Noah was an amazing little boy. He had red hair and blue eyes. He was as smart as a whip, as bright as a star and he knew all things pirate!!! He Loved Pirates. Next to Pirates, he LOOOOVED going to Nana Monkey’s House. Noah couldn’t remember why they called his Grandma, “Nana Monkey” but they always had, and always is a very long long time.

One day his mommy told him that Nana Monkey had invited him to come and stay at her house for a whole weekend. He was so ‘cited he was jumping up and down and screaming and his mommy had to say twice, “NOAH!!! Stop screaming!” So he did … well after the second time .. but some things are soooo worth screaming about and going to Nana Monkey’s House was near the top of that list!! He packed all his clothes and his pirate gear, his gray blanket , and a picture of his mommy into a suitcase, and off they went ….

Noah had a special pirate sense … he could sense anything pirate anywhere around him, from great distances away and his senses always tingled around Nana Monkey. He had suspected for a long long time that she was a pirate …. But he didn’t have any proof .. this weekend was the perfect time for him to do some super duper snooping and he was ready. When Nana Monkey wasn’t looking he was going to prove once and for all that she really was a pirate … after all .. she had a wooden leg, she liked to wear hats, had really poor eyesight and he was sure he saw a patch in her purse once, and she always wore tons of jewellery like maybe she had treasure somewhere….

While Mommy and Daddy said goodbye and Buggy (Noah’s little brother) cried that he wanted to stay too … Noah ran to put his suitcase in the special room Nana Monkey kept just for him.

He was running back down the hallway when he heard something funny …. “G’day Mate” WHAT? He heard it again …. “G’day Mate! AWKKK.” It seemed to be coming from over there … and so he slowwwwwly pushed open the door and …

A PARROT!

Nana Monkey had a Parrot!! And it was winking at him? Noah’s eyes were as big as saucers. He reached out a hand to touch the parrot when just then he heard Nana Monkey calling to him. “Noah …. where are you?” So he quickly put his finger to his lips and told the parrot, “SHHHHHHH” and closed the door as quiet, quiet as could be. And off he ran …. “Coming Nana Monkey!”” Holy Smokeroonies …. Nana Monkey had a parrot!!! She had to be a pirate for sure, for sure!!!

Noah and Nana Monkey had some delicious red jello and some cupcakes with sprinkles .. Nana Monkey always gave Noah his favouritest foods ever … They talked about life and the fiscal forecast for the coming year and they discussed Eintstein’s Theory. Noah loved talking to Nana Monkey. She was the smartest person in the whole world .. next to him of course ….

Noah tossed and turned, he could not get the parrot or the wooden leg out of his mind. And another thing … Nana Monkey knew those songs like “Yo Ho Ho” AND… she certainly snored like a Pirate … Suddenly there was a thump thump thump and a dragging sound from the other room …. What on earth could it be Noah wondered??? He put his finger to his mouth and thought and thought ….. ”hmmmmmm,” and then he thought some more. His pirate senses were really tingling now, so he picked up his sword, put on his Jack Sparrow hat, and crept down the hall towards Nana Monkey’s room to investigate. There was a light coming out from under her door !! Noah slowly pushed it open and saw …. Nana Monkey was awake!!

Nana Monkey was sitting at her dressing table, so Noah scampered quick like a bunny and hid behind the overstuffed chair. What could she be doing???

Suddenly there was a flap of red feathers and the parrot landed on Nana Monkey’s shoulder. “Ah there you are Tocalote,” she said. “We have a big night ahead … “ Tocalot cocked his head and said “Awwwk we need a map, we need a map awwwk” Nana Monkey nodded and opened her right hand drawer and pulled out ……

A TREASURE MAP!!!! Noah could not believe his eyes! He sat there with his hands tight over his mouth so that he would not make a sound. Nana Monkey laid the map out on the bed for Tocalate to study while she disappeared into her closet. “You figure out where we need to go while I get ready. Viper and the Dark Drake will be here in 10 minutes! Noah is asleep and Mrs. Claney is coming to babysit but I want to be here when he wakes so we have to hurry!! Tonight is the night!!!” And she disappeared into her closet humming while Tocalate studied the map and muttered …”Awkk … where’s the treaure, where’s the treaure awkkkk?”

And then … she came out of the closet … and Noah finally knew ……. He had been right all along. Nana Monkey was indeed a ….

PIRATE!!!

“Peg-Legged Scarlett” they called her back in the day. Grown men cried when they heard she was in town and other pirates hid under their mommy’s beds. She was a mean, lean, pirate machine. She was the Queen of the Seven Seas. 20 years ago to the day, Black Jack the Bard, had stolen her treasure and hidden it on a secret island that would rise from the ocean floor only once in her lifetime …. And tonight was the night. She had waited all this time studying the only map of where the treasure was, just for a chance to get back what was hers and nothing was going to stop her. “Hey me hearties,” she growled and hitched up her pants, and with that she grabbed the map and Tocalote and headed out into the night. Noah had to be quick to keep up with her and he was very careful to keep out of sight.

Down to the docks Noah followed Nana Monkey. He almost got caught when a nosey Pelican kept trying to eat his hat while he hid behind the boxes but luckily Noah thought very quickly and ducked just when Nana Monkey turned to look and see what the commotion was all about and she told that pelican in no uncertain terms to “Be off with you … ya scurvy bird …. Or I’ll feed yer innards to the sharks.” Whew!! What a close call THAT was!!

Peg-Legged Scarlett was one mean sounding Pirate ,… not at all like sweet old Nana Monkey sounded. Noah gulped and was even quieter …. First Nana Monkey met with Viper .. Her trusted right hand man ….

Then she headed to Calico Jack’s, the place where all the pirates hung out , to find her left hand man … the dreaded Dark Drake …

Nana Monkey waited outside tapping her wooden leg on a box, checking her watch…

She and Dark Drake talked for a bit….

And then the 3 of them talked while Noah listened ohhhh so carefully. It was time to head for the ship.

The River Dancer… What a Beauty she was. The Legends were true after all … and Noah could not believe that his Nana Monkey was actually Peg-legged Scarlett of the River Dancer. WOW!!!

Nana Monkey was a tad rusty walking up the gang plank to the ship … on account of her failing eyesight and all … and it was kind of funny when she was shivering in the cold water and said “Shiver me timbers!” (Noah laughed in his hand at that one …) but then Viper and The Dark Drake helped her out of the water and soon they were under way across the seas …

And Noah hid very carefully making sure to stay out of the way ….

Finally they arrived at the Island of Blood. It was part of the deal that one of them must stay there on the island and survive the night with all the ghosts while only two of them could go for the treasure. They drew lots and The Dark Drake lost …..

He sat by a big fire and tried not to cry for his mommy while the ghosts howled all around him. Noah was sooo glad he did not have to stay on the island with the Dark Drake although he was pretty sure if he called and needed her, HIS mommy would come.

They sailed and sailed and finally Viper hollered “LAND AHOY” and he and Peg- Legged Scarlett (also known as Nana Monkey) raced to the island desperate to find the buried treasure before it was too late and Dark Drake had peed his pants.

They checked and double checked the map .. Nana Monkey walked up the hill and back, then nodded and pointed …. and they began to dig and dig …. and then ..….

TREASURE!!!

They did the pirate dance for joy and high fived one another before jumping on the ship and picking up the Dark Drake. They hugged and laughed and drank ale and burped and Noah was so proud cause his Nana Monkey burped louder than any of the pirates at the Calico Jacks. She was the coolest Nana Monkey any little boy could ever have.

It was so late by the time they got home that it was morning and Nana Monkey sat down with Tocolate on the bench outside. She was very pleased with herself, after all these years she had finally completed her last mission – to recover the buried treasure!! She hummed a couple of Pirate tunes and said to Tocalote … “Well, I best go in and wake up Noah. Thank heavens he is such a good boy and slept the whole night through. Poor little lamb has no Idea what we were up to this night, hey boy? “ And Tocalote laughed and awkkked and laughed awkkked. And Noah giggled. He giggled and giggled and giggled …..

The End. Written and Produced by Bliss Windlow Characters, costumes, photographs and Narration by Bliss Windlow Starring – Noah the Amazing Boy With thanks to “Lou Laa” and “Jude Highfield” Music - Muppets Treasure Island – Shiver Me Timbers