tripete
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2014
- Messages
- 1,002
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 12/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- PA
- City
- Lancaster
Mom I Want A Pet Gospel
This is a Halloween story about Billy, and how his Mommy took him to buy a pet gospel.
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Billy.
He was a good little boy. He loved playing with his toys. He enjoyed making believe.
He usually did what his Mommy and Daddy said, though sometimes he would disobey. All little boys disobey sometimes.
Billy liked his friends. When they came over, he could play Cowboys and Indians and have fun. Sometimes, Billy would get into fights with his friends. All little boys get into fights sometimes.
One day Billy grew sad. He did not eat his supper. Billy's Mom asked him what was wrong. "I am feeling sad" said Billy. I disobey you and Dad, and this makes me sad. I get into fights with Randy, and this makes me sad. I feel like I am doing this way too much.".
A tear rolled down Billy's cheek.
Billy's Mom cried, too. She felt so bad for her Billy.
But that is not all. Billy's Mom was also glad. She knew that only a good boy like Billy would be so sad about not obeying and getting in to fights.
Most children do not even care!
What could she do to help Billy feel better?
Because Billy was such a good boy, he did not run with the tough boys.
Billy got very lonely sometimes.
Billy's mom got an idea. "I know", said Billy's Mom. "I know what will cheer you up! How would you like to go to the pet store?"
Billy's face began to brighten. "The pet store? You mean ...I can get.."
"That's right, Billy. I think that you need a special pet you can love. Also, with a pet, you will learn some good things.
Taking care of a pet will help you be a better child. You will have so much fun with your pet, you won't fight with Randy."
Now Billy was smiling. He smiled a big, wide smile. "Mom" Billy said,
"Yes, Billy" said Billy's mom.
"If we go to the pet store, can I get...a gospel?"
Now, Billy's mom was smiling, too. She was hoping that Billy would want a gospel.
"Billy" said his mom.
"Can I, Mom?" said Billy.
"Yes" said Billy's mom. "A nice little gospel is just the pet I had in mind". Billy's mom knew about gospels. They were nice pets. They were easy to clean and tend. They did not eat too much, like horses or big dogs.
And gospels were not too much money, because there were lots of gospels.
All the rest of the day, Billy kept smiling. When Randy came over, he saw how happy Billy was.
"Hey" said Randy. "You aren't grumpy, like yesterday."
"Guess why!" said Billy. Before Randy could answer, Billy said, "Tomorrow, Mom and I are going to the pet store. She is going to let me pick out a gospel to have as a pet!".
Now Randy smiled. "Wow!", he said. "Now, when we play pretend, do you think that your gospel can play with us?"
"O, yes!" said Billy. We can train my gospel together. It will be so much fun!".
The next day, Billy and his mom went to the pet store. It was a beautiful spring day. Billy knew the way to the pet store by heart. It was right on the middle of Broad Way Street. All the stores where Billy's mom shopped were on Broad Way. How often Billy had looked in the window of Flattery's Pet Shop!
Mr. and Mrs. Flattery were nice. Billy's mom told him that their store had been on Broad Way since she was a little girl. Even so, the store did not look old, and neither did Mr. and Mrs. Flattery. Pretty praise choruses were just poking up from the brightly colored window boxes in front of the store.
Billy could hardly wait to get inside. He had not slept very much the night before. He was thinking about having is own gospel! Even now, he did not feel tired. Billy bounced up the stairs into the store, tugging on his mom's hand.
When Billy and his mom came in to the store, there was Mr. Flattery, smiling. Billy and his mom smiled back. For a while, they just stood there, smiling. By the look in their eyes, Mr. Flattery knew why Billy and his mom had come.
"I bet this young man would like to look at the gospels" said Mr. Flattery, smiling. Billy's mom just nodded, and smiled. Billy noticed that Mr. Flattery kept looking at his mom. He was anxious to see the gospels!
"That's a very nice dress you're wearing" Mr. Flattery said to Billy's mom. Billy's mom blushed. "Thank you", she said.
There were many different pets in the pet shop. Mr. Flattery kept snakes and Siamese Fighting Fish, turtles and rabbits. Mostly, though, he kept gospels, because they were the most popular pet. Mr. Flattery only sold nice gospels.
Once, Mr. Flattery had to kill a gospel. It was one of those "fighting gospels". He had put it in a cage with the other gospels and gone home for the night. The next day when he came in to the shop, the fighting gospel had killed all the other gospels in the cage. This made Mr. Flattery very mad. He grabbed the fighting gospel by the neck and bopped it on the head with Old Persecutor, a Billy club he kept for killing bad pets.
Sometimes, Mr. Flattery had bad dreams. He had a nightmare about bad pets that come back. In one of his dreams, he dreamt that he sold Mrs. Meet-My-Needs a fighting gospel. While Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was watching, the fighting gospel made poo-poo on her self-righteousness, which she had been carefully tending and growing for years. Mrs. Meet-My-Needs came back with the gospel to Mr. Flattery's store. When he tried to grab it, it squirmed away. Before he could catch it, and while Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was looking on in horror, it threw up right on the fresh sincerity cookies Mrs. Flattery had made for visitors, ran out the door, and got away. For weeks after that dream, Mr. Flattery could not eat any of Mrs.Flattery's cookies.
Today, Mr.Flattery was thinking happy thoughts. He always enjoyed helping a child get started with their first pet gospel.
"Here they are", said Mr. Flattery. He pointed to the long cage with gospels. There were long-hair gospels and short-hair gospels. There were bigger, older gospels and smaller gospels.
"Couldn't we just take them all?" said Billy's mom, giggling. Billy had never seen his mom act that way before. Mr. Flattery grinned, put his hand on Billy's mom's shoulder, and said "Sure! I think we can work something out".
"This is fun" thought Billy. "Mommy is just as happy as me about getting a pet gospel".
Billy looked at the corner of the cage. Two young spotted gospels were rolling around in playful, fluffy hugs. He watched them for a while.
"I like these little guys" said Billy. "Could we get them both, Mom? One for you, and one for me? Mom?"
Billy's mom had disappeared. Mr. Flattery was gone, too. Where were they? Billy looked around the aisle. There they were! Mr. Flattery was showing Billy's mom how to properly groom a gospel. He was guiding her hand across the fur of a long-haired gospel.
"You always have to go with the direction of the fir, like... this. There. That's it. Never brush the fur in the wrong direction...", Mr. Flattery was saying as he helped Billy's mom.
"Mom!" said Billy. "I think I found the ones I like!" Billy's mom looked around, smiling.
"So soon, Billy?"
"Yes" said Billy. "Could we get two, Mommie? One for you, and one for me?
Billy's mom laughed. Mr. Flattery laughed. Billy laughed. This was fun.
"We'll see how things go with one for now, Billy", his mom said.
"But what if he gets lonely?" said Billy. "Don't worry, Billy.", said Mr. Flattery. "Gospels don't get lonely. People get lonely. Gospels enjoy spending time with you more than they do with each other."
Billy chose the larger of the two spotted gospels. Mr. Flattery reached in the cage and caught it. He handed it to Billy, who held it close. It immediately snuggled in to Billy's arms and began to purr.
"You sure know how to pick 'em, son!" said Mr. Flattery. Billy smiled. He felt wonderful. Now, Billy's mom put her hand on Mr. Flattery's shoulder. She smiled. She felt wonderful. Mr. Flattery put his arms around them both. He felt wonderful.
The bell rang as the door of the pet shop opened. It was Mrs. Meet-My-Needs, all dressed up. She was holding a bag. Something squirmed inside. She was not smiling.
Mr. Flattery suddenly felt his ears get warm.
"Would you like to look at the gospel leashes over in the corner?" Mr. Flattery said to Billy's mom, nervously.
Billy didn't hear. When the bell rang, it had startled the spotted gospel, which had wriggled free and was now walking curiously toward the front of the store and the bag that Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was holding in her trembling hand.
"Sure", said Billy's mom.
Mr. Flattery was gone. He was looking for something. He was not happy any more.
The end.
© 1996 Copyright, John Pedersen
This is a Halloween story about Billy, and how his Mommy took him to buy a pet gospel.
Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Billy.
He was a good little boy. He loved playing with his toys. He enjoyed making believe.
He usually did what his Mommy and Daddy said, though sometimes he would disobey. All little boys disobey sometimes.
Billy liked his friends. When they came over, he could play Cowboys and Indians and have fun. Sometimes, Billy would get into fights with his friends. All little boys get into fights sometimes.
One day Billy grew sad. He did not eat his supper. Billy's Mom asked him what was wrong. "I am feeling sad" said Billy. I disobey you and Dad, and this makes me sad. I get into fights with Randy, and this makes me sad. I feel like I am doing this way too much.".
A tear rolled down Billy's cheek.
Billy's Mom cried, too. She felt so bad for her Billy.
But that is not all. Billy's Mom was also glad. She knew that only a good boy like Billy would be so sad about not obeying and getting in to fights.
Most children do not even care!
What could she do to help Billy feel better?
Because Billy was such a good boy, he did not run with the tough boys.
Billy got very lonely sometimes.
Billy's mom got an idea. "I know", said Billy's Mom. "I know what will cheer you up! How would you like to go to the pet store?"
Billy's face began to brighten. "The pet store? You mean ...I can get.."
"That's right, Billy. I think that you need a special pet you can love. Also, with a pet, you will learn some good things.
Taking care of a pet will help you be a better child. You will have so much fun with your pet, you won't fight with Randy."
Now Billy was smiling. He smiled a big, wide smile. "Mom" Billy said,
"Yes, Billy" said Billy's mom.
"If we go to the pet store, can I get...a gospel?"
Now, Billy's mom was smiling, too. She was hoping that Billy would want a gospel.
"Billy" said his mom.
"Can I, Mom?" said Billy.
"Yes" said Billy's mom. "A nice little gospel is just the pet I had in mind". Billy's mom knew about gospels. They were nice pets. They were easy to clean and tend. They did not eat too much, like horses or big dogs.
And gospels were not too much money, because there were lots of gospels.
All the rest of the day, Billy kept smiling. When Randy came over, he saw how happy Billy was.
"Hey" said Randy. "You aren't grumpy, like yesterday."
"Guess why!" said Billy. Before Randy could answer, Billy said, "Tomorrow, Mom and I are going to the pet store. She is going to let me pick out a gospel to have as a pet!".
Now Randy smiled. "Wow!", he said. "Now, when we play pretend, do you think that your gospel can play with us?"
"O, yes!" said Billy. We can train my gospel together. It will be so much fun!".
The next day, Billy and his mom went to the pet store. It was a beautiful spring day. Billy knew the way to the pet store by heart. It was right on the middle of Broad Way Street. All the stores where Billy's mom shopped were on Broad Way. How often Billy had looked in the window of Flattery's Pet Shop!
Mr. and Mrs. Flattery were nice. Billy's mom told him that their store had been on Broad Way since she was a little girl. Even so, the store did not look old, and neither did Mr. and Mrs. Flattery. Pretty praise choruses were just poking up from the brightly colored window boxes in front of the store.
Billy could hardly wait to get inside. He had not slept very much the night before. He was thinking about having is own gospel! Even now, he did not feel tired. Billy bounced up the stairs into the store, tugging on his mom's hand.
When Billy and his mom came in to the store, there was Mr. Flattery, smiling. Billy and his mom smiled back. For a while, they just stood there, smiling. By the look in their eyes, Mr. Flattery knew why Billy and his mom had come.
"I bet this young man would like to look at the gospels" said Mr. Flattery, smiling. Billy's mom just nodded, and smiled. Billy noticed that Mr. Flattery kept looking at his mom. He was anxious to see the gospels!
"That's a very nice dress you're wearing" Mr. Flattery said to Billy's mom. Billy's mom blushed. "Thank you", she said.
There were many different pets in the pet shop. Mr. Flattery kept snakes and Siamese Fighting Fish, turtles and rabbits. Mostly, though, he kept gospels, because they were the most popular pet. Mr. Flattery only sold nice gospels.
Once, Mr. Flattery had to kill a gospel. It was one of those "fighting gospels". He had put it in a cage with the other gospels and gone home for the night. The next day when he came in to the shop, the fighting gospel had killed all the other gospels in the cage. This made Mr. Flattery very mad. He grabbed the fighting gospel by the neck and bopped it on the head with Old Persecutor, a Billy club he kept for killing bad pets.
Sometimes, Mr. Flattery had bad dreams. He had a nightmare about bad pets that come back. In one of his dreams, he dreamt that he sold Mrs. Meet-My-Needs a fighting gospel. While Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was watching, the fighting gospel made poo-poo on her self-righteousness, which she had been carefully tending and growing for years. Mrs. Meet-My-Needs came back with the gospel to Mr. Flattery's store. When he tried to grab it, it squirmed away. Before he could catch it, and while Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was looking on in horror, it threw up right on the fresh sincerity cookies Mrs. Flattery had made for visitors, ran out the door, and got away. For weeks after that dream, Mr. Flattery could not eat any of Mrs.Flattery's cookies.
Today, Mr.Flattery was thinking happy thoughts. He always enjoyed helping a child get started with their first pet gospel.
"Here they are", said Mr. Flattery. He pointed to the long cage with gospels. There were long-hair gospels and short-hair gospels. There were bigger, older gospels and smaller gospels.
"Couldn't we just take them all?" said Billy's mom, giggling. Billy had never seen his mom act that way before. Mr. Flattery grinned, put his hand on Billy's mom's shoulder, and said "Sure! I think we can work something out".
"This is fun" thought Billy. "Mommy is just as happy as me about getting a pet gospel".
Billy looked at the corner of the cage. Two young spotted gospels were rolling around in playful, fluffy hugs. He watched them for a while.
"I like these little guys" said Billy. "Could we get them both, Mom? One for you, and one for me? Mom?"
Billy's mom had disappeared. Mr. Flattery was gone, too. Where were they? Billy looked around the aisle. There they were! Mr. Flattery was showing Billy's mom how to properly groom a gospel. He was guiding her hand across the fur of a long-haired gospel.
"You always have to go with the direction of the fir, like... this. There. That's it. Never brush the fur in the wrong direction...", Mr. Flattery was saying as he helped Billy's mom.
"Mom!" said Billy. "I think I found the ones I like!" Billy's mom looked around, smiling.
"So soon, Billy?"
"Yes" said Billy. "Could we get two, Mommie? One for you, and one for me?
Billy's mom laughed. Mr. Flattery laughed. Billy laughed. This was fun.
"We'll see how things go with one for now, Billy", his mom said.
"But what if he gets lonely?" said Billy. "Don't worry, Billy.", said Mr. Flattery. "Gospels don't get lonely. People get lonely. Gospels enjoy spending time with you more than they do with each other."
Billy chose the larger of the two spotted gospels. Mr. Flattery reached in the cage and caught it. He handed it to Billy, who held it close. It immediately snuggled in to Billy's arms and began to purr.
"You sure know how to pick 'em, son!" said Mr. Flattery. Billy smiled. He felt wonderful. Now, Billy's mom put her hand on Mr. Flattery's shoulder. She smiled. She felt wonderful. Mr. Flattery put his arms around them both. He felt wonderful.
The bell rang as the door of the pet shop opened. It was Mrs. Meet-My-Needs, all dressed up. She was holding a bag. Something squirmed inside. She was not smiling.
Mr. Flattery suddenly felt his ears get warm.
"Would you like to look at the gospel leashes over in the corner?" Mr. Flattery said to Billy's mom, nervously.
Billy didn't hear. When the bell rang, it had startled the spotted gospel, which had wriggled free and was now walking curiously toward the front of the store and the bag that Mrs. Meet-My-Needs was holding in her trembling hand.
"Sure", said Billy's mom.
Mr. Flattery was gone. He was looking for something. He was not happy any more.
The end.
© 1996 Copyright, John Pedersen
