The Little Boy - Sara Hansen (each kindness read aloud TXT) 📗

There was once this young boy around 8 years old who drove his mother crazy. From the time the sun came up to the time he was forced into bed he would bounce off the walls. Up and down the hall he would run, in and out the door he would go, following his mother through the house in between. Now his mother did not mind his constant energy just had to be more creative on how he spent it.
One morning as he was running down the hall for the 4th time his mother stepped in front of him causing him to stop and look at her. She smiled and said “I have an important job for you today, do you think you can help me?””Yes, yes I want to help. What do I have to do?” “Well” said his mother softly as she wondered off to the kitchen. “I suppose you are old enough now to go that far but you have to follow the rules and then you win the prize.” “Surprise?” “Yes, the task is this, take this basket to Miss. Johnston down the street, when you get there she will call me so I can time you. Then you will come back and try to see how fast you made the trip.” He sat there thinking for a moment, “What is the surprise at the end and how fast do I have to be to win?” “Good question” she replied. “You have to make the round trip in less than 20 minutes.” She said pointing to the clock and then his watch. “That sounds easy I bet I can do that no problem, but what do I get?” “You will have to win to find out.” She said putting her hand on his shoulder and walking to the door. She opened the door handed him the basket and gently guided him out to the walkway closing the door behind him.
He started walking right away thinking to himself “I can do this it is easy, I wonder what my surprise will be!” As he walked out of his yard on to the sidewalk he noticed a girl from his class walking toward him with a leash attached to a big dog. He stopped to say hi, the dog was friendly and liked to lick his face. “Oh no,” He said out loud “I have to go I am trying to win a prize and I have no more time to visit.” “Bye” she waved as he walked swiftly off toward Miss. Johnston’s house.
As he passed the house next to his and entered the driveway of the third house he noticed his school friend Sam ridding up on this shinny new red bike. “Hey Sam,” he waved as Sam came to a stop beside them. “Where did you get that awesome bike?” he asked excitedly, looking it over from top to bottom. “My mom and dad got it for me because I am doing well in school and with my chores” he replied. “May I try it someday?” he asked his friend with pleading eyes. “I might have to ask my mom and dad first but I will sure try.” He said knowing his parents would rather he break it in first. “Oh no I have got to go I am running late, I was trying to win a prize and my time is running out.” He said as he started to run now down the sidewalk. They both waved as they parted ways, and he got two more houses down before the ball rolled into his path and he stopped it from going all the way into the street.
A little girl came running out. “Thank you so much, I would have lost it for sure I’m not old enough to go in the street yet.” She said shyly. “Well what made it come this far out anyways?” he asked as he handed her the ball back. “My little brother is too little to know not to throw it this far down the yard so I am in charge of watching him and playing with him. My mom even pays me .25 cents every half hour plus a cookie at the end.” She said proudly. “I wish I could make money to spend.” He said as he thought. “Oh no, I have to go I am going to be late, bye.” He said as he ran off to the next house and up the walkway.
As he knocked on the door he looked down at his watch, it has already been 11 minutes. The door opened and Miss. Johnston smiled as she motioned him to come in. “No thanks I have 9 minutes to make it home and get a surprise.” He replied. “Well your mother did say I was to call her when you arrived she did not say you had to stay through the call though. You can go if you want, thank you for bringing me this wonderful basket of cookies.” She said as he walked back down to the sidewalk. “Have a nice day.” He waved back at her as he looked at the walk ahead.
He thought to himself “how do I get back without getting stopped? I must not stop moving even if I am talked to.” So he put his head down to watch his steps as he rushed past the little girls house with the ball, Sam on his shinny red bike, and the classmate walking the big dog. All tried to get his attention and he rushed past not looking at any of them. When he arrived at his front door his mom was standing there on the phone with Miss. Johnston and had a smile on her face. “Well, I guess you earned your surprise now right?” “I guess so,” he said looking kind of glum. “I want a chore like Sam so I can earn a new bike and one like the little girl down the street that gets money for watching her brother play.” “I was thinking the same thing.” His mother said handing him his first quarter. “Really? I can earn my own money?” he asked in awe. “Yes I will be having you deliver the baskets I make all over our street and today you showed me you are ready to have this chore.” They both sat at the table and ate cookies with milk till dad came home. Then he got to tell his dad about his wonderful day.

Text: Not a compleate work just a short story I wrote this year
Publication Date: 11-25-2011

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