When I looked up again the boy and his mother were gone. I was surprised to find that I was a little bummed about that, but then I was nearly scared out of my skin when from behind me the boy announced himself by saying, “Hey, you’re the one I seen before!”

My heart stopped beating when I thought he was going to publicize to the whole museum that I was wearing a diaper.

“My name is Joey! What’s yours?” he asked.

A little panicked I tried to say my name, but my voice cracked and only added to my already ruddy-red countenance.

I cleared my throat and tried to answer him again, “Alvin.”

I looked around for his mother and seen her walking toward us. Joey leaned forward and whispered softly, “I wear diapers just like you!”

Okay, at least he whispered it, but that didn’t much matter because I think at that moment they could have used my face to heat a small third world country for several years.

Joey gave me a wink and was about to say something again when his mother reached out and snatched him back. “I told you to stop wandering off.”

Sort of secretively Joey pointed at me and said softly, “But Mommy that is him!”

I was no longer the only one with a red face then because his mother flushed as red hot as I felt.

“I am so sorry if he, uh, we… I mean if we embarrassed you.” She said very ruefully.

“His name is Alvin!” Joey told her and when he told her my name he did so exactly the way I had said it. And before his mother could stop him he yanked down the front of his pants. “See just like you!”

“Alvin?! Alvin?!” someone very far away was calling my name.

“Stand back and give him some air!” whoever that was, they sounded closer now.

“It’s okay; he just fainted.” It sounded like a woman speaking.

“Alvin?” That time I knew the voice; it belonged to John.

“Dad?” I heard myself call out.

“It’s okay Alvin; you’re mom and I, are right here.” John said.

“Dad, my head hurts!” I said.

“I think he hit his head when he fainted.” And now I knew that the woman’s voice I’d heard calling my name had been Joey’s mom.

That same lady that had stamped my forehead had come over, as well as a Japanese looking security guard. After a few minutes I was sitting up holding a cold pack against the back of my head. And within ten minutes I felt fine again except for the back of my head which had formed a nice big lump.

After everyone else had drifted away Joey’s mom, who we found out was named Beth, explained to my parents what had happened and apologized profusely for everything.

“Honest Mom, I’m alright!” I said just wishing that it had never happened.

“Gosh Alvin,” Joey began, “Your head bounced like a ball three times!”

That same security guard came back with a tall man in a dark blue suit. The man said his name, but I don’t remember it now. He asked a few questions and when everything was done Joey and I both had free Ripley’s Believe it or Not shirts with matching ball caps and a tiny fake shrunken head on a leather string that we wore around our necks.

“Gee whiz,” John said, “If you had only broken your arm or leg too, we could have probably taken the Giant Sloth with us.”

“Jooohnnn!” I grumbled.

When Mom explained to Joey’s mom that we were moving to Maine, Beth insisted that we come stay at her place for the night. There was no way that Mom and John could have said no because Joey began squealing and jumping around like a monkey hopped up on extra strength coffee.

“Oh yes! Please say yes! Oh please! Oh pllleeeeeeeeease say yes! Oh please! Oh please! Oh please! I’ll give you my shrunken head if you say yes! Please! Please! Please! Please!”

He was only silenced when his mom placed her hand tightly over his mouth.

They had a big farm not very far from the museum and a really big farm house too. And it was just Joey and his mom because his dad was in Iraq.

I was no sooner out of the car then Joey was dragging me off.

“Come on I want to show you my fort.” He said.

“Boys, dinner will be ready in about thirty minutes!” Beth ca