The Adventures of Frank Frog: Frank Lost in Ann Arbor by Ashley Holland

The Many Adventures of Frank Frog: Frank Lost in Ann Arbor

On a Saturday Day morning, in the Fall of Michigan, Frank was picked from the bedroom of his young girl’s stuffed collection and brought in a large car. The morning dew chilled his skin to the bone but he felt safe and warm in. Allie’s arms. Her dad buckled her up and he sat on her lap with another girl sitting next to them. Allie’s sister, who also had a stuffed animal of her own, sat a seat away on the opposite side.

Frank recognized him. A German Shepherd named Buddy who has been with Jessica for a long time. Not as long as Frank and Allie though. “Pst,” Frank Whispered to Buddy, “Where are we going?” “I don’t know.” Said Buddy who was wrapped in his owner’s arms. “Why is everything blue and yellow?” Frank asked. “Don’t they know green is the best color?” “Don’t say that too loud,” Buddy warned. “The Big man will get mad. Can’t be green in this car.”

That made Frank Worry. He was green. He was a frog.

The drive felt longer than normal places Frank has been too. The big man was hollering something about Go Blue! And Kick those Spartan Butts! The woman in the front tried to calm him down but there was something in his voice that Frank knew was excitement. Frank was too Low to see outside the car so he sat in place wondering where they could be. Then he was lifted up as he could feel Allie’s squeals of excitement. “Look, Frank! It’s Ann Arbor!” Ann Arbor? Frank thought. What’s Ann Arbor? All he could tell was it was a place where there was no green. Just blue and yellow. Everywhere.

The car turned and parked somewhere and they all were lifted out. Buddy and Frank were both taken. “Are you sure you two want to take your animals?” Mom asked. “You sure don’t want them to get lost.” “They won’t, they will stay with us,” Jessica said. Mom just sighs but doesn’t say anything. “We need to get you a shirt,” Allie whispers to Frank. “Green is not a good color here.” Frank didn’t like that. He liked green. They neared a place where there was the fresh scent of food being prepared, and many other people Frank didn’t recognize. “You’ll need to get him a shirt,” a larger man bellowed and pointed o Allie’s frog. “Today, we wear blue and yellow.” “He’s a frog,” Allie says laughing. “He’s supposed to be green.” “True, but he should wear a shirt.” Allie squeezed Frank tighter and set him on the back of the pickup truck that was parked in a parking lot. Buddy was placed next to him. “Where do you think they are going?” Buddy asked. “Beats me,” Frank said watching the scene of a swarm of people play out before him. There were men with hats, girls with tattoos, pom-poms, flags, and cheers everywhere. Jerseys, and costumes all yellow and blue. Frank felt sad. Why couldn’t he be yellow and blue?

Suddenly there was music playing, and everyone jumped towards the sidewalk to watch. Frank and Buddy couldn’t see. What was happening? “Up there!” Buddy pointed with his nose. Frank turned to see where buddy was pointing. On the top of their tailgate tent, they could see everything. Buddy hopped up first and helped rank lift himself up on the tent. There they saw a large group of well-costumed individuals go marching down the street. Each playing a different instrument. “Who are they?” Frank asked.

“Give way for your Michigan Marching Band!” An announcer bellowed over a speaker. “M-I-C-H-I-G-A-N! Go Blue.” The Marching band sang. “Go Michigan Beat the Spartans Go!” the Band cheered playing their instruments down the street. “Who are the Spartans?” Buddy asked. “I’m not sure.” Frank said watching in excitment as the band played into the distance and the people on the street cheered along.

But after the band walked by the people down below the tent started packing up and walking into the stadium. Frank and Buddy scurried down the tent pols and back into the pickup truck, but Allie and Jessica left without them.

“Well, what do we do now?” Buddy asked Frank. Frank knew they would come back. Allie always comes back. “We can wait here,” Frank said, “Or, we could explore.” “I don’t know Frank,” Buddy said his ears folded down. “It’s a big place. I don’t want to get lost.” “It’s an adventure!” Frank said. “Plus I need a shirt.”

Buddy and Frank Started walking down the sidewalk past houses that were overrun by adults who were dressed in blue and yellow. They all seemed very outgoing, rambunctious, and loud. Some were even on the roof. Others were playing a ball game where they tried getting a ball to go into red cups. “This place seems fun,” Frank said but didn’t stop. He wanted to fit in. His green color wasn’t right. “We’re gonna get lost.” Buddy worried. “We know our way back,” Frank said, wanting to continue to explore. They kept walking until they made it to a large building almost stretching from one area to another. They walked past a large open area with an M in the middle of a stone, paved area. “M?”

“Michigan,” Frank said, continuing on their adventure. “Where are we gonna find a shirt?” Buddy asked as they retraced their steps back downtown. “What’s in there?” Buddy asked, walking into a large building. Frank followed suit behind him. The inside was large and spacious. A curtain at the front indicated this was a theater. “Wow,” Buddy said. “This must be a great play for hiding and seek.” “Agreed,” Frank said. “But we aren’t playing. We are exploring.” Buddy and Frank retreated back outside into the busy street.

Frank and Buddy step inside a large store containing everything blue and yellow. “Wow,” buddy gasps. Buddy and FRank had stumbled into the M den. Everything Michigan colored was here. “Where should we look first?” Buddy turned to Frank. “I don’t know,” Frank said, then spotted a stuffed animal hanging out of a suitcase near the front entrance.

Frank had never seen this animal before. He and Buddy approached it carefully. “Hello,” Frank waved his paw. “We are looking for a shirt, for me, do you know where we could find one in this store?” The animal blinked his eyes and stretched in the bag looking down at Frank and Buddy. “You’re not from around here are you.” The animal smiled. “Anyone from around here wouldn’t be wearing such a shade of green attire.” “That’s just his skin,” Buddy interjected the weasel-looking animal. “We are trying to find a shirt to help him.”

“Well, you have come to the right place for that.” The stuffed animal dropped to the floor on his four paws. He looked like a weasel or skunk of some kind but wore a sweater that was blue and yellow. “I’m Bo. I’m a

“Green, is the color of the enemy school, Michigan State. The spartans play at our house today so no one should be wearing that color because of the opposing team.” “Oh,” Frank said glum. “But it’s just I can’t change my skin color. Besides, I like green” “Nah, you don’t have to. Green isn’t a bad color at all. Around here it’s just fun and games because you’re green when we are blue and yellow.” “But I want to be blue and yellow because my girl is blue and yellow. Which is why I need a shirt.” Frank explained. “Could you help us find one?” “Hmmmm,” Bo said, examining Frank. “There’s nothing here that will fit you but here,” he pulls off his own sweater and hands it to Frank, “You can borrow mine.You need it more than I do.”

Frank gladly took the sweater from the wolverine and stuck it over his head. It was a magical perfect fit. “You look like a real wolverine now!” Bo said in excitement. “What? I don’t look anything like you?” Frank said, confused. Bo laughed, finding amusement in the literalization. “No silly, a wolverine is what a Michigan fan is called. Come on, I will take you to the big house and show you all the Wolverine fans.” “The Big House?” Buddy asked.

“The Big House,” Bo said, making his way outside. “It’s not really a house. It’s a field where people jump on one another and run back and forth between the middle.” “Why?” Frank asked. “For entertainment,” Bo shrugged, not sure about that question. “It holds thousands of people and is shaped like a very large bowl. The field they play on is in the middle. It’s green, like you!” Frank shrugged. He liked not being the only green thing about this place.

“I think that’s where our girls are,” Buddy said. “It’s where every wolverine is today!” Bo Said with excitement. “It’s Saturday, it’s Ann Arbor, and it’s a big game!” Bo could tell the two animals were lost in translation.

“Come on it’s this way!” He said hopping along down the street while Frank and Buddy followed behind. Suddenly Bo started chanting a phrase in the air. “It’s great to be-a Michigan Wolverine!” he said, howling out the phrase over and over. “Why are you chanting that?” Frank asked. Because it’s great to be a Michigan wolverine!” Bo smiled. “Come on try. You’re a wolverine now.”

So Frank and Buddy both started mimicking the laughter and chant that Bo was cheering. “It’s great - to be - a Michigan Wolverine!” And Frank immediately started liking the sound of the chant. The three animals walked and chanted in unison before stopping at large gates that read, “The University of Michigan.”

“We’re here!” Bo said and squeezed himself between the bars of the gate. “Come on.” Frank squeezed through but Buddy was hesitant. “I don’t know,” He said, flattening his ears. “This doesn’t seem to be a good idea.” “It’s an Adventure!” Frank said. “I will be with you the whole time.” “Okay,” Buddy said still hesitant but pushed his way through the steel bars.

To describe the big House it contained a whole sea of blue and yellow. It looked like a massive bowl of blue and yellow dots. “Wow!” Frank said looking around. “This is-” “Big?” Bo finished. “The Biggest football Stadium in the country. And Western hemisphere.” “Really?” Buddy said amazed. “Oh yeah, all for people’s enjoyment.” It was almost hard to hear them over the roar of cheers coming from the people. “This way, we can be at the top of the Big House and watch the game.” Frank and Buddy both followed Bo to the top of the large bowl full of wolverines. They helped one another up on to the top and turned to hear a loud cheer come from the crowd once again.

“TOUCHDOWN MICHIGAN!!!!” A loud voice bellowed over the crowd. “Touchdown!” Bo squealed with excitement. “Michigan leads!” “Leads what?” Buddy screams over the roar of the Michigan crowd. “The game! They’re winning!” Bo said with excitement. Then a sensation pours over the crowd as everyone begins to cheer to a song. Hail to the Victors Valiant Hail to the conquering heroes Hail, Hail To Michigan the leaders and best! Hail to the victors valiant Hail to the conquering heroes Hail, Hail To Michigan the champions of the west! Go Blue!

“What was that?” Frank asked. “Our fight song.” Bo said with excitement. “Let’s go blue!” Frank spotted the opposing teams who were green and walking off the field changing players. Frank understood now. Allie didn’t hate his green, just that it was all fun and games for the opposing side. “I get it now.” Frank said. “Green isn’t a hated color, it’s just when they are playing them we don’t like it.”

“Of course,” Bo laughed. “You don’t actually think people hated your green color did you? You’re a frog.You’re supposed to be green!” “Thanks.” “Plus blue and yellow make green.” Buddy adds. “So you kind of get to wear both colors at the same time. “ “You’re right!” Frank said, smiling already feeling better about himself. He liked the sound of that.

“We should better get back.” Frank said after sitting through another touchdown from Michigan and the scoreboard read the fourth quarter. “We need to be back before they are back.” Buddy said in a worried tone. “Don’t worry we can get you back in time.” Bo said. “Let’s go.” They walked back down the stairs, back through the tunnel, through the bars and back out on the sidewalk. “Our spot is right there,” Frank pointed to the corner spot on Hoover and Greene. “I suppose I should return this shirt.” Frank said about to pull it off.

“Keep it,” Bo said before he could do so. “I’ve got another one at the shop.” “You need to get back too?” Buddy asked. “Or you could stay with us?” “Nah,” Bo said. “Glad to have met you too, but I am home here. If you ever need another tour when you come back, you know where to find me.” “Thank you Bo.” Frank said. Bo smiled and started hopping away chanting the infamous chant.

It’s Great. To be. A Michigan Wolverine! It’s great. To be. A Michigan Wolverine! And for the first time that day, Frank couldn’t agree more.