Read Online Surprises According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney - Free Book Online
Authors: Betty G. Birney
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the Valley.”
“You really can play,” said A.J.
“I told you I could.” Garth’s voice had an edge to it. He started playing another song.
“I wish I could play.” A.J. sounded wistful. “Can I try it?”
Garth thrust the guitar at A.J. “Okay.”
A.J. tried to play, but it sounded AWFUL-AWFUL-AWFUL! We hamsters have sensitive ears, and mine were hurting from the terrible sounds that came out of the guitar.
He stopped abruptly, thank goodness, and handed the guitar back to Garth.
“Here,” he said. “I’m no good.”
“Nobody’s good in the beginning,” said Garth. “I’ve been practicing for months.” He started strumming again, and it sounded good.
“Honey, we’re going home.” A.J.’s mom poked her head in the door. “Garth’s parents said you can stay if you’d like.”
“Okay,” said A.J.
“Okay with you, Garth?” asked Mrs. Thomas.
“Sure,” Garth answered, but he didn’t sound as if he meant it.
After A.J.’s mom left, Garth and A.J. were quiet for a while, which wasn’t normal for them. They stared atmy cage, and finally Garth said, “Maybe Humphrey’s ready for another spin.”
My stomach did a somersault at the thought of meeting up with Sweetums again, but this time, Garth put me in the ball and let me roll around his bedroom floor. I was pretty tired of rolling, but I was also worried about coming face-to-face with another cat or a dog or some other dangerous creature. It was time for me to take charge of my hamster ball!
Garth strummed the guitar, but I hardly noticed. I already knew how to make wide turns, but now I wanted to try sharp turns. I spun my body to the right as fast as my legs would go, but the ball wobbled rather than moving very far.
A.J. laughed. “Look at Humphrey Dumpty.”
Garth laughed, too. “He looks a little seasick.”
Once the ball stopped wobbling, I decided to try again. I remembered seeing some boys on skateboards one time. They could leap up in the air and land, reversing the direction of their boards. I took a deep breath and leaped up, turning my body at the same time. The only thing that happened was I hit my head on the ball and did a double somersault, which is a pretty good trick, but not what I was aiming for.
Meanwhile, I heard A.J. ask Garth if he could teach him to play the guitar.
“I’ll try,” said Garth. He didn’t sound too convinced.
As the boys sat side by side on the bed, Garthshowed A.J. where to put his fingers and how to strum the strings.
It still sounded terrible, horrible and VERY-VERY-VERY bad!
“I’m hopeless,” said A.J.
“You could be good.” Garth sounded a little friendlier. “Try it again.”
I
was already trying again. This time I didn’t hit my head, and I kept my balance as I leaped to the right. And what do you know? The ball made a faster turn to the right. It was still circular, but I felt more in control.
A.J.’s guitar playing was way
out
of control.
“I give up.” A.J. handed the guitar back to Garth.
Garth picked out a few notes. “It sounded terrible when I tried in the beginning, too. You just need practice.”
Suddenly, A.J. jumped up and pointed right at me. “Hey, look at Humphrey! That’s so cool!”
What I was doing was pretty cool, if I do say so myself. First, I made a tight left-hand circle. Then I leaped to the right and did a tight right-hand circle.
Garth and A.J. got down on their knees and watched me. “That’s amazing!” A.J. exclaimed. “How’d he figure that out?”
“I think he was practicing,” Garth said. “Now he could be in the hamster ball Olympics!”
“You know what? You could throw the ball better if you practiced,” said A.J. “Don’t you ever play catch with your dad?”
“Dad said he’s not very good at playing ball,” Garth told him.
“Oh,” said A.J. Then after a while he added, “Maybe I could practice with you. You could help me with the guitar and I could help you with softball.”
“You really think
“You really can play,” said A.J.
“I told you I could.” Garth’s voice had an edge to it. He started playing another song.
“I wish I could play.” A.J. sounded wistful. “Can I try it?”
Garth thrust the guitar at A.J. “Okay.”
A.J. tried to play, but it sounded AWFUL-AWFUL-AWFUL! We hamsters have sensitive ears, and mine were hurting from the terrible sounds that came out of the guitar.
He stopped abruptly, thank goodness, and handed the guitar back to Garth.
“Here,” he said. “I’m no good.”
“Nobody’s good in the beginning,” said Garth. “I’ve been practicing for months.” He started strumming again, and it sounded good.
“Honey, we’re going home.” A.J.’s mom poked her head in the door. “Garth’s parents said you can stay if you’d like.”
“Okay,” said A.J.
“Okay with you, Garth?” asked Mrs. Thomas.
“Sure,” Garth answered, but he didn’t sound as if he meant it.
After A.J.’s mom left, Garth and A.J. were quiet for a while, which wasn’t normal for them. They stared atmy cage, and finally Garth said, “Maybe Humphrey’s ready for another spin.”
My stomach did a somersault at the thought of meeting up with Sweetums again, but this time, Garth put me in the ball and let me roll around his bedroom floor. I was pretty tired of rolling, but I was also worried about coming face-to-face with another cat or a dog or some other dangerous creature. It was time for me to take charge of my hamster ball!
Garth strummed the guitar, but I hardly noticed. I already knew how to make wide turns, but now I wanted to try sharp turns. I spun my body to the right as fast as my legs would go, but the ball wobbled rather than moving very far.
A.J. laughed. “Look at Humphrey Dumpty.”
Garth laughed, too. “He looks a little seasick.”
Once the ball stopped wobbling, I decided to try again. I remembered seeing some boys on skateboards one time. They could leap up in the air and land, reversing the direction of their boards. I took a deep breath and leaped up, turning my body at the same time. The only thing that happened was I hit my head on the ball and did a double somersault, which is a pretty good trick, but not what I was aiming for.
Meanwhile, I heard A.J. ask Garth if he could teach him to play the guitar.
“I’ll try,” said Garth. He didn’t sound too convinced.
As the boys sat side by side on the bed, Garthshowed A.J. where to put his fingers and how to strum the strings.
It still sounded terrible, horrible and VERY-VERY-VERY bad!
“I’m hopeless,” said A.J.
“You could be good.” Garth sounded a little friendlier. “Try it again.”
I
was already trying again. This time I didn’t hit my head, and I kept my balance as I leaped to the right. And what do you know? The ball made a faster turn to the right. It was still circular, but I felt more in control.
A.J.’s guitar playing was way
out
of control.
“I give up.” A.J. handed the guitar back to Garth.
Garth picked out a few notes. “It sounded terrible when I tried in the beginning, too. You just need practice.”
Suddenly, A.J. jumped up and pointed right at me. “Hey, look at Humphrey! That’s so cool!”
What I was doing was pretty cool, if I do say so myself. First, I made a tight left-hand circle. Then I leaped to the right and did a tight right-hand circle.
Garth and A.J. got down on their knees and watched me. “That’s amazing!” A.J. exclaimed. “How’d he figure that out?”
“I think he was practicing,” Garth said. “Now he could be in the hamster ball Olympics!”
“You know what? You could throw the ball better if you practiced,” said A.J. “Don’t you ever play catch with your dad?”
“Dad said he’s not very good at playing ball,” Garth told him.
“Oh,” said A.J. Then after a while he added, “Maybe I could practice with you. You could help me with the guitar and I could help you with softball.”
“You really think
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