As their third member arrived in the treehouse, the meeting could commence.

“Earl, in the yellow shirt? Really,” Ben scoffed at the late-comer.

“What? The green one got worn out it had a breakthru, and the blue one was…”

“About as interested in your laundry dilemmas as I am in the cosmos and cosmology,” Victor interupted.

“Fine, then let’s get started,” Earl conceded, “Do you have the counts?”

“Yep,” Ben piped up, “13 gummy worms…make that 12, 30 rock candies, 20 tootsie rolls, and $19.77.”

“Excellent, now on to naming of the fort,” Earl said officially.

“I still say Victorville.” The other boys groaned, and Victor shrugged.

“We’ll table that,” Earl said, “as I’ve just noticed some cumulo nimbus…”

“Don’t geek out, bro,” Victor cut him off again.

“Geek or not, he’s right. Let’s scarf the candy and take the cash to Baskin Robbins,” Ben tried.

“And all face the inevitable sugar crash to come?” Earl asked.

“Don’t we always?” Victor asked.

“Sigh, that we do.”