Stories for Gramp's Little Friends

By Lloyd Wright

Stories for Gramp's Little Friends, is a book of love containing twenty-six short stories. They were written for and read to his grandchildren, which gave enjoyment to him and them.

Some of the ideas for the stories came from the different subjects of Mrs. Finch's kindergarten class in rural Arkansas. The author's stories promote good manners, love, laughter, sharing, safety, and especially friendship. The stories are enjoyable reading for all ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 7, 2004
• ISBN: 9780595760879

Lloyd Wright

I spent a majority of my life working as a computer programmer in the insurance industry; and food industry. In 1995 I decided that I would like to write a novel, but it took me twenty years to finally make the time and expend the effort to get the job done. My wife Nancy and I have four children, two boys and two girls who have blessed us with fifteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I am an only child and my wife is the eldest of nine, so we have learned from each other over the years about relationships.My favorite read is YA Paranormal Romance or just regular romance contemporary of historical, but I like a lot of different genre. When I am not writing, now that i am retired, I am doing something with my large family. I am also a volunteer firefighter and spent 8 years of my 22 year career with my local fire department as a licensed EMT. I graduated from my area community college at the tender age of 65 in 2010, proving it is never to late to learn.I've always had a soft spot in my heart for anyone who gives life a shot and doesn't give up on their dreams.I count many authors as my friends and support their works.

Book preview

Stories for Gramp’s

Little Friends

Lloyd Wright

iUniverse, Inc.

New York Lincoln Shanghai

Stories for Gramp’s Little Friends

All Rights Reserved © 2004 by Lloyd Wright

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

iUniverse, Inc.

For information address:

iUniverse, Inc.

2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100

Lincoln, NE 68512 |

www.iuniverse.com

Credit for all illustrations is gratefully given to my granddaughter Amber Ervin, whose time and effort spent on each drawing added immensely to these stories.

ISBN: 0-595-31266-7 (pbk)

ISBN: 0-595-66287-0 (cloth)

ISBN: 978-0-5957-6087-9 (ebook)

Printed in the United States of America

To my wife Mary Ann, my children Teresa Gentry, Carrol Creason, Mary Ervin, Lloyd Wright Jr. and Connie Dixon. Meet my wonderful Grandchildren. Charles Gentry Jr., Michael Gentry, Cassandra Smith, Brian Smith, Matthew Ervin, Amber Ervin, Megan Wright, Jennifer Wright and Brennan Wright. We have also been blessed with Great Grandchildren. Matt, Lauren, Emily, Austin, Garrett, Ely, Owen and Henry. My thanks to them, one and all, for their love that they have bestowed upon me and the patience they had while listening to the stories.

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABOUT THIS BOOK

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

HERBIE

SPARKY

THE FIRE MARSHAL

RACHAEL THE RACCOON GOES TRICK OR TREATING

THE UGLY PUMPKIN

THE FRIENDLY OAK

BERNIE THE BLUEBIRD

THE PRETENDPONY

LEROY THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY

SANTA’S MONKEY HELPER

SARAH’S EXTRA CHRISTMAS

JIMMY AND THE SNOWMAN

ELMER THE SNOWMAN

ELMER IN OUTER SPACE

DO YOU KNOW?

BERNARD’S COUGH

LUCILLE AND HAIRBALL

BERTHA’S VALENTINE PRESENT

THE LOST VALENTINE

LITTLE TOOT’S CHRISTMAS WISH

MIRACLES IN THE OLD BARN

REDHEADED WOODPECKERS

B.J.’S AFTERNOON WITH BURP

GETTING EVEN

HARD TIMES

WILBUR WOOLY BEAR’S BUS RIDE

THE SQUIRREL FAMILY

FUTURE PUBLICATIONS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I truly appreciate all the times that Mrs. Debbie Finch and her kindergarten class let me share these stories with them.

Also, to Mrs. Middleton, Mrs. Finch, and her kindergarten class I wish to say, thank you, for your participation in the story, Little Toots Christmas Wish.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Stories for ‘Gramp’s Little Friends, is a book of love containing twenty-six short stories written for and read to my grandchildren and a kindergarten class at Gosnell, Arkansas.

Most of the ideas for the stories came from the different subjects that Mrs. Finches’ class were studying. I have tried, using my stories, to incorporate good manners, love, laughter, sharing, safety, and especially friendship. Some of the stories came from little conversations with the students and talks with my own grandchildren. I enjoy their inquisitive minds and their own unique views.

I am a volunteer that is lucky enough to find a kindergarten class that will let me share time with them. They lovingly refer to me as, Gramps.

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT

A special thank you to Wayne Fuller for his guidance in getting this book published. I have read some of his novels and find them to be books that I cannot put down.

HERBIE

By Lloyd Wright

Image271.JPG

HERBIE

It was a cold frosty morning back in the prehistoric time. Mr. and Mrs. Dinosaur were anxiously awaiting the birth of their first-born. She had fixed up the outdoor nursery just perfect. Later that morning a son arrived into the world with a tiny roar. He was a chubby little fellow and the color green just like a lime.

After watching the little fellow play and eat, they decided to name him, Herbie. He loved to play in the herbs as he nibbled on them. Well, you could not exactly say he nibbled on them; it was more like devoured them. His breath always smelled like spearmint and he had sage upon his baby Dinosaur feet. His mother was a very caring mother and always watched him as he played. His dad was a huge fellow that ate out of the top of trees. His dad had great big feet that stirred up the dust and always made little Herbie sneeze.

As Herbie became older and larger, he would run and jump with his little friends. Sometimes when he jumped and landed with a thump, his friends would run home. They thought that horrible thump was an earthquake hitting the area. Sometimes they were afraid to play with Herbie because they thought that he might land on top of them.

Those little friend’s mothers complained to Herbie’s mom about the jumping and their concern for the little ones safety. It finally got to where they would not play with Herbie at all. They would play their own games and just ignore poor little Herbie. This broke Herbie’s heart and he would try to find a place big enough to hide so he could shed his tears where they could not see him. Now Herbie was a pretty big little fellow and a place big enough to hide was hard to find. He would walk around all alone and shed his large waterfall tears.

One day as he was walking alone, he glanced back and noticed his large tail following him. He also noticed that when he was happy that his tail would move back and forth. He got an idea. If his friends would not play with him, then he would make up a game and play alone. He picked up a smooth rock and threw it up into the air, then hit it hard with his tail. The little old smooth rock flew up into the air so far, that Herbie could just barely see it. It went into outer space and became a star. Now when Herbie looks up into the heavens at night, he can watch his own little star winking back at him. Now he had a little friend that would always be there for him to see.

When Herbie had hit the rock with his tail, he tried to run, but he was so awkward. If only he had tennis shoes then maybe he could run and jump, but no tennis shoes were available in the prehistoric times. When he hit another rock and ran and jumped, all of the little creatures ran home and hid. Herbie would make a huge dust storm and the ground would rumble from his jumping upon it.

If Herbie were here today, I would buy him great big tennis shoes and run and jump with him every day. I think that he could jump with tennis shoes on and not make the ground rumble when he landed. Herbie could take me for rides upon his back and I would let him eat out of the top of my trees.

Maybe Herbie is with us to this very day. We do have earthquakes, or so they say. Maybe it is not an earthquake, but little Herbie running and jumping without tennis shoes. We do have lots of places for him to hide. He could stay in the Grand Canyon, or hide in the Rocky Mountains. I think I will plan a trip and go look for Herbie and be his new friend.

SPARKY

THE FIRE MARSHAL

By

Lloyd Wright

Image279.JPG

SPARKY

THE FIRE MARSHAL

Mr. and Mrs. Lubby owned a general store in a small farming town. They sold all of the things that the local people needed. They stocked groceries, which included canned goods, a pickle barrel, and sacks of flour and sugar. Of course they had a few jars full of candy such as peppermint sticks and other hard candy. They also kept hardware in stock such as nuts, bolts, nails, barbwire, saws and hammers. They even sold clothes and hats.

They had three children. George was the oldest. He liked to play baseball and hunt. Sarah was next. She loved having tea parties with her dolls. Henry was the youngest. He loved to fish. He would get a dead branch and tie a string on it and use one of his mom’s safety pins as a hook. He fished in the little ditch out back. He never caught any fish but one time he caught a crawdad.

The children would walk home from school each day and change into their work clothes. Then they walked to the store to help their parents. George would unpack boxes and put items on the shelves. Sarah’s job was to take a feather duster and keep all the items on the shelves dust free. Henry was the sweeper. He liked to sweep up front by the candy jar and listen to the old men talk.

The store was heated by an old cast iron wood stove and the old men of the town gathered around it everyday to visit as they sat and puffed on their pipes, cigarettes or cigars. They always left ashes on the floor. Mrs. Lubby always had a big pot of coffee on the stove for these old men. She liked to hear them talk of their fishing and hunting trips as each day their stories grew.

One day as the children were walking home from school a school chum asked them if they would like to see some puppies. They said, Sure, so off into his backyard