got lost.
02:08A boy from school asked me to take a walk with him, but then he ran off and left me.
02:13I wandered around, looking for him, and ended up here.
02:17Now, I don't know how to get home. Oh, whatever shall I do? I have no man to protect me.
02:23Blake rolled his eyes, then hopped over the fence,
02:26looking over his shoulder for signs of security guards.
02:30You're impossible, Benny Backcook, there. Now I'm here, so that excuse won't work.
02:35Now what's your plan?
02:37Benny threw her arms around Blake's neck, still doing a sarcastic imitation of a hapless maiden.
02:43Oh, officer, I tried to get away from him,
02:46but he chased me into this abandoned construction site.
02:49Who knows what he'd have done if you hadn't shown up.
02:52Surely, he planned to have his way with me.
02:55Blake lifted her arms and twisted away from her grasp, dancing lightly around her.
03:00Hey, cut that out. Don't joke that way.
03:03Chuckling, Benny broke out of character, switching back to her usual assertive self.
03:09Used to playing point-on-girls basketball, Benny darted after Blake to try and pull him
03:15into a chokehold. Or what? If you fight me,
03:18you'll just look more guilty. As she darted at Blake, Benny felt
03:22him twist away from her grasp and turn just in time to see him swat her sharply,
03:28right across her bottom. She thrilled as she hopped forward,
03:32but her annoyance instantly faded.
03:35Benny had caught a glimpse of the confused look on Blake's face the moment before he smacked her
03:40ass and found it adorable. Oh, you brute, attacking my poor,
03:47defenseless behind from behind. Blake blushed and stuffed his hands in his
03:52pockets, as though afraid they might slap more rear ends of their own accord.
03:57It was a reflex. Now, cut it out and behave.
04:01Benny folded her hands in front of her like a nun in prayer.
04:05Yes, Papa. I'm Zoe. I was a bad girl.
04:08Now, are you gonna check this place out with me or not?
04:12Benny didn't wait for an answer and immediately strolled into the empty construction site.
04:18Blake hemmed and hawed before power-walking to catch up with Benny and walk alongside her.
04:25They wandered around the site, taking in all the sights and sounds.
04:30Benny even managed to sneak into one of the concrete skeletons of a future building
04:35and led them up to the top floor, where they could see the entire town spread out below.
04:42Benny rested her elbows on the drab concrete railing,
04:45rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet as she took in the Arizona scenery.
04:50This is nice, isn't it? Like we have the world to ourselves.
04:54Blake came alongside her, his hand resting a few inches from hers.
04:59Yeah, I'm glad I came along. I forgot how much I used to love construction sites as a little kid.
05:05As the sun began to set, Benny realized she had been gone for hours.
05:10Shoot, I lost track of time. Mom and Dad will be worried sick.
05:14I'll walk you home.
05:15No, that'll just make them fret more. Race ya to the fence.
05:19Ignoring Blake's protests, Benny won the race out of the construction site.
05:24She finally allowed Blake to escort her back as far as their neighborhood.
05:30It would have been very romantic if they weren't sprinting most of the way.
05:35After splitting up at Blake's house, Benny left him gasping for air behind her.
05:40She waved and called out over her shoulder.
05:44Thanks, I had a great time. Let's do it again sometime.
05:48When she arrived at her house, she found her parents waiting for her on the porch.
05:52They had worried expressions on their faces, and Benny knew she was in trouble.
05:58Where have you been, young lady?
05:59Her father asked sternly.
06:01Benny looked down at her feet, trying to come up with an excuse.
06:05I, um, I was just checking out the new construction site.
06:10She mumbled. Her mother sighed.
06:13Benny, you're not a little girl anymore,
06:15but you still need to call when you're out late. We were worried sick.
06:20Benny nodded, feeling guilty for worrying her parents.
06:24Sorry, she said softly.
06:26Her father put a hand on her shoulder.
06:29We just want you to be safe, Benny. But from now on, you have to be home by 8 p.m.
06:33That's your curfew. Promise us you'll be more careful from now on.
06:36Benny looked up at her parents, a determined look in her eyes.
06:41I promise.
06:42But even as she made the promise,
06:44Benny knew that her adventurous spirit couldn't be tamed so easily.
06:48She was a tomboy through and through,
06:51and she knew that there would be many more adventures in her future,
06:55hopefully with Blake as her sidekick.
06:58Mom and Dad shared a look.
07:00Then Dad nodded and led Benny to the stairs that led to her room.
07:04I believe you, Benny, but next time you break curfew.
07:07Dad gestured with a thumb to a decorative rack on the living room wall.
07:12Hanging next to a few photos and memorabilia from Mom and Dad's university days
07:17was a novelty wooden paddle, the Attitude Adjuster.
07:20I'm taking the paddle to you, Benny guffawed.
07:23Oh, noes, not the paddle.
07:26When Benny was two years old, she'd once overheard her mom getting heated in an argument with Dad
07:32and offered to help Daddy spank Mommy with the Attitude Adjuster for being difficult.
07:38It had become the oldest joke in the house that anytime Mom or Dad or Benny were being snippy,
07:44one would threaten the other with the Attitude Adjuster.
07:48Although Benny's parents had been believers in corporal punishment,
07:51they had never once actually used the paddle.
07:55Dad stopped Benny at the foot of the stairs and looked her in the eyes.
07:59I mean it this time, Benny. Now, march straight to bed.
08:02With that, he planted a solid swat on the seat of her jeans,
08:06firm enough to send Benny skipping up the stairs with a yelp of surprise.
08:10Some hidden instinct told her not to tease her father any further.
08:15Yes, Poppy?
08:16But as Benny entered her room, she caught a glimpse of the construction site through her window.
08:22I promised to be home before eight o'clock.
08:24I didn't make any promises about what I'd do after eight o'clock, she thought.
08:30And so, as the night fell and the stars began to twinkle in the sky,
08:34Benny went to bed with a smile on her face, already planning her next adventure.
08:40After all, her dad was only kidding about that paddle.
08:45End of chapter 1