Taming Thunder Bolt

By Verna Hall Bishop

When a young courious boy looks for adventures and ways to help others ends up in situations that will keep you questioning how he will ever manage to get back on the right track of life. Thunder keeps readers eager to read on so they see what happens next.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781663224651

Verna Hall Bishop

Verna Hall Bishop was born on a farm in the hills of eastern Kentucky. Until her mother’s death, when Bishop was six years old, she lived with her parents and six older siblings in a three room house, which her parents built by their own sweat. “There is something about farm life, if only for a brief peri­od,” Bishop says, “that impacts upon the rest of a person’s life.” Witnessing the truth that “while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter; a1.1d day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) produces, even in a young life, the seeds of faith and hope.” Bishop’s life and work were to take her to more urban areas for a time, but later back to those same Kentucky hills for a number of years. Since her retirement from the law department of a major corporation, Bishop has lived in historic Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where she is pursuing her interest in writing poetry and children’s fiction. Most of her poetry reflects the experiences that have made up the fabric of her life, much of which has been enjoyed, but some, patiently endured. “The key to balancing the positives and the negatives,” she says, “is to stay tethered to responsibility, empowered by one’s faith in The Creator, and to develop the ability to find humor in unlikely situations.”

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Copyright © 2021 Verna Hall Bishop.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-6632-2464-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2465-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021912828

iUniverse rev. date: 06/22/2021

Contents

Chapter 1 Thunder

Chapter 2 Helping Miss Kirby

Chapter 3 on TV

Chapter 4 A Temporary Reprieve

Chapter 5 Captain and the Copperhead

Chapter 6 Going Exploring

Chapter 7 Becky Layne

Chapter 8 A Problem Solved

Chapter 9 The Disappearance

Chapter 10 Thunderclouds

Chapter 11 Thunder Tamed

Chapter 12 The Beatin’est Boy

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Chapter One

Thunder

Thaddeus Bolt, age ten, never did anything quietly. To him, everything in life was to be attacked with eagerness and haste except, perhaps, homework and Brussels sprouts.

No matter how he tried, Thad seemed unable to avoid trouble. He was seldom the aggressor, but his fiery temper would not allow him to ignore anyone who provoked him or tried to take advantage of someone else. Some might say Thad was a typical ten—year—old. However, Thad’s efforts to cover up an infraction or to get out of a situation were often far from typical of one his age. In fact, his actions often would stretch the imagination of even the most creative mind.

Despite his mother’s insistence on a neat’ appearance, Thad could never arrive at his destination looking clean and well —groomed. His unruly, rust—colored hair followed its own direction, and he could never keep his shirt neatly.

tucked in. Thad’s teacher, Miss Ridley, often remarked that he looked as if he had been carried to school by a windstorm.

Thad’s father, Dr. Francis Alexander Bolt, was a professor, author and lecturer. Wherever his name appeared, it was followed by a lot of letters. Thad had no idea what most of them meant, and it seemed to him like an awful bother to remember them in the right order.

Mrs. Bolt was almost as tall as her husband, who was usually head and shoulders above most people in a crowd.

She was always fashionably dressed, and her hair was sculpted to perfection. Thad sometimes wondered, if his mother rode the Tilt—a—Whirl at Fun land, whether her hair would stay that way. But Thad thought, my mother and Fun land just does not seem to go together.

Thad’s brother, Jason. was a scientific genius. Now in twelfth grade, he was working on a project which he hoped would earn him a scholarship to the university Jason spent nearly all his free time reading science hooks or working in his lab, which their father had equipped for him in the basement of their home.

Yuk, how boring! Thad thought.

Thad’s parents had moved into their house on a quiet, shaded street in the university town of Harmony, Pennsylvania, soon after their marriage. Nearly all the houses on their street were old and substantial, built before the turn of the century.

Thad scooped his books from the hall table and looked at the wall clock. Eight—fifteen. just enough time to get to school before the last bell.

He hit the screen door with his shoulder, banging it against the siding, and was down the steps by the time the screen slammed shut.

On the way to school, Thad noticed that the gutters were nearly overflowing from the previous night’s storm.

On most days, he would have hip—hopped back and forth across the water all the way to school, but today he dared not be late. Miss Ridley had warned him that he would not like the consequences if he were late to class one more time. Besides, his father had said that if he got another complaint from Miss Ridley, he would remove Thad from Homewood School and send him to Ainsworth Academy, Where boys wore blazers and neckties, ate everything on their plates and learned to behave as young gentlemen.

Well, Thad mused, it would almost be worth all that to be rid of Miss Ridley, but I sure would hate to leave my best friend, Ben.

Thad and Ben had been friends since the day five years ago that the Logans moved into their white bungalow on Maple. Street.

As Thad stepped off the curb at the next corner, he heard the weak, helpless cry of a kitten. He turned around to find where the sound was coming from, and there it was a scared little wad of wet fur, caught in the grating of the storm sewer.

Thad quickly set his books on the curb, swooped the kitten out of the rushing water, wrapped his sweater. around its shivering form and ran to the nearest house.

Since there was no one else in sight, he set the trembling kitten on the porch and rang the doorbell, not bothering to wait for someone to open the door.

Thad ran back to the street to get his books. Maybe if he ran all the way; he could still get to school on time.

Just as he neared the next corner, a passing car sent a wave of muddy rainwater his way, dousing him, his books and his homework. The eight—thirty bell was ringing as Thad bounded down the hall. He slowed down as he neared Miss Ridley’s. door, hoping he could slip quietly into his seat without her noticing that he was late. Fat chance for as he took his seat, Norman Potter turned and said with a sneer Kaboom If it isn’t Thunder Bolt! Thad sprang from his seat and grabbed for Norman’s collar. Norman ducked, and Thad growled I’ll get you for that." Thad didn’t like people making jokes about his name, especially not Norman the Nerd.

Miss Ridley slammed a book on her desk and said through clenched teeth, Thaddeus Bolt, what is the meaning of that outburst? I shall have a talk with your father about this.

Uh—oh, Thad thought, Ainsworth Academy here I come.

After school, Thad walked home with Ben. What’s wrong? Ben asked,