The Boy Scouts have a new motto

Along with a new school year, September marks the return of Boy Scouts.

This year Mark is a Webelo, which begins his transition from a Cub Scout to a Boy Scout. Instead of just a number, his den gets a new name and learns a whole new set of oaths and mottos. He'll have more activities, added responsibilities and new badges to earn.

That's a lot of changes. However, during our first meeting Friday night, I noticed some things remained the same. Namely, the boys may be a year older, but they're still the same squirrely, enthusiastic kids.

We held the first meeting at a local pizza joint. After dinner, their den leader took on the first task: introducing the new oaths and mottos. He really is a patient man, especially as the boys were more interested in turning their hats inside out, smacking each other in the head, or running off to the video games.

The den leader asked if anyone knew the Boy Scout motto. He was met with blank stares, so he gave them a hint. "It's only two words," he prompted. "Be...?"

"Quiet!" Mark answered, sending the room into fits of laughter. I felt my face instantly turn red, and I joked, "Sounds like a good motto to me!"

The den leader gave them the real answer (Be prepared), and then led them to the next task: naming their den. He showed them various patches with animals on them. They passed on the wolf and eagle but got really excited at the cobra.

"OK, what kind of cobras?" the den leader asked.

"The Killing Cobras!" one kid shouted, and the rest cheered him on.

"Maybe not so...violent," the den leader said. This was followed with suggestions of the Crazy Cobras, the Cool Cobras, and the Killing Cobras again (somebody has a short attention span).

"How about the Contemplative Cobras?" the den leader asked. This was met by simultaneous groans.

I'm not sure what they finally picked (there was a lot of shouting going on). But they all seemed happy with the name.

Then it was time to go over to the school for the pack meeting, which includes the dens from all the other grades. I stood outside the auditorium before it started, as crazed Scouts ran past me from every direction. At one point, a kid almost slid into me on his scooter. He turned it abruptly, which saved my ankles, but sent him flying off the scooter. There was a hushed silence for a moment, while everyone waited to see if he was hurt.

"He's okay!" his friend shouted. "He falls all the time, but he never gets hurts."

The fallen boy waved his arm in the air to prove he was, indeed, all right. But he was wearing a blue cast on that arm -- his friend was only half-right. He does fall a lot, but apparently, sometimes he does hurt himself!

The meeting was fun. The pack leader talked about the month's theme, pockets. He pulled out a backpack and asked the boys what a good camper might have in his pockets. The parents all knew what the first answer would be, and the boys didn't let us down: a pocket knife. Which was followed by guesses of a gun, an arrow, and assorted other weapons.

Because it was the first meeting, it was short. The pack master had barely announced there were cookies outside, when a rush of Scouts zoomed past us. I was sitting in the back row, and Mark still beat me outside. I found him munching on a cookie, three others in his hand. "I'll go get you some cookies," he said, but I stopped him.

"No thanks," I said. "I'll just share yours." I knew his "generosity" was really a ploy to keep all four cookies to himself.

And so ended our first night back at Scouts. I watched all the kids chasing each other on the lawn, and I smiled. It's going to be another fun year.