Once there lived a young boy named Joe. He was not a very happy child. All of the other kids in his town were always picking on him because of his size. You see, Joe wasn’t exactly big for his age. In fact, he was quite puny. The other kids would call him names like small fry and shorty. He would run to his room and cry.1
One day, he decided to run away from home. He packed up all of his favorite possessions and left. Among the items were his slingshot, just in case he ran into trouble on the road, his favorite comic book and his knife that his father gave him for his thirteenth birthday. He also packed a couple sandwiches, in the event he became hungry.2
He didn’t exactly know where he was going, but he knew that it might take a while to find some place where people cared more about who he was, rather than how tall he was.3
After walking a couple of hours, Joe sat down under a tree and took out one of his sandwiches and comic book. After turning a couple pages he would take a bite. When he was done, he put his comic book back in his bag and headed off once again.4
He must have walked at least 10 miles, when Joe came upon a little town. He took one look at the first person he saw and was so surprised. “He’s quite a bit smaller than I am,” Joe said. “I may have found my new home.”5
He walked around the town, with all eyes examining him. After noticing that everyone in the town was smaller than him, he said, “Oh man! I really have found my new home!” The thought of staying was becoming more appealing every second.6
One month had gone by, and the town had accepted him as one of their own, but there was something wrong. None of the kids ever played with him anymore. He knew it was because their parents were afraid that he would hurt them because he was so big. That was such a weird thought in Joe’s mind.7
He became very homesick and missed his Mom. Everyone in the town was always nice to Joe, but he knew in his heart that he belonged back home with his family and friends, even though they were sometimes mean to him.8
When Joe got back home, everyone was so very happy to see him back. Even the kids that made fun of him were glad, not because they could now resume their teasing, but because they realized how much they really missed him.9
After he was all unpacked, his Mom came in and gave him a big hug. He was very glad to be back home. His Mom remarked, “Wow, I think you have grown since you were gone, Joe.” At first he thought she was kidding around with him, but she wasn’t. She got out the measuring tape and put it at his toes and stretched it to the top of his head. She smiled. “See? I told you that you had grown. A whole half an inch to be exact.”10
His mom looked at him and said, “I’ll bet you’re glad now that you’re finally on your way to becoming the same as all your friends.” He smiled and replied, “No, I’m happy just being me.”11
What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
1 - 17 of 17
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Very cute! and with a moral as well... i think you could even have made this a bit longer. no speeling mistakes or grammer faults as far as i could tell! well done sir once again
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Oh, how ironic this is to read, I just was talking to my son the other day about this. He looked up at me and said"I am a big boy mom!" That is all he said to how everyone always picks on him for being little. By the way, I read about you being mistaken for another. Yes, he also scripts alot of voices too.He is pretty awesome.Great short story.
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Congratulations on a very worthy piece for children's story. I'm happy for you!
Blessings, CookieZeal/M.Dianne -
Hi John -- I thought the ending was cute and would make a kid struggling with his height feel better, but if it were my kid who ran away home, he'd be a lot taller after a few minutes of being home because I would have made his legs longer. How? By giving him such a boot to the bum for running away in the first place
. Good luck in the contest! ~~Pol
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i took a look at this and thought that you would do pretty good in my contest so if your interested you should check out my contest. thanks
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And why pray tell didnt his mother spack him out for running away and making them all sick with worry? I made the appropriate changes...
After he was all unpacked, his Mom marched in and gave him such a whack to the top of his head. He knew then he had made a huge mistake in coming back home. His Mom remarked, “Wow, I think with a few more whacks to the top of your head i can bring you back down to the bratty runt you were before you left, Joe.”
A perfect story John, I've enough of a kid in me that i loved it too and you finished it off with a great message for kids and adults. Bravo..enjoyed this! -
There's a wonderful moral to this story, John. I can see why you work so well with the children. This holds a great lesson for the kids...and for anyone else as well.
Thanks for entering the contest. It's good to see some fellow greeters enter....and I can see right now that I'm getting some outside help in judging this one
Good luck
Dee
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I enjoied this very much? So you are a chick maganet huh?
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This was interesting. I know what it's like to be short and picked on, but I don't mind, to an extent. There's one time in my memory that it went too far but I never see the person who took it too far anymore so it's alright. I love the title, it's cute.
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Thanks for the suggestions Cookie. I really appreciate it.
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Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...this has such a reflection of wisdom to it.
And it's so important to a young boy, I'm sure. We gals have a different set of boohoos..lol.
The fact that in spite of how we are perceived or perceive ourselves, we are who we are where we are.
Our child-like expectations are never fully understood until we see a comparison in another situation- and that is how we begin to understand our inadequacies and others. John, I'm moved with that layer of teaching. A great job while speaking to the small ones...hopeful resolve to it.
Neat entry!
word usages:
his: slingshot<-- colon not needed between those words
just in case was used twice in the second and same paragraph
someplace - since the place is specific, in this instance it would be two words some place -
A wonderful little tale for children and adults alike . This is quite reminescent of those childrens books that actually say something to the adult who is reading it to the wide eyed child at bedtime. I really like its inclusiveness.
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A tale worthy of Aesop a moralistic look at a young soul in the style of the ugly duckling I love writing Children’s Stories and am mad I saw this to late, but then glad you would have made the contest hard to win with this all the best John
Paul
Cyberartist -
How sweet this is. After all the years that I've been called "Little One," "Short Stuff" and other silly names, I have gotten used to it. I don't get angry anymore; I just figure as Joe found out, I'm just happy being me.
I love this story, John. It's wonderful. Good luck in the contest. Hugs, Patricia -
Awww, John, this is a wonderful story What child could not see the wisdom within these words. I like the way you've woven the moral and lesson into your story. A super write
Good luck in the contest and thanks for entering
Granny Goose
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I like the title and the matching words that buzz, hum, sing, play, dance, love, hug, laugh around the title, until the buzzing becomes a creative sound of frolicking and skipping through each line, maybe a tip-toe over one word, a jump over another, a hop scotch trip and step over the others and the rest just to be mismerised by the surrounding creativity of joyful words that I can relate to so well and embrace them all. MMMMM Nice playful write.
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Awesome, awesome story John. I loved it!
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