| Michael in the City |
There once was a little boy named Michael. He lived in the city with his parents and his pet clown fish, Slim and Shim.
They lived in a small house with a very small yard. Although he loved his family and fish very much, he had no one to play
with and very little room to run.
But, Michael was a very creative little boy and full of energy.
So, he decided to run a race…through the house, but his mom got upset and sat him in time-out.
Then he decided to imitate his dad, and got a fishing rod with a broken reel. He took it apart to try to fix it, but made a mess
with the fishing line instead. His dad got upset, made him clean it up, and then made him stand in the corner.
He kept coming up with other things to pretend and play, but no matter what he did, he got in trouble.
He built a jungle-jim in the kitchen and dining room. He had to clean it and sit in time-out.
He used the couch and love seat as trampolines…He had to stand in the corner.
He made an obstacle course with sheets, blankets, pillows, and clothes. His course went all the way around his room and
down the hall. The third time through…he ran into his dad. Michael had to pick them all up and sit in time-out.
Sometimes, he even got in trouble when he tried to help.
One time he tried to clean his fish tank so his mom and dad would not have to do it. But, his mom saw him trying to catch
Shim with his hand, and splashing water everywhere. Michael had to clean up the mess he made, but this time, his mom
helped him.
And, when they were done, she gave him a big hug and said, “Thank you for trying to help, but you’re not quite big enough to
do this by yourself, yet.”
Sometimes Michael’s mom and dad would play with him or read him a book. No matter what they did though, it was never
enough for the amount of energy he had.
Michael kept trying to come up with new ways to play…
Things like: playing catch against the wall
coloring a mural on the window shade
running a race down the hall with an
imaginary friend
and many other things. It never failed though, that he got in trouble.
Michael began to feel very sad, because nothing he tried was okay for him to do in the house. But the yard being so small,
he didn’t really have room out there to play anything. Certainly not to play ball, for a swing set, or even just to run.
He could climb trees, but he got in trouble for that too.
He did once try to help his dad pull weeds out of the vegetable garden, but got sent inside because he was pulling
vegetables too.
Then one day, Michael’s mom and dad said that they had saved up enough money to move to the country. They had
already found a house, and moved some stuff there.
At first, Michael didn’t know what to think about moving to the country but once he got there…
A big house…
A huge, huge yard…
A swing set…
A jungle-gym…
All sorts of out side toys…
A big white dog (which he named Silver like the Lone Ranger’s horse) and a black pony (which he named Tornado like Zorro’s
horse).
He spent the whole rest of the day playing and running and did not get into trouble, not even once that whole day.
After he took his bath that night, his parents sat him down to talk to him again. This time they told him that his mom was
going to have twins, which meant that she was going to have two babies.
All Michael had wanted was room to run and someone to play with him. Now he had more than he had ever hoped for.
He went to sleep dreaming of how much fun he was going to have there with two brothers or sisters to play with him. (Of
course he hoped for brothers.)
They lived in a small house with a very small yard. Although he loved his family and fish very much, he had no one to play
with and very little room to run.
But, Michael was a very creative little boy and full of energy.
So, he decided to run a race…through the house, but his mom got upset and sat him in time-out.
Then he decided to imitate his dad, and got a fishing rod with a broken reel. He took it apart to try to fix it, but made a mess
with the fishing line instead. His dad got upset, made him clean it up, and then made him stand in the corner.
He kept coming up with other things to pretend and play, but no matter what he did, he got in trouble.
He built a jungle-jim in the kitchen and dining room. He had to clean it and sit in time-out.
He used the couch and love seat as trampolines…He had to stand in the corner.
He made an obstacle course with sheets, blankets, pillows, and clothes. His course went all the way around his room and
down the hall. The third time through…he ran into his dad. Michael had to pick them all up and sit in time-out.
Sometimes, he even got in trouble when he tried to help.
One time he tried to clean his fish tank so his mom and dad would not have to do it. But, his mom saw him trying to catch
Shim with his hand, and splashing water everywhere. Michael had to clean up the mess he made, but this time, his mom
helped him.
And, when they were done, she gave him a big hug and said, “Thank you for trying to help, but you’re not quite big enough to
do this by yourself, yet.”
Sometimes Michael’s mom and dad would play with him or read him a book. No matter what they did though, it was never
enough for the amount of energy he had.
Michael kept trying to come up with new ways to play…
Things like: playing catch against the wall
coloring a mural on the window shade
running a race down the hall with an
imaginary friend
and many other things. It never failed though, that he got in trouble.
Michael began to feel very sad, because nothing he tried was okay for him to do in the house. But the yard being so small,
he didn’t really have room out there to play anything. Certainly not to play ball, for a swing set, or even just to run.
He could climb trees, but he got in trouble for that too.
He did once try to help his dad pull weeds out of the vegetable garden, but got sent inside because he was pulling
vegetables too.
Then one day, Michael’s mom and dad said that they had saved up enough money to move to the country. They had
already found a house, and moved some stuff there.
At first, Michael didn’t know what to think about moving to the country but once he got there…
A big house…
A huge, huge yard…
A swing set…
A jungle-gym…
All sorts of out side toys…
A big white dog (which he named Silver like the Lone Ranger’s horse) and a black pony (which he named Tornado like Zorro’s
horse).
He spent the whole rest of the day playing and running and did not get into trouble, not even once that whole day.
After he took his bath that night, his parents sat him down to talk to him again. This time they told him that his mom was
going to have twins, which meant that she was going to have two babies.
All Michael had wanted was room to run and someone to play with him. Now he had more than he had ever hoped for.
He went to sleep dreaming of how much fun he was going to have there with two brothers or sisters to play with him. (Of
course he hoped for brothers.)
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| Angela Graham 11-13-99 |
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