Chapter 3

Alvin was sitting on the edge of his bed in the cabin in his pajamas. Dave was lecturing him. Theodore and Simon were eavesdropping while they got ready for bed.

“We talked about setting rules, Alvin,” said Dave sternly.

Alvin was pouting. “I didn’t know one of the rules was ‘no fun allowed.’ ”

“When are you going to stop acting like a child?”

“When are you going to stop treating me like a child?” Alvin snapped.

“I’ll stop treating you like a child when you start acting like a grown-up!” Dave was yelling again.

“I’ll start acting like a grown-up when you—” Alvin stopped as The Chipettes emerged from the bathroom, singing.

Dave sighed, frustrated. “Not now, girls!” He checked his watch. It was later than he’d thought. “I have to get ready for dinner with the captain,” he said. He wasn’t looking forward to apologizing for Alvin’s antics.

“We’re having dinner with the captain!” Brittany was excited.

“No, I am.” Dave sighed. “All the chipmunks are staying here tonight.” And with that announcement he went into the bathroom to get ready, shutting the door behind him.

Brittany plopped down beside Alvin. “This is so unfair!” She wanted to have fun on her vacation, too. She didn’t want to be stuck inside the cabin all night. “It’s not fair to us, it’s not fair to Dave, and it’s not fair to the captain, who I’m sure was really looking forward to dining with me.” After all, she thought, how often did he get to entertain a real-live diva?

Simon approached Brittany. He hated to see her so upset. “Why don’t I speak with Dave? See if I can smooth things over.”

Alvin shrugged his shoulders, skeptical that it would make any difference. He knew how Dave got when he was mad. All he seemed to care about was following the rules.

Simon knocked on the door to the bathroom and chirped as cheerfully as he could, “Knock, knock.”

“What is it, Simon?” Dave sighed, opening the door. He was wearing a tuxedo and clearly struggling to knot his bow tie correctly. These cruise ship dinners were very fancy, much fancier than Dave was used to.

Simon whispered confidentially to Dave, “Well, I would never say this to Alvin—goodness knows he can be totally irresponsible—but I have a suggestion.”

“You have a suggestion for me?”

“Alvin’s been driving me crazy a lot longer than he’s been driving you crazy,” explained Simon.

Simon had a point. “All right, what is it?”

Simon cleared his throat. He was kind of an expert on Alvin. “Imagine Alvin is a spirited racehorse,” he began.

“That’s your advice?” Dave was not impressed.

“I’m not done yet, Dave,” said Simon.

“Sorry. Alvin’s a racehorse…” He glanced in the bathroom mirror and tucked one end of the bow tie into the knot he’d made and watched it come undone. He could not remember how to tie it properly.

Simon leaped up to his shoulder and reached around, taking the two ends of the bow tie in his paws. As he expertly began passing one end over the other, he continued speaking. “And imagine you are his incredibly helpful jockey, who’s there to guide him down the racetrack of life. But if you hold the reins too tight, that racehorse is going to fight and buck, which is no fun for anyone. On the other hand, if you loosen the reins just a little—”

“He’ll run right off the track and crash into the fence,” interrupted Dave.

“I know you want to protect Alvin,” said Simon, “but sometimes kids will rise to the occasion if you just show them a little trust.” He gave the bow tie a last pull.

Dave looked in the mirror. His tie was perfect. He was impressed. Maybe Simon had a point about Alvin after all. “Okay, guys,” he said, coming back into the suite. “Room service is on its way. Lights out by nine o’clock.”

Eleanor, startled, shared a look of surprise with Brittany and Jeanette. “Um, Dave, if we’re going to be stuck in the room—”

“Because of Alvin!” interrupted Brittany, still furious.

Even Theodore chimed in. “Can we at least watch a movie?” His plump face was filled with disappointment.

“Well … sure, guys, let me see what’s on,” said Dave, and then he took a look at Simon’s face. Maybe the chipmunks really were old enough to make some of their own decisions. His eyes met Alvin’s. “You know what? Why don’t you pick the movie?”

“You mean it, Dave?” Alvin brightened up at once.

“Absolutely.” Dave glanced over at Simon, who gave him a big thumbs-up. The girls immediately began scrolling through movie titles on the television.

Dave took a last look at his tie in the mirror and headed to the door. He stopped when he noticed Theodore holding out something toward him in his little paws.

“Wait, Dave, before you go, I made something for you.” He held up a necklace of twisted multicolor pipe cleaners and dried macaroni. Theodore was beaming with pride, but the necklace was hideous.

“Whoa! That’s really…” Dave gulped, uncertain of what to say. It didn’t really go with his tuxedo. “That’s really nice of you.”

Theodore blushed. “I made it soft so you can sleep in it, and I put all the colors in it, so it will go with everything! You never have to take it off!” He was still holding it out for Dave to take.

“I’ll put it on as soon as I get back from dinner,” said Dave, patting Theodore on the head.

“Or you could put it on now, so everyone at the captain’s table can see it!” Theodore was looking at Dave with big, loving eyes.

Dave had no choice. He had to put on the necklace. Reluctantly, he took it from Theodore and dropped it around his neck. He knew he looked ridiculous, but if he had any last doubts, Alvin put them to rest.

“Nice. A real chick magnet,” chuckled Alvin.

Theodore beamed with delight, not catching the sarcasm in Alvin’s voice.

Dave took a deep breath. “All right, guys, have fun.” And then he remembered that he was speaking to the chipmunks, and he caught himself. “But not too much fun, because I’m still very disappointed in you, Alvin.”

Alvin nodded in agreement, very serious. But the moment the door was shut and he heard Dave’s footsteps disappearing down the corridor, he gave a little wave to the door. “Good-bye, Dave,” he whispered, and then he whirled around to face The Chipettes. “Hello, ladies!”

Alvin whipped off his pajamas, revealing beneath them a perfect white dinner jacket. Alvin was ready for action.