Apocalypsis 01 - Kahayatle

huge puzzle to me that a guy like him, funny and so positive, had been alone.   It seemed like he’d be the type of guy that would have a flock of people around him.
    “Well, maybe I will tell you dat story anudder time.   Right now, I want to eat.   All dat gator evasion hass made me hungry.”   He was massaging his biceps for effect, looking over to the boats that held our food.
    I studied his face in profile, trying to figure out if he was purposely avoiding my question or if he was just being a guy - more concerned with his stomach than anything else.   I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.   Eventually we’d learn his story.   I didn’t ever feel threatened around him, so I wasn’t worried that he was going to spring a I’m-a-reformed-canner-story on us.
    “What do you guys want to eat?” I asked.  
    “Nothing that has to be heated.   Too much trouble,” said Peter.
    “Beans and chips iss good,” suggested Bodo.
    “Beans and chips it is.”  
    We dragged the boats over and busied ourselves with handing out food and water for everyone.   Gathering the water bottles to hand them out, I noticed that we were low.  
    “As soon as we find our final spot, we need to set up a water catcher.   Or just later today, if we haven’t found something by then.   This is the last of the good stuff,” I said, holding up my bottle that was half empty.
    Peter stood.   “I’m going to go take care of business,” he frowned at me, “and don’t say what I know you’re thinking about saying, Bryn.   Just because we’re swamp dwellers now, doesn’t mean we have to act déclassé.”
    “Oooh, gettin’ all fancy on us now, are we?   What is that?   French?”
    “Shut up,” he said, disappearing into the trees with Buster happily bouncing off behind him, leaving Bodo and me alone.
    “What does dat word mean dat he said … déclassé?”
    “It means common.   Don’t act rude, basically.   He doesn’t like it when I ask him if he’s going to doodle.”
    “What is doodle?   Dat’s when you draw on a paper, right?”
    I smiled.   “Yeah.   That’s what it means.”
    “I don’t understand why he gets mad about drawing.   It’s not rude to draw.   I am good with doodling myself, actually.”
    I tried to hid the smile on my face behind my water bottle.   “Oh, you are, huh?”
    “Oh yes.   You would be surprised, I think.   I doodle all over da place when I’m in da mood.”
    “Like where,” I laughed out.
    Bodo looked at me confused, but continued.   “I doodle in da house, of course, and also at school.”
    “Doesn’t everyone, though?” I asked, all innocence.
    “Yes, but does everyone doodle in the bathroom?   I don’t think so.   Dat’s where I do it sometimes.”
    “Oh, I do it there all the time.   Or I used to anyway.   Now I just do it outside.”
    “Yes, well, when we find a new place, I’m gonna doodle dare.”
    “No you’re not.” I said with a straight face.
    “Yes I am,” he assured me.   “You will see.   I’m gonna doodle right on our house, to make it look nicer.”
    Peter came walking up.   “What are you guys talking about?”
    I smiled.   “Well, Bodo was just telling me here that he likes to doodle.   He doodles all over the place.   In fact, he’s planning to doodle right on our house, to make it prettier.”
    Peter looked at Bodo aghast.   “What is your problem?   That’s just sick!   I’m not going to let you guys turn into savages just because we’re living in this wild place.”
    Bodo’s face was the picture of cluelessness.   “I don’t understand.   What is so wrong with drawing pictures on our house?   Dey will be very nice, I promise.”
    Peter rolled his eyes and sighed loudly at Bodo, and then glared at me.   “Bryn.   That is so, so wrong.   On so many levels.”
    I was laughing, unable to stop.   When Bodo asked Peter, “What is dis?   Why is she laughing?” And Peter answered, “Doodle is another word for poop.   As in shit?   Get it?”   I lost it completely.   Bodo giving me the evil eye, and then swearing he was going to get me back, only made it worse.
    “Bodo,” said Peter, taking on his hoity-toity tone, “I’m going to address this next question to the grown-ups in the room.   Do you want to go see the awesomely amazing thing that I saw when I was … away just a minute ago?”
    “Doodling!” I gasped out before collapsing in giggles again.   I had no idea