Read Online Bumpy Ride Ahead! by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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said.
“Well, we can’t. I already told you….”
“I know … your daed said Little Ben isn’t ready to pull the cart yet.”
“That’s right, so now let’s think of somethin’ else we can do that’ll be fun.”
Mark took a seat on a bale of straw and made little circles across his forehead as he thought and thought. He couldn’t think of one single thing he wanted to do, other than going for a ride in John’s pony cart.
Mark sat there awhile, and then he stood. “You know, I think it’s time for me to go home.”
John’s dark eyebrows shot way up. “What? You just got here, and we haven’t done anything but sit and talk.”
Mark released a noisy yawn. “I know, but I’m feelin’ kind of tired. Think I’ll go home and take a
gern.
“
“If you want to take a nap, that’s fine with me, because you obviously didn’t come over here to play.” Mark could tell by the scowl on John’s face that he wasn’t happy about Mark leaving. But why should he stick around here when he was so bored? Didn’t he have the right to go home?
“I’ll see you at church tomorrow morning,” Mark said. Then he turned and sprinted in the direction of home.
He’d only made it halfway there when that same big black shaggy dog that had caused so much trouble at their stand a few weeks ago came running out of the woods.
Woof! Woof!
It chased after Mark, barking and swishing its tail. Mark didn’t know if the dog was mean or just wanted to play, but he didn’t stick around to find out. Panting for breath, he ran even faster. When the dog’s barking quieted, Mark glanced over his shoulder. He didn’t see any sign of the mutt, but he kept running, just in case. Who knew where that dog came from anyway? Surely it couldn’t belong to anyone. If it did, then the owners didn’t take very good care of their pet.
Mark was nearing his driveway when he tripped on a rock and dropped to the ground. He winced when he saw that the rock he’d fallen on had torn a hole in his trousers and scraped his knee.
Mark clambered to his feet and limped the rest of the way home. He’d just started up the driveway when Calvin came along, swinging his fishing pole and whistling a merry tune. “Grandpa and I both caught plenty of fish today,” he said, smiling at Mark. “But I must say, he was disappointed that you didn’t come along.”
“I wish now that I had,” Mark said with a moan. “Instead of takin’ a ride in John’s pony cart like I’d hope, I ended up with a scraped knee and a hole in my pants!”
Calvin put his hand on Mark’s shoulder. “I hope you learned a lesson today. When someone invites you to go someplace and you say you will, then you shouldn’t change your mind at the last minute and do something else that you think will be more fun.”
Mark gave a quick nod. But then as he thought more about it, he figured if they just could have hitched John’s new pony to the cart, he wouldn’t be so miserable right now.
When Mark and Calvin stepped onto the porch, Mark was surprised to see Mattie there with splotches of flour all over her dress. “What happened to you?” he asked.
Mattie explained that she’d taken some flour to Grandma, and that even though Grandma had asked her stay, she’d decided to go home. Then as she was carrying the rest of the flour home, she’d tripped and lost the whole bag. “Think I ended up with most of it on me,” she muttered, motioning to her dress.
Mark chuckled, and Calvin laughed out loud. “You look like you’ve been caught in a snowstorm,” Calvin said.
“It’s not funny.” Mattie frowned as she brushed at the flour. Then looking back at Mark, she pointed to the hole in his trousers. “What happened to you?”
“Remember the mutt that caused all the trouble at our roadside stand awhile back?”
Mattie nodded.
“Well, the mutt started chasin’ me as I was comin’ back from John’s, and when I fell, I tore a hole in my trousers.” Mark grunted.
“Well, we can’t. I already told you….”
“I know … your daed said Little Ben isn’t ready to pull the cart yet.”
“That’s right, so now let’s think of somethin’ else we can do that’ll be fun.”
Mark took a seat on a bale of straw and made little circles across his forehead as he thought and thought. He couldn’t think of one single thing he wanted to do, other than going for a ride in John’s pony cart.
Mark sat there awhile, and then he stood. “You know, I think it’s time for me to go home.”
John’s dark eyebrows shot way up. “What? You just got here, and we haven’t done anything but sit and talk.”
Mark released a noisy yawn. “I know, but I’m feelin’ kind of tired. Think I’ll go home and take a
gern.
“
“If you want to take a nap, that’s fine with me, because you obviously didn’t come over here to play.” Mark could tell by the scowl on John’s face that he wasn’t happy about Mark leaving. But why should he stick around here when he was so bored? Didn’t he have the right to go home?
“I’ll see you at church tomorrow morning,” Mark said. Then he turned and sprinted in the direction of home.
He’d only made it halfway there when that same big black shaggy dog that had caused so much trouble at their stand a few weeks ago came running out of the woods.
Woof! Woof!
It chased after Mark, barking and swishing its tail. Mark didn’t know if the dog was mean or just wanted to play, but he didn’t stick around to find out. Panting for breath, he ran even faster. When the dog’s barking quieted, Mark glanced over his shoulder. He didn’t see any sign of the mutt, but he kept running, just in case. Who knew where that dog came from anyway? Surely it couldn’t belong to anyone. If it did, then the owners didn’t take very good care of their pet.
Mark was nearing his driveway when he tripped on a rock and dropped to the ground. He winced when he saw that the rock he’d fallen on had torn a hole in his trousers and scraped his knee.
Mark clambered to his feet and limped the rest of the way home. He’d just started up the driveway when Calvin came along, swinging his fishing pole and whistling a merry tune. “Grandpa and I both caught plenty of fish today,” he said, smiling at Mark. “But I must say, he was disappointed that you didn’t come along.”
“I wish now that I had,” Mark said with a moan. “Instead of takin’ a ride in John’s pony cart like I’d hope, I ended up with a scraped knee and a hole in my pants!”
Calvin put his hand on Mark’s shoulder. “I hope you learned a lesson today. When someone invites you to go someplace and you say you will, then you shouldn’t change your mind at the last minute and do something else that you think will be more fun.”
Mark gave a quick nod. But then as he thought more about it, he figured if they just could have hitched John’s new pony to the cart, he wouldn’t be so miserable right now.
When Mark and Calvin stepped onto the porch, Mark was surprised to see Mattie there with splotches of flour all over her dress. “What happened to you?” he asked.
Mattie explained that she’d taken some flour to Grandma, and that even though Grandma had asked her stay, she’d decided to go home. Then as she was carrying the rest of the flour home, she’d tripped and lost the whole bag. “Think I ended up with most of it on me,” she muttered, motioning to her dress.
Mark chuckled, and Calvin laughed out loud. “You look like you’ve been caught in a snowstorm,” Calvin said.
“It’s not funny.” Mattie frowned as she brushed at the flour. Then looking back at Mark, she pointed to the hole in his trousers. “What happened to you?”
“Remember the mutt that caused all the trouble at our roadside stand awhile back?”
Mattie nodded.
“Well, the mutt started chasin’ me as I was comin’ back from John’s, and when I fell, I tore a hole in my trousers.” Mark grunted.
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