Amanda Grey and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck)
were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. It was the first day of their
journey.
| Amanda's parents had decided to
drive. They decided they would make it a leisurely journey, stopping
anyplace along the way that might interest them. |
 |
A.G. Bear had been fairly bouncing with excitement.
Miss Amanda's Mommy saw a sign that said "Antiques and Flea Market"
and we're going to go look inside!
| Flea Markets are filled to the brim
with older, used things. Sometimes, wonderfully fascinating things!
Mrs. Duck had told them. |
 |
 |
No fleas? asked Isadora, glancing
doubtfully at the store's interior. |
No fleas! stated Mrs. Duck emphatically.
She looked again. At least, I don't THINK so, Mrs.
Duck murmured to herself, as they pulled into the building's parking
lot.
And so everybody had hopped out of the car.
Isadora Le Chat followed Mrs. Duck from the
bright sunlight into the cool, semi-dark store and turned to the first aisle
on the right, unlike Miss Amanda's family, who had chosen to walk
down the first aisle on the left.
| Mommmmm!! shrieked Isadora suddenly,
as her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light inside the store. |
 |
|
|
Isadora stood rooted to the spot, frozen with terror.
Mommmmmm! she screamed again.
Directly in front of her
stood a huge, furry figure with snarling teeth, and sharp claws
raised high in the air!
|
Isadora, dear, calm yourself, said Mrs.
Duck, who had been more than a little startled herself, by the apparition
of a huge, badly moth-eaten old grizzly bear, who had probably been stuffed
at least a century before.
|
For some totally unknown reason, the bear
was wearing a hideously flowered Hawaiian shirt, a pair of wrap-around
sunglasses, and a bright red Shriner's fez, on which the word YEHA
was spelled out in sparkling rhinestones. An old Nikon camera rested
on the bear's belly, suspended from his neck by worn leather straps.
|
 |
|
Isadora quickly regained her self-control, although
her little heart was still pounding a mile a minute.
Just then A.G. Bear came through the door and bumped
smack into Isadora.
Mommmmmmm!! Isadora howled again, and leapt
three feet straight up into the air.
|
 |
A.G. Bear's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped
a full inch as he looked up into the snarling visage of perhaps some distant,
(albeit badly dressed) ancestor.
|
Isadora, who had landed in a crumpled heap on top
of her friend, appeared to have a toe or two entangled in A.G. Bear's
tongue.
My goodneth! That wath thertainly thcary,
said A.G. Bear, with some difficulty.
|
 |
Mrs. Duck reached down to help Isadora and A.G.
Bear sort themselves out.
|
A.G. Bear was carefully attempting to remove Isadora's
furry little foot with its soft pink toes and very sharp claws from
the inside of his mouth.
Phittoooee! said A.G. Bear. Yuck! What
did you step in, Isadora?
|
 |
Are you quite all right, dears? asked
Mrs. Duck with great concern. Now, now, there's nothing to be afraid
of, she crooned as she patted them each on the head.
|
Goodness gracious sakes! said Isadora shakily.
You don't suppose there's any more of that sort of thing around
here, do you?
Probably not, dear, so we may as well go exploring,
said Mrs. Duck, and promptly waddled off down the next aisle.
|
 |
Isadora cast an uneasy backwards glance over
her shoulder, giving the tiniest of little growls. With an indignant sniff,
and mumbling something about reporting the bear to the fashion police, off
she trotted behind Mrs. Duck, this time insisting that A.G. Bear
walk in front of her.
|
Isadora glanced around, taking in the huge piles
of what had to be the world's most amazing junk.
Where does all this stuff COME from?
asked an incredulous Isadora. Who does it belong to, and how
does it all get here?
|
 |
| A.G. Bear giggled at the look on Isadora's face.
We all bring it, Isadora. It's sort of like this,
he said, gesturing to a rather grimy scrap of paper taped to the shop
wall, on which somebody had scrawled a poem, entitled, the...
|
 |
.
Flea Market Rap
Someone's cleaned out the attic
Or emptied the garage
Though it often looks like trash,
Sometimes value's no mirage
First we sift it and we sort it
Then we offer it to you--
With a little bit of effort,
It's sometimes just like new!
If you'll take the time to browse,
We can promise you'll be WOWed!
It's a blend of new and old,
For you to have, and you to hold
If you'll walk through at your leisure
We're quite sure you'll find a treasure,
And we guarantee no fleas
(Although the dust might make you sneeze!)
Over here, glove, ball and bat
Over there, top hat and spats!
Find a Lionel train or,
Get all decked out for rain
Here's an ancient steamer trunk
That's still stuffed full of junk,
There's an autographed picture
Of your grandma's favorite hunk
Here's an oriental rug,
Want a plastic encased bug?
How 'bout a busted garden hoe?
Hey, here's a genuine Van Gogh!
From a monogrammed towel
To somebody's old stuffed owl,
You'll find everything from C-Clamps,
To alligator lamps!
Everyone has something,
With-which they don't know WHAT to do,
So they sift it and they sort it,
And they offer it to you.
Cars and trucks are overflowing,
Bringing wondrous things to view,
'Cause, everyone has SOMETHING
That's more interesting to YOU!
Got MORE junk than you can deal with,
Hey, WE know just what to do, by golly,
We... PARK it----
At the Flea MARKET!
|
| Well, that was actually quite interesting,
said Isadora Le Chat to Mrs. Duck when they'd finished their shopping
and had all gotten back into the car, each of them clutching small
bags containing their newfound treasures. |
 |
I really did have a good time at the Flea
Market, after all, Isadora said in surprise.
Miss Amanda's daddy had found a wonderful red
caboose for his antique train set, and her mommy was sitting in the front
seat, smiling, as she admired an exquisitely beaded purse from the 1920's.
Miss Amanda herself was happily shuffling her own treasure, an older, but
perfectly good deck of cards, for the game "Go Fish."
Mrs. Duck peered with great interest into a
tiny bag and carefully pulled out what was obviously one of her very favorite
books .
What did you find at the Flea Market, Mrs.
Duck? asked A.G. Bear.
Mrs. Duck held the cover up so they could see
what she had found. It was "Make Way For Ducklings."
|
I thought I'd read it to Miss Amanda
for a bedtime story, Mrs. Duck said with a smile. |
What a wonderful find! said A.G. Bear.
And what a nice thing to do for Miss Amanda!
Isadora commended her.
What did you get, A.G.?
asked Isadora. A.G. Bear reached into his own little bag. He also pulled
out a book.
Which one is it, A.G.? Mrs. Duck questioned
him excitedly.
|
With a great big grin, A.G. Bear held it up for them
to see.
It was "The Teddy Bears Picnic"!
|
 |
|
I thought I'd read it to Miss Amanda
for a bedtime story, explained A.G., with another, more self-conscious
grin. |
Exceptional find, A.G.! Isadora congratulated
him.
Superb, and most thoughtful! agreed Mrs.
Duck.
But what about you, Isadora? asked A.G.
Bear.
Yes, Isadora, said Mrs. Duck. Show
us what you found at the Flea Market!
| Isadora, blushing slightly, reached into
her own little bag and pulled out yet another well worn, but much
loved old book. A very old book. Of Poetry. |
 |
What is it Isadora? queried Mrs. Duck
and A.G. Bear in unison.
Isadora turned the book around so they could
see the title on the front.
"Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats,"
read Mrs. Duck out loud. She took the book from Isadora, gently opened the
cover and read, Written by T.S. Eliot in 1939.
 |
Why, Isadora, Mrs. Duck exclaimed
in surprise, reverently handing the book back to Isadora. You've
found a true antique here! |
| I wanted to read the poems to Miss
Amanda at bedtime, said Isadora softly. The book is really
quite famous, she explained to A.G. Bear and Mrs. Duck. They
made the poems into ...into...Isadora's voice trailed off shyly.
|
|
Neither Mrs. Duck nor A.G. Bear had read the
book before and were puzzled as to how it could possibly be famous if neither
of them had ever heard of it.
|
They made the poems into WHAT Isadora? demanded
A.G.
Into a Broadway musical, Isadora replied,
her eyes sparkling.
|
 |
|
Mrs. Duck and Carmichael still looked puzzled.
But, began Mrs. Duck, I don't recall any
Broadway musical named... and then she paused.
|
| A.G. Bear shook his head, shrugged his
little furry shoulders and finished Mrs. Duck's sentence for her...Old
Possum's Book of Practical...but then A.G. also paused. |
 |
A.G. Bear looked at Mrs. Duck. Mrs. Duck looked
back at A.G. And then both A.G. Bear and Mrs. Duck looked at Isadora.
And Isadora started to giggle.
CATS ! the two of them
shouted in unison.
Old Possum's Book of Practical CATS! that's the one they made
into the musical!
|
Isadorrrrra, they wailed.
You even found CATS!
At the FLEA Market!
|
|
The Adventures
of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 4
Strawberry Fields, Wherever
|
Amanda Grey and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck)
were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. It was the second day of their
journey.
| Amanda's parents had decided to
drive. They decided they would make it a leisurely journey, stopping
anyplace along the way that might interest them. Yesterday, for instance,
they had stopped to explore a combination Antique Store and Flea Market.
|
 |
The day had dawned bright and beautiful and
they were all in the car, off to an early start. Everyone had gotten a good
night’s sleep at a very nice roadside motel with a swimming pool.
Miss Amanda’s Daddy and Mrs. Duck had
both swum laps for a full hour after they checked in, because it was still
daylight and the water felt absolutely wonderful. Miss Amanda and her Mommy
had splashed around the shallow end for a while and then practiced swimming
with their new masks and snorkels.
| Isadora Le Chat and A.G. Bear had been content to
stretch out on the poolside lounge chairs and watch the others swim.
Truth be known, while Isadora could swim, (and quite well
at that), she tended to view the sport as mildly undignified.
|
 |
As for A.G.Bear, well... as a rule, teddy
bears generally don’t swim, (although they probably could, if they
felt like it).
By late morning they’d already been on
the road for five hours and everybody in the back seat was beginning to
feel the tiniest bit bored. They were also becoming moderately quarrelsome.
Please may I have all of your SEVENS?
asked Mrs. Duck.
| GO FISH! hollered
A.G. Bear gleefully. |
|
It was just at that point when Miss Amanda,
who had loosened her seatbelt somewhat and was bouncing up and down to relieve
her boredom, accidentally sat on Isadora’s tail.
Meeeooowwwwcccchh!
yelped Isadora, shooting straight up into the air and landing Kerplunk!
on Mrs. Ducks tailfeathers.
 |
QuuuuuAAAAAAAACK!
shouted Mrs. Duck, now minus two perfectly good tailfeathers.
|
Mrs. Duck was so startled that she had fluttered
all the way up in the front seat, landing smack on top of the steering wheel,
energetically quacking and flapping her wings, right in Miss Amanda’s
Daddy’s face.
| Miss Amanda’s Daddy, who had been peacefully
driving down the highway, taking a sip of orange juice from his traveling
cup, was so surprised at suddenly finding himself face-to-face
with a large, very cranky duck, that he hollered |
 |
 |
Hoooogggaaaahhh!
and his traveling cup went flying end over
end, sending an ice cold shower of orange juice splashing all over
Miss Amanda’s mommy and A.G. Bear, (who had been quietly napping
on Miss Amanda’s mommy’s lap.) |
|
Whooooeeee! yelped
Miss Amanda’s mommy, throwing her arms up in the air, and accidentally
propelling A.G. Bear right out the open window!
|
 |
 |
Whereupon everybody screamed and Miss Amanda’s
daddy pulled off to the side of the road, and sat there for a one
whole minute, with his mouth wide open, his heart pounding, and his
eyes as big as saucers. |
Miss Amanda’s Mommy quickly jumped out
of the car and ran back to pick up A.G.Bear, who was somewhat dazed and
a little bit damp, but otherwise mostly unharmed.
Miss Amanda’s Daddy said he thought it
might be a really good idea to take the rest of the day off.
When A.G. Bear went flying out the car window,
he landed head first, just inside a great big field with a sign which said
U-PICK-EM--STRAWBERRIES. Fortunately, teddy bears
are remarkably resilient and there was no permanent damage.
He was rather looking forward to sporting
a tiny Band Aid on his head, though it was mostly going to be a badge of
courage for the one weensy little stitch he had required. Fortunately,
Miss Amanda’s mommy always carried needle and thread inside the family’s
first aid kit .
What did that sign mean, Mrs. Duck?
A.G. Bear had asked, as Miss Amanda’s mommy stitched up the almost
invisible hole in his furry little head. A.G. Bear was referring to the
sign which had gone whizzing past his nose as he sailed out the window.
The one which said U-PICK-EM--STRAWBERRIES.
I expect it means that if you give the
farmer a little bit of money, said Mrs. Duck after a moment’s consideration,
he’ll let you go out into his fields and take your pick of his strawberries.
|
A.G. Bear, now safely ensconced in Miss Amanda’s
arms, thought about this for a little bit.
I rather like strawberries, he said softly.
|
|
Miss Amanda’s daddy said we were going
to have a picnic lunch, said Mrs. Duck, gently patting A.G. Bear’s
cheek. I’m sure he knows how much you like picnics, dear. And we’ve
all kinds of sandwiches in the cooler, even peanut butter and honey.
| Honey? inquired A.G. Bear, suddenly
beginning to feel much better. |
|
After A.G. Bear had been rescued, Miss Amanda’s
daddy had stopped the car again at a second U-PICK-EM--STRAWBERRIES sign.
He was out of the car for a few minutes, talking to the man inside the farmhouse,
and then they were driving again, shifting carefully into four wheel drive
and proceeding slowly down a narrow dirt road, the edges of which were lined
with tall green trees.
After a little ways, they came to a fork in
the road. Miss Amanda’s Daddy followed the fork to the right and pulled
the car off the road into a little clearing.
Lo, and behold, right in front of them on
a wide expanse of green, green grass, there was a picnic table. And it was
right at the edge of the very same strawberry field in which A.G.
Bear had landed on his head!
Isadora peered out the window and then nudged
Mrs. Duck, excitedly. She pointed towards the branch of a nearby tree and
smiled.
Why it’s a swing! said Mrs. Duck,
approvingly.
Hooray! Miss Amanda shouted, as she
and A.G. Bear jumped out of the car, and rushed over to try it out. A shallow
icy stream ran along the edge of the picnic grounds. Water splashed and
gurgled, busily rushing over moss-covered rocks, chilling the strawberry
scented air. Miss Amanda’s mommy thought this was the most beautiful
place for a picnic that she had ever, ever seen.
Before lunch, they all washed their hands
at a big old fashioned water pump. Miss Amanda’s mommy, who, like A.G.
Bear, was still a little bit sticky from the orange juice, was pretty happy
to see the pump!
Miss Amanda’s mommy had lots of good
things in her cooler, a Thermos of freshly squeezed lemonade, three kinds
of sandwiches, slices of Granny Smith apples, and wedges of some really
good tasting cheese. After lunch they all went into the nearby field with
the little baskets the farmer had given them, and picked fresh strawberries,
which they washed and then ate for their dessert.
|
Then, while Miss Amanda’s mommy took her turn
on the swing, Miss Amanda’s daddy spread out a blanket and
took a nap on the grass, making little snoring and whistling sounds
as he slept.
Everybody else spent the afternoon chasing butterflies,
and climbing trees, and playing tag. It was truly a wonderful way
to end the day.
|
 |
When they were finally ready to leave, they
all pitched in and carefully cleaned up the picnic site, putting their trash
in the farmer’s big barrel. They stopped to thank the farmer for the
use of his picnic grounds and even brought him some strawberries for his
own dessert. The farmer was surprised and said that he thought that was
a very nice thing for somebody to do for him. He smiled and waved, as Miss
Amanda’s family drove away.
Miss Amanda fell fast asleep in the back seat,
as did Isadora and Mrs. Duck.
A.G. Bear was back up in front on Miss Amanda’s
mommy’s lap. Miss Amanda’s mommy absentmindedly stroked A.G.Bear’s
little bandaged head as she admired the acres and acres of fruit-filled
fields from her car window.
And just before A.G. Bear fell asleep in Miss Amanda’s
mommy’s arms, A.G. whispered something ever so softly.
Miss Amanda’s mommy would tell her husband
later that evening, with her eyes full of wonder, she was ever so
certain Amanda’s teddy bear had actually spoken, because
she had heard a wee little voice from the direction of her lap say
quite distinctly,
I rather like strawberries.
|
 |
|
|
Book 5
Sweet Dreams!
Night-Time Is The Time To Sleep!
|
| Amanda Grey and her
family and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and
Mrs. Duck) were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. It was the
second day of their journey and everybody was feeling pretty tired.
|
|
|
After A.G. Bear accidentally getting
tossed out the window that morning, Amanda's Daddy told his wife he'd
had about all the excitement he needed for one day, so after
their picnic he drove on until he found another nice motel, and then
they stopped for the night. |
As usual, Miss Amanda's Daddy arranged for
two adjoining rooms. Miss Amanda’s room had two big double beds. Miss
Amanda and A.G. Bear had one bed, while Isadora Le Chat and Mrs. Duck shared
the other. Ordinarily, this was a perfectly comfortable arrangement .
Miss Amanda, who had already finished her
bath, stood at the sink, brushing her teeth, while Mrs. Duck fluttered away
in the shower.
Isadora and A.G. Bear were both all ready
for bed and together they were turning down the covers, when A.G. suddenly
spied something shiny on the pillow.
|
GOLD! he shouted. We’re rich, Isadora,
I found a gold coin!
Just then, Isadora pulled down her side of the
covers and a second shiny coin came into view.
|
 |
 |
Another gold coin! A.G. Bear
shouted, and jumped up on the bed to look for more. |
| Isadora picked up one of the shiny gold
coins and sniffed it curiously as A.G. excitedly ripped the pillowcases
off each of the pillows. Then Isadora picked up the second coin and
sniffed it as well. |
 |
In the meantime, A.G. Bear had not only stripped
the bed of it’s pillows and pillowcases, but by now, both sheets, the
blanket and the bedspread lay in a heap on the carpet. A.G. was visible
only as a small lump, crawling around under the mattress pad, hunting for
gold coins.
This is wonderful ! said A.G.Bear,
in a slightly muffled voice. We’re truly rich! Why, we can buy Miss
Amanda a dollhouse, and we can get Mrs. Duck her very own wading pool, and
we can get Isadora ...let's see, what can we get for Isadora? The small
lump paused thoughtfully on it's journey under the mattress pad.
|
Isadora sniffed the gold coins again.
Chocolate mint candy! announced Isadora decidedly. |
|
Certainly, Isadora! A.G.Bear called out
from under the mattress pad. If that's what you want, that's
what you shall have!
A.G.Bear happily resumed his search.
|
 |
Now then, he said to himself, That
was a dollhouse for Miss Amanda, a wading pool for Mrs. Duck, and an entire
wheelbarrow full of chocolate mint candy for Isadora.
A.G.Bear crawled out from underneath a pile
of sheets and padded over to the nightstand, where Isadora was beginning
to unwrap the gold foil from around a brown and green wafer.
Here, said Isadora, holding it out
to A.G. Bear. You try it.
|
A.G.Bear's little pink tongue took a swipe at the
wafer. It's chocolate mint candy, all right, he said, giving
the candy another lick.
I thought we were rich, he said disappointedly,
licking the last of the chocolate from the shiny gold paper. A.G.
opened the second gold coin and gave that one an experimental lick
as well.
|
|
Then A.G.Bear and Isadora looked at their
beds and at the big pile of sheets and blankets and pillows and bedspreads
on the floor. Isadora looked at A.G., who by now had a big smootch of chocolate
on his nose.
|
You're going to get in trouble,
A.G., Isadora said somewhat smugly. |
| ME? squealed A.G.Bear, What
about YOU? |
 |
Just then, the bathroom light flicked off
. Miss Amanda and Mrs. Duck came back into the bedroom.
 |
Miss Amanda, her eyes big and round
and her mouth forming a silent "Oh!" as she surveyed
the mess, was absolutely speechless. |
|
Goodness, gracious sakes! said Mrs. Duck
in amazement. Who made all this mess?
Immediately, A.G.Bear pointed at Isadora and Isadora
pointed at A.G.
|
 |
 |
Did NOT! howled Isadora. |
Did too! shouted A.G., whereupon Isadora
picked up a fluffy pillow and bashed A.G.Bear right over the head with it.
Momentarily stunned, A.G. first looked at
the pillow, and then at Isadora.
Laughing with surprise, Miss Amanda grabbed
the pillow and sent it whirling back towards Isadora.
|
|
Bears and girls!
scolded Mrs. Duck. This is hardly the type of behavior I would
have expec... |
|
QUAAAAACCK!!
Mrs. Duck jerked to the left just in time to avoid a return
volley of pillows.
|
|
 |
By now the air was filled with dozens of feathers.
|
|
Amanda?! called a booming voice from
the adjoining room.
Uh-oh! it's Miss Amanda's daddy! said Mrs.
Duck.
|
|
Miss Amanda hurriedly brushed the feathers
out of her hair and quickly rushed into her parents room. As she turned
to pull the connecting door shut behind her, she looked towards the little
group and put her finger to her lips.
Ssssshhhhhh! she said.
Quick like bunnies, Mrs. Duck and Isadora
Le Chat and A.G. Bear rushed around making beds and picking up feathers,
so that by the time Miss Amanda returned from reassuring her parents that
she was fine and had only been playing, the room was all put back in order.
Ten minutes later, Miss Amanda and A.G.Bear
sat in bed with one of their new books propped up in front of them for a
bedtime story. Miss Amanda reached over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand.
In the next bed, Isadora Le Chat and Mrs.
Duck pulled up the covers and made themselves comfortable.
|
A.G.Bear cleared his throat and flicked on his
little reading light.
Ahem, A.G.Bear said, and then began to
read. The Teddy Bear's Picnic, A.G. began. "If you
go out in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise..."
|
 |
By the end of the story, Miss Amanda, Isadora
and Mrs. Duck had all fallen fast asleep. A.G.Bear smiled happily as he
gently closed the book and placed it ever so quietly on the nightstand.
Then he switched off his reading light, snuggled contentedly down into his
pillow and drifted off to sleep.
The Adventures
of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 6
Things That Go Snnaaarrrrk In The Night!
|
Amanda Grey and
her family and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs.
Duck) were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. It was the end of the
second day of their journey. Miss Amanda's daddy had
found another nice motel, and there they stopped for the night. As usual,
he had arranged for two adjoining rooms. Miss Amanda’s room had two
big double beds.
|
Miss Amanda and A.G. Bear had one
bed, while Isadora Le Chat and Mrs. Duck shared the other.
It had been A.G.Bear's turn to tell
a Bedtime-Story, and he had just finished reading "The Teddy
Bear's Picnic" to them.
|
|
"The End", A.G. read, then he quietly closed the
book, turned off the little reading light, and like the others, snuggled
down into the covers and promptly drifted off to sleep.
|
SnnnaaaaAAAARRKKKKK!
came a terrible sound from somewhere in their room.
A.G.'s eyes popped wide open.
|
 |
SnnnnnnaaaAAAAARRRRKKKKKKwackwackwackwackwack!
came the terrible sound again.
| A.G.Bear sat bolt
upright in bed. Monsters!
screamed A.G., his shout waking up Isadora Le Chat in the next bed.
|
 |
|
Huh? What? Who? asked Isadora sleepily from
across the room.
SnaaAAAARRRKKK! came the scary sound
again.
Isadora froze in the pitch dark room, visions of the terrifying
Flea Market bear filling her imagination.
|
|
SnnnnnnaaaaAAAARRRRRRRKKK! came
the rumbling sound again.
 |
A monster's got Mrs. Duck! Isadora shrieked,
and fell out of bed backwards, all tangled up in the sheet. |
Oh no! A.G. Bear screamed. We've
got to save her! the brave little bear shouted to Isadora.
A.G. Bear grabbed his little nightlight and
flicked it on, ready to do battle with the terrible monster, and save Mrs.
Duck.
|
He pointed the light towards Mrs. Duck's pillow,
just as Isadora crawled back to the side of the bed and peered cautiously
over the edge of the mattress.
Mrs. Duck was sound asleep and all alone.
There was no monster in sight!
|
 |
Miss Amanda, amazingly, was still sound asleep,
but with all the racket, she had pulled the pillow over her head. A.G. Bear
looked across the room at Isadora and perplexed, scratched his head.
|
Where do you suppose the monster
went, Isadora? whispered A.G. Bear. |
Maybe it's under the bed, Isadora whispered
back, and quickly jumped away from the mattress, (just in case he was
right).
SsssnnnnnnaaaaAAAAAARRRRRRKKKKKKK!!
came the terrible sound again, sending both A.G. Bear and Isadora screaming
and running for the safety of the bathroom. The two of them slammed the
door and stood there panting and shaking, quivering with fear.
After a minute or two, Isadora began to think.
 |
Wait a minute, whispered Isadora. I don't
think we're dealing with a monster at ALL. |
She opened the bathroom door just a crack
and peered out.
SsnaaaaaaAAAARKKKwackwackwack!
snored Mrs. Duck.
A.G. Bear stood behind the bathroom door.
 |
Is there a monster? he inquired in a concerned
whisper.
Isadora shook her head silently, and gestured towards
Mrs. Duck. They tiptoed out of the bathroom towards Mrs. Duck's
bedside.
|
| My goodness, that's an awful lot
of racket from one small duck! said A.G. Bear in surprise, peering
down at Mrs. Duck, who was peacefully, if loudly, snaaAARRRRKKKKking
away. |
SnaaAAARRRRrrrrkkkkk!
|
Isadora glanced over at the slumbering Miss
Amanda, who by now had pulled the covers over her head and positioned pillows
over each ear.
What do you suppose we should do? asked
Isadora, We can't very well sleep with all that noise.
 |
A.G. Bear tiptoed back into the bathroom and emerged
with wadded up tissue paper sticking out of his ears.
Does that work? whispered Isadora.
What? said A.G. Bear.
|
|
I said, does that work? repeated
Isadora, whispering louder.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU,
shouted A.G. Bear.
|
 |
SsnnaaaAARRRKK! snored Mrs. Duck suddenly,
and A.G. Bear jumped.
THIS DOESN'T WORK!
A.G. Bear hollered to Isadora.
 |
Ssssshhhhhhhhhh!!! hissed Isadora, and poinnnnkkkkk!
yanked the tissue out of A.G. Bear’s ears. |
|
From the next bed, Miss Amanda moaned, and pulled
more covers over her head.
Now what? asked A.G. Bear.
I have no idea, sighed Isadora.
|
|
By two o'clock in the morning, so tired they
were willing to try anything, they finally hit upon an idea.
A few minutes later, A.G. Bear and Isadora
each had hold of Mrs. Duck's bottom sheet and were carefully sliding her
off the bed and onto a big pillow they'd placed on the floor.
|
The sheet whispered its way towards the edge of
the bed.
Tttthhhhhhhhhhh---THUMP! Mrs. Duck landed
softly on the pillow, her slumber undisturbed.
|
 |
They had decided to drag the pillow, upon
which Mrs. Duck was now sleeping, into the bathroom, after which, they would
close the bathroom door, so that they could get some sleep.
Ever so carefully, they slid the pillow
into the tiled bathroom, and tiptoed out.
Exhausted, but pleased with their efforts, they shook paws, and then
gently closed the door.
A.G. and Isadora then climbed back into their respective beds, finally
ready to get some sleep. |
 |
SSsnnnnnnnnnaaaaaAAAAAARRRRKKKKKK!
came the hugely loud sound from the direction of the bathroom.
| Oh my goodness! said Isadora |
 |
She covered her ears. That's made it even
WORSE, she sighed.
| I think it's all the tile in there,
groaned A.G. Bear. Got any more ideas, Isadora? |
|
Isadora nodded sleepily.
Isadora and A.G. Bear opened the bathroom
door and each grabbed hold of a corner of Mrs. Duck's pillow.
|
I'm not at all convinced this is a good idea,
A.G. said doubtfully, struggling to drag the momentarily quiet duck
into the adjoining bedroom, where Miss Amanda's parents lay sleeping.
|
| A short time later, as
A.G. Bear, Isadora and Miss Amanda finally slept undisturbed in the
next room, Mrs. Duck awoke on her pillow on the floor. In the dark,
she naturally thought she had simply fallen out of her own bed, in
her own room. |
|
Sleepily, Mrs. Duck picked up her pillow
and climbed back into bed, drifting off to sleep next to what she thought
was Isadora Le Chat.
By three AM, Miss Amanda's mommy, now wide
awake and totally exhausted from the perfectly awful snoring and whistling
and SssnnnaaAAAAARRRRRKKKKKing coming from Miss Amanda's daddy's
side of the bed, picked up her pillow and trundled sleepily into Miss Amanda's
room. She fell into the empty spot on the bed next to Isadora Le Chat, and
was herself immediately fast asleep.
The following morning, Miss Amanda, her mommy,
A.G. Bear and Isadora Le Chat were all still sound asleep in the next room,
when Miss Amanda's daddy rolled over to say good morning to Miss Amanda's
Mommy...
 |
...and found himself face to face with a loudly
snoring duck.
AAAACCKKK!!
shouted Miss Amanda's daddy... |
| |
...sending a thoroughly startled, but not very wide
awake Mrs. Duck, flapping and squawking through the door into Miss
Amanda's room. |
A.G. Bear opened one sleepy eye . Miss
Amanda's daddy certainly is the nervous sort, isn't he?
| Maybe he drinks too much coffee,
yawned Isadora Le Chat from the next bed, and then she rolled over
and went back to sleep. |
 |
The Adventures of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 7
Politically Correct SeaCows
|
Amanda Grey and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck)
were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. It was the third day of their
journey.
 |
I see a windmill, I get a lollipop!
shouted A.G. Bear. |
Isadora wrinkled her nose at him. I saw it first,
she pouted.
Miss Amanda's mommy was driving today.
Miss Amanda's daddy, who had cast wary glances back at Mrs. Duck for much
of the morning, had a vague headache. Mindful of his duties to keep the
troops entertained, however, he had come up with the game "I Spy"
(alternately known as "I See A Windmill"), in which the winner
of each round was presented with a small prize, when they managed to spy
the object of the current game's quest.
Miss Amanda had won the previous round by
being the first to spy a big red barn, and she had been rewarded with
a coloring book and a small box of crayons.
|
When Miss Amanda announced that A.G. had been
the first to spot the windmill, Miss Amanda's daddy, who had been
resting his eyes, dutifully held a red lollipop over his head,
waving it in the general direction of the back seat.
Thank you, replied a tiny voice, as two
furry little paws removed the lollipop from Miss Amanda's daddy's
hand.
|
 |
|
|
For the next game, Miss Amanda's
daddy decided that they should look for a car with a Florida license
tag containing a picture of a Manatee. |
| What's a Manatee? asked A.G. Bear. |
|
Ummm...Sea Cow, replied Amanda,
as she urgently pressed her nose against the window, intently studying
the license tags of cars going in both directions.
|
I see a cow! announced A.G. excitedly,
I win!
|
|
Not COW, said Isadora Le Chat, SEACow!
I already SEE one, insisted A.G.
Bear.
SEACow! SEACow! SEACow! shouted
Isadora Le Chat in exasperation.
|
|
I - ALREADY - SAW--ONE!!!
said A.G. Bear. |
He turned to Mrs. Duck for confirmation, And I get the prize, right?
Not exactly, dear, explained Mrs.
Duck. What we're looking for, is a Manatee, which is sometimes known
as a Sea Cow.
I SAW a cow, said A.G. Bear, stubbornly,
and folded his little paws over his chest.
|
Isadora Le Chat slapped herself on the forehead
and fell to the seat, with all four paws in the air, playing dead.
Isadora, love, pleaded Mrs. Duck, Spare
us the theatrics and help me explain this to A.G.
|
 |
Isadora righted herself. I'll probably
need a crayon, she grumbled sarcastically.
Isadora!! warned Mrs. Duck.
 |
Yes, ma'am, mumbled Isadora.
Come over here A.G., she said, patting the seat next to her.
I'll show you what a Manatee looks like. |
I thought you were going to show me
a Sea Cow, A.G. sulked.
They're the SAME THING, A.G! Now come
over here! commanded Isadora Le Chat.
A.G. Bear. scooted over next to Isadora,
who promptly turned to the blank back page of Miss Amanda's coloring book,
and extracted a crayon from the new box of Crayolas™.
|
Here, she said a few moments later, pointing
to her sketch, This is what a Sea Cow looks like.
I thought you were going to draw a Manatee,
A.G. insisted.
|
 |
|
Isadora groaned.
A.G.! she
howled, Just look at the picture!
|
| Manatees are PURPLE???
gasped A.G. Bear in surprise. |
 |
No, silly! They're sort of an oooky-brownish-green,
said Isadora.
Then why didn't you make it the right
color? demanded A.G. Bear.
Because these people make politically
correct colors, they don't make oooky-brownish-green Sea Cow colors!
Isadora shouted.
Quite accurate, she nodded, But
I think you forgot the whiskers, dear, she said.
Sea Cows have WHISKERS? asked A.G.
Bear in amazement.
Yes, dear, answered Mrs. Duck ...and
they live in brackish water...
What's THAT? demanded A.G. Bear...ooops,
he said. Excuse me for interrupting.
You're excused, said Mrs. Duck.
What's brackish water? A.G. tried
again.
Well, it's sort of a cross between fresh water and salt water, Mrs.Duck
explained.
What COLOR is it? A.G. Bear persisted.
Hmmmmmm...Mrs. Duck pondered. Sort
of an oooky-brownish-green, I should think, she replied.
Let me understand this, said A.G.
Bear. Sea Cows are actually Manatees?
|
That's right, said Mrs. Duck.
|
|
They're an endangered species, she
continued. They're friendly, but slow, and they often get hit by boats
because they can't get out of the way fast enough. That's why the speed
limit signs in the canals tell boaters to go very, very slowly.
| That's a good idea! agreed
A.G. Bear. But they're not purple,
right? he insisted. |
|
No dear, they're sort of an oooky-brownish-green.
And they live in brackish water that's...
...that's oooky-brownish-green! I KNOW!
finished A.G. Bear, excitedly.
Great, A.G., you’ve finally got it!
congratulated Isadora.
| In that case please pass me some
paper and the box of crayons, A.G. Bear requested. |
 |
Whatever for? inquired Mrs. Duck.
 |
I’m going to write to those people
at the crayon factory and tell them we need oooky-brownish-green
colored crayons so we can draw Manatees, said A.G. firmly. |
Isadora and Mrs. Duck pondered the look on A.G. Bear’s determined little
face for a moment.
Good idea! they said.
 |
Dear
Mr. Crayon Person,
began A.G. Bear’s letter |
Sea
Cows aren’t purple
They’re oooky-brownish-green! |
|
And when you’re in a boat
Look out!
They’re rarely ever seen! |
 |
|
The signs you see
Say Manatee...
It’s just another name,
For friends who float
Beneath the boat,
They’re both one and the same!
|
|
They move
slo-o-o-wly as
The Turtle,
But they’re never EVER Purple! |
|
|
The Manatee’s
Own color scheme
Is Oooky-Brownish-Green!
and the letter was signed,
Love, A.G. Bear
|
|
The Adventures
of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 8
Manners and Misdemeanors
|
Amanda Grey and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck)
were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. Amanda's parents had decided
to drive. They decided they would make it a leisurely journey, stopping
anyplace along the way that might interest them.
| So far they had visited a combination
Antique Store and Flea Market, they had stopped to pick strawberries
and then enjoyed a wonderful picnic. |
|
| They had stayed at very nice motels
with chocolate candy on the pillows and they had gone swimming in
big motel pools, and at night, they told each other Bedtime-Stories.
|
|
| Yesterday, as they drove, they played
the game "I See A Windmill!" and afterwards they looked
for cars having license tags with pictures of Manatees on them. |
 |
They stopped driving around
mid-afternoon, had a nice dinner, took in an early movie on the TV, and
then everybody fell sound asleep.
Today was the fourth morning of their trip.
Mrs. Duck was up early, bustling around the motel
room, as she re-packed her little suitcase.
 |
Guess what I just heard Miss Amanda’s Daddy
say we’re going to do after breakfast today? she announced.
|
Isadora Le Chat was busy washing her
face. She paused for a moment. This is just a wild guess, she
said dryly, But I’ll bet we’re all going to get back
into the car and drive another zillion miles.
|
|
|
Mrs. Duck looked at Isadora disapprovingly.
Sarcasm is so unattractive dear, she scolded. Now seriously,
she insisted, Guess what we’re going to do! It’s quite
exciting really! |
| Miss Amanda brushing her hair in front of the mirror
had a pony tail band clenched between her teeth, so she just raised
her eyebrows inquiringly. Miss Amanda was trying to learn how to put
her own hair in pigtails. |
 |
Oblivious to the conversation at hand, A.G.
Bear had climbed up on his bed and now stood on the mattress. He gave an
experimental bounce and then began to jump in earnest.
| I’m—not—allowed—to do—this—at
home, he said, between bounces. |
 |
|
A.G. Bear, you stop that this instant!
You’ll break the bed! admonished Mrs. Duck. |
|
OOPS! said A.G. who froze mid-bounce and
landed with a jarring thud on his bottom.
But why CAN'T I bounce Mrs. Duck? inquired
A.G. plaintively.
|
 |
Because you’re a guest, explained
Mrs. Duck. And when you’re a guest you always have the same rules
that you have at home. Only more so. Because it’s good manners!
Mrs. Duck nodded with satisfaction at her own explanation.
WHAT’s good manners? inquired
Isadora Le Chat, returning from the bathroom where she had just gone to
hang up the wet towel she had found lying in a heap on the carpet.
| Treating someone else’s home
or property just as carefully as you would your own, and treating
everybody else the way you’d like to be treated yourself,
said A.G. Bear, who, to everyone’s amazement, had quickly grasped
the concept. |
|
Very GOOD, A.G.! said Isadora admiringly.
I’m so proud of you! Why, you just learned the Golden Rule!
Isadora then continued with what she was doing
and started to look around the room. She was puzzled. I can only find
three towels in the bathroom, she said. Did somebody forget and leave
one out here somewhere?
Not me, said A.G. Bear. I put mine back on
the towel rack after I washed my face this morning.
| Nunk Fee, replied Miss Amanda,
who was trying to say "Not Me." Amanda was making attempt
number seven at a pigtail, and the pony tail band was back between
her teeth. |
 |
Isadora turned expectantly to Mrs. Duck,
whose cheeks suddenly turned a very bright pink. Uhhhh... said Mrs.
Duck, and she mumbled something about simply having wanted a souvenir of
their trip.
Isadora looked at her friend closely. Mrs.
Duck looked embarrassed.
Oh, for Pete’s sake, Mrs. Duck!
said Isadora. You didn’t?! Isadora leaned closer and looked
Mrs. Duck right in the eye. You DID! said Isadora, sighing and rolling
her eyes heavenward.
| Isadora walked over to Mrs. Duck’s
small suitcase and flipped open the lid. Sure enough, there was the
motel’s towel, neatly folded, among Mrs. Duck’ things. |
 |
Miss Amanda shook her head in disapproval.
|
A.G. Bear climbed down from the bed and padded
over to Mrs. Duck.
We can’t take things that aren't ours,
explained A.G. Bear to Mrs. Duck. It’s not good manners,
and it’s against the Golden Rule. You wouldn’t want somebody
to take YOUR towel, would you?
|
|
|
Mortified, Mrs. Duck shook her head.
Sometimes, even smart ducks do foolish things,
she said sadly.
|
 |
Isadora reached into the suitcase and lifted
out the towel to return it to the bathroom with the others.
As she did, BONK! went a heavy glass
object, as it fell to the floor. It rolled lazily across the carpet, landing
at Miss Amanda’s feet. Frowning, she reached over and picked it up.
|
Ash-tray, she announced, with a withering
glance at Mrs. Duck, who was about to die of embarrassment.
Isadora groaned loudly and put a paw over her eyes.
|
|
|
Missus DUCK!! scolded everybody.
I’m awfully sorry, said Mrs. Duck in
a very small voice. I’ll never take anything that doesn’t
belong to me ever, ever again.
|
 |
|
Good thinking! said Isadora, emphatically.
You could get arrested for stuff like that!
|
| Sadly, Mrs. Duck nodded in agreement. |
|
Just then there was a loud knock on the door
to Miss Amanda’s parents room.
Security! announced a booming
voice.
 |
It’s the towel police! cried A.G. Bear.
They’ve come to arrest Mrs. Duck!
|
| Mrs. Duck fell over in a dead faint! |
 |
The Adventures of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 9
Foreign Language Lessons
|
Amanda Grey and her family, and
her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck)
were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. Amanda's
parents had decided to drive. They decided they would make it a leisurely
journey, stopping anyplace along the way that might interest them.
| They also stayed at very nice
motels with chocolate candy on the pillows and they had gone swimming
in big motel pools. |
|
|
At night, they read each other
Bedtime-Stories. |
Early this morning, which
was the fourth day of their trip, Mrs. Duck had decided she wanted to
keep a souvenier of their trip, so she tucked one of the motel's towels
and one of their ashtrays into her little suitcase.
Since that was stealing,
everybody became VERY upset with Mrs. Duck.
We can’t take things
that aren’t ours, explained A.G. Bear to Mrs. Duck. It’s
not good manners, and it’s against the Golden Rule. You wouldn’t
want somebody to take YOUR towel, would you?
|
Mortified, Mrs. Duck shook her
head.
Sometimes, even smart ducks
do foolish things, she had said, sadly.
|
|
|
Just then there had been a loud
knock on the door to Miss Amanda’s parents room. Security!
announced a booming voice.
It’s the towel police!
cried A.G. Bear. They’ve come to arrest Mrs. Duck!
|
|
As Miss Amanda’s daddy motored down the
highway, Isadora Le Chat, in the backseat of the car, leaned over
and whispered softly in Mrs. Duck’s ear.
It sure is a good thing all that Security
Guard wanted to do was tell us one of our tires was a little low,
she said.
|
 |
Mrs. Duck, who had been badly frightened
by the whole ordeal, nodded in silent agreement. I certainly learned
a good lesson! Mrs. Duck whispered back.
All of a sudden there was a huge BANG! and
the car started to shake and swerve. RUMBLE, RUMBLE, WHOMP, WHOMP, WHOMP!
went the tire they thought they had carefully checked before leaving that
morning.
Miss Amanda’s daddy quickly downshifted
and carefully steered the car off to the side of the road, where it slowly
rolled to a stop.
| Since they were parked well away from the flow
of traffic, Miss Amanda’s daddy could safely open his car door.
He climbed out, walked a few steps and then bent over to look at
the very flat tire. |
 |
A.G. Bear rolled down his window and leaned
out to watch for a moment. Then he ducked back inside.
| I didn’t know that Miss Amanda’s
daddy could speak French! he said in amazement. At least,
I think that was French, he considered dubiously. |
|
Curious, Isadora Le Chat stuck her head
out the window. Well, it’s not French! she said with certainty,
as she sat back down. Maybe it’s German? she ventured.
Miss Amanda, thoroughly intrigued by the
language discussion, stuck HER head out of the window and SHE listened
intently.
| A moment later, Amanda sat back down and then
turned to Mrs. Duck, innocently inquiring what the word Dagnabitfurnblatz!
meant. |
 |
|
Gasp! went Mrs.
Duck, and quickly covered Miss Amanda’s mouth. |
Too late! In the front seat, Miss Amanda’s
mommy, who had just started to take a sip of her coffee, had overheard.
Gasp!
went Miss Amanda’s mommy, and accidentally inhaled her coffee instead
of swallowing! Miss Amanda’s mommy coughed and sputtered, while everybody
patted her on the back.
Then Miss Amanda’s mommy climbed out
of the car and firmly suggested to Miss Amanda’s daddy, that using
THAT kind of language around Miss Amanda and her friends, was definitely
NOT a good idea.
A.G. Bear turned to Mrs. Duck. Using
words like that, is not good manners, right? he asked.
Hoo-boy! replied Mrs. Duck, rolling
her eyes.
NOT good manners! she stated emphatically.
| Eyes wide, Miss Amanda simply shook her head in
agreement. |
 |
Together, Miss Amanda’s mommy and daddy
took the spare tire out of the back luggage compartment and quickly changed
the tire. They were back on the road in no time, stopping only briefly
to install a new tire and put the spare back where it belonged.
They'd had a quick lunch at a little restaurant
while they waited for the tire place next door to finish. A.G. accidentally
squooshed a bottle of ketchup too hard and made a mess, so Miss Amanda
had to go change her clothes, but her mommy said the ketchup would wash
right out.
Once the tire was fixed the family drove
on, and suddenly Isadora turned to Mrs. Duck. You know, you never told
us where we were going today, she reminded her. This morning, you
just said that it was going to be quite exciting.
| Mrs. Duck suddenly fluffed her feathers and sat
up straight, all excited again. Why, that’s right! she
said. I almost forgot! We’re going to the... |
 |
The Adventures of A.G. Bear
... to the Zoo!
finished Mrs. Duck.
Isadora Le Chat looked around suspiciously.
Is there an echo in here? she asked.
Miss Amanda clapped her hands with pleasure.
| Amanda Grey and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and
Mrs. Duck) were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. Amanda's
parents had decided to drive. They decided they would make it
a leisurely journey, stopping anyplace along the way that might
interest them |
|
| We're going to the Zoo! exclaimed
A.G. Bear. That IS exciting! Why, we can go see Lions, and
we can see Tigers and we can even see Bears! |
|
 |
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh MY! said
Isadora, throwing her paws up in the air, and making her eyes
very large. |
Mrs. Duck looked at her sharply.
Couldn’t resist, deadpanned
Isadora, and then she grinned.
Well, cut it out! Mrs. Duck snapped
at Isadora. We’re all going to go to the Zoo, and we’re
going to have a WONDERFUL time.
I LIKE Zoos, said Isadora defensively.
They don’t usually SMELL very good, but they’re definitely
interesting, she said thoughtfully.
Just then, Miss Amanda’s daddy stopped
the car.
|
Are we there yet? came A.G. Bear’s
favorite question.
Uh-huh! nodded Miss Amanda, as she quickly
slipped her sneakers back on and fastened the straps.
|
 |
 |
Miss Amanda’s daddy bought tickets and
then he rented a little red wagon in which he said Miss Amanda,
A.G. Bear, Isadora and Mrs. Duck could ride whenever they got
tired.
Miss Amanda’s daddy is pretty thoughtful,
isn’t he? said A.G. Bear admiringly.
He certainly is, agreed Isadora.
Miss Amanda's parents had paused to look at
a sign showing where the different attractions were located.
|
Miss Amanda's daddy certainly makes
a lot of noise when he sleeps, though, said Mrs. Duck, shaking her
head in amazement.
A.G. Bear and Isadora looked at each other
and started to giggle.
What? demanded Mrs. Duck.
Nothing, said Isadora, and exploded
with laughter.
WHAT? insisted Mrs. Duck, and turned
to A.G. Bear, who was now laughing uncontrollably.
WHAT???
demanded Mrs. Duck, hopping out of the little wagon and standing stock
still with her wings on her hips. What’s so funny?
 |
YOU’RE the one who was snoring, Mrs.
Duck! said A.G. Bear.
Mrs. Duck looked over at Isadora, who, still
snickering, nodded in confirmation.
|
Don’t be ridiculous! said
Mrs. Duck haughtily. Duck’s don’t snore. Lady Ducks in
particular do not snore. It’s unladylike. Mrs. Duck stamped
away, insulted.
Isadora watched Mrs. Duck’s retreating
figure, then she and AG hopped out of the wagon too. Isadora elbowed
A.G. Bear in the ribs. Watch this! she giggled.
SssnnnnaaaAAAAARRRRRRRRRRK!
went Isadora.
She and A.G. Bear just howled with laughter.
Up ahead, Mrs. Duck stopped walking. Suddenly,
a great big tear rolled down her cheek. A.G. Bear and Isadora watched
in horror and Miss Amanda jumped out of the wagon, rushed over and gathered
Mrs. Duck in her arms.
Oh dear! said Isadora, We’ve
hurt her feelings!
I didn’t mean to make her cry!
said A.G. Bear, aghast.
They rushed up to Mrs. Duck who was now
sniffling into Miss Amanda’s shoulder. Oh, Mrs. Duck, apologized
Isadora, Please forgive us.
We’re so sorry we made you cry!
added A.G. Bear.
We were only teasing, explained
Isadora, We didn’t mean to hurt your feelings!
|
Mrs. Duck inhaled with a feathery little breath.
Feelings are IMPORTANT, she sniffled.
We know, Mrs. Duck, said Isadora, giving
her a hug.
We’ll take good care of your feelings
from now on, promised A.G. Bear, and he patted Mrs. Duck
on the head.
|
 |
Miss Amanda smoothed Mrs. Duck’s
ruffled feathers and they all started to walk down the Zoo path again,
with Mrs. Duck and Miss Amanda bringing up the rear.
Suddenly, from behind A.G. Bear and Isadora,
came a terrifying noise, which sounded like a wild animal had just escaped
from it’s cage.
SsnnnnnaaaAARRRKKKKK!
it roared.
|
Isadora and A.G. Bear shrieked and whirled
around in terror.
Miss Amanda and Mrs. Duck were giggling.
SsnnaaAAARRRKKKK! roared Mrs.
Duck again, laughing.
|
 |
A.G. Bear and Isadora shared a relieved glance.
|
You know what? said A.G.
Bear, That Mrs. Duck is a pretty good sport! |
Yes, indeed, nodded Isadora,
with a smile.
She certainly is! |
 |
The Adventures of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 11
Thirty Days Hath September
|
What does the elephant have to say
about that? wondered A.G. Bear.
I have no idea, replied Isadora.
But if it’s today, we’ll try to remember to ask.
Now, she prompted, What day is it?
I still don’t know! insisted
A.G. Bear. I mean, I used to know, but with all the traveling,
I’ve sort of gotten confused.
OK, said Isadora, Lets try
this...what MONTH is it?
|
A.G. Bear thought for a moment. I’m
pretty sure it’s either Septober or Maybruary, he replied.
|
Maybe there’s a calendar here
somewhere, she said, and leaned closer to the sign, peering intently
at the notice.
In the meantime, Mrs. Duck had silently
walked up behind Isadora and was reading the sign from over Isadora’s
shoulder.
 |
MRS.
DUCK!
shouted Isadora over her shoulder, thinking that Mrs. Duck was
still back at the last exhibit. MRS.DUCK...
WHAT’S THE DATE TODAY?
Isadora was shouting so loudly that it made Mrs. Duck
cross her eyes. |
| Why, I’m
not sure, dear, Mrs. Duck said quietly, speaking right into
Isadora’s ear. Isadora was so startled that she jumped
forward and bumped her nose on the sign. |
 |
| Meeoooowwwcchh!
said Isadora, patting her nose. I thought you were still
back talking to the giraffes, Mrs. Duck. |
|
|
Let me see...mused Mrs. Duck. What’s
the date?..hmmmmm. I used to know a little rhyme that would
help me with that. I think it started...Thirty
days hath September...hmmmm, how DID that go...?
|
| I’ve got a good idea, suggested
A.G. Bear. Why don’t we go over to the elephant’s
place and ask HER what day it is? |
|
That IS a good idea, A.G. ! said
Isadora.
So everybody trooped over to the great
big yard where the elephants lived, and did just that.
|
|
How do you do?
said Isadora politely. I’m Isadora Le Chat, and these
are my friends, Mrs. Duck, A.G. Bear, Miss Amanda and Miss Amanda’s
mommy and daddy. |
There’s a sign over there, she said, pointing
in the direction from which they had just come, ...which says that
on certain days, one can have their
picture taken, while sitting atop an elephant.
|
|
The elephant, whose name was Elvira, cocked
her head and looked at them in astonishment.
Why, DO tell! she said, in a wonderful
Southern accent.
|
Isadora paused for a moment as she considered
Elvira's response.
| Uhhhhhh, we were attempting
to determine the date, so that we might see if this was one
of those days, she said. |
|
A.G. Bear here, Isadora continued,
patting A.G. Bear’s head, ...is a little fuzzy on the month
part, but Mrs. Duck seems to think she remembers a rhyme...
 |
Oh my, YAYYUS! interrupted
Elvira Elephant. I LIKE rhymes! |
|
Wonderful! exclaimed
Mrs. Duck, Then perhaps you can
help me remember this one...she
said eagerly.
It begins...Thirty
days hath September...
|
|
Why YAYYUS! squealed Elvira, AH
know that one!
As it happens, so did Amanda, but it's impolite
to interrupt an elephant.
|
So Mrs. Duck began reciting the poem...
|
Thirty days hath
September,
April, June and November,
All the rest...
|
|
Elvira broke in excitedly--
|
All the rest...
eat peanut butter,
All ‘cept Grandma,
She drives a Buick.
Elvira sat down with a great big happy thump,
and smiled at her visitors.
|
Amanda looked very confused.
|
Thirty
days hath September,
April, June, and November;
All
the rest have thirty-one
Excepting February alone:
Which hath but twenty-eight, in fine,
Till leap year gives it twenty-nine.
|
o
o
|
Ohboy... thought
Isadora.
|
|
|
Isadora leaned over and spoke into
Mrs. Duck's ear.
I think we're one french fry short
of a Happy Meal here, she whispered.
|
|
It’s pretty hot out, you know,
said a worried A.G. Bear to Elvira Elephant. Sometimes
all that sunshine can hurt the way your head works.
Maybe you could wear a hat, he suggested
helpfully.
|
SPLENDID idea! laughed Elvira.
She promptly whipped out a multi-colored umbrella hat and cheerfully
plopped it on her head. Now then! giggled Elvira, (who
just loved teasing tourists), How about those pictures?!
|
 |
 |
So everybody got
to have their picture taken with Elvira, who as it turns out,
had a very funny sense of humor. For an elephant, that is.
|
By the end of the day, Amanda's family
had visited every single exhibit in the Zoo, eaten hot dogs, and peanuts,
and popcorn, and cotton candy, and met the most delightful group of
animals.
|
But Miss Amanda and A.G. Bear and Miss Duck
and Isadora Le Chat were all really, really tired.
And they were awfully happy to be
sitting in the little red wagon that Miss Amanda’s mommy
and daddy took turns pulling.
|
 |
|
|
They passed by Elvira Elephant’s yard
on the way back out, and Elvira called out cheerfully to them.
Ya’ll come back now, y’hear?
she trumpeted.
|
They all waved to Elvira and assured
her that they would definitely visit her again, the very next time
they passed through town.
 |
What a NICE visit to the Zoo
that was! declared Mrs. Duck happily. |
| And everybody agreed with her.
|
|
The Adventures of A.G. Bear
|
|
Book 12
Frills
and Curls
and Buttons and Bows
|
| Amanda Gray and her family,
and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and
Mrs. Duck) were on their way to visit Amanda's grandma. Amanda's
parents had decided to drive. |
|
| |
They decided they would make
it a leisurely journey, stopping anyplace along the way that might
interest them.
Yesterday they had stopped to visit a Zoo and they had a wonderful
time. |
| They were so tired
by the end of the day that nobody had ANY trouble sleeping last
night. |
 |
| |
By the time morning rolled
around, though, everybody had awakened bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Amanda and her parents went out for breakfast, while Mrs. Duck
A.G. Bear and Isadora LeChat decided they'd like to try room
service.
|
 |
By the time Amanda and her parents returned,
Mrs. Duck was sitting at the little table in the motel room, intently
studying a great big map.
Ladies and Bears! she announced, Unless I’m very much
mistaken, we’re almost there! |
| Almost where? asked A.G.
Bear. |
|
|
What do you mean WHERE, A.G.
Bear? howled Isadora Le Chat in amazement. We’re just
about to where we’ve been going for the past three zillion
miles! |
| Where’s THAT? asked
A.G. Bear, momentarily clueless. |
|
| |
GRANDMA’S HOUSE!!
shouted Isadora Le Chat. |
|
I knew that, said A.G. Bear
smugly. But which one? he asked Isadora LeChat, who was
beginning to lose all patience with A.G. and his silly questions.
|
|
| Isadora paused and rubbed her head,
and then she turned to Mrs. Duck. Would you explain to A.G.
Bear that we’re going to Grandma’s house while I go
wash my face? she pleaded. |
|
| Which ONE? persisted
A.G. Bear. We’ve got two really nice grandmas, you know.
Which one are we on our way to visit? |
|
|
Oh! said Mrs. Duck. I
understand! We’re going to OUR grandma’s house.
|
| OUR grandma’s house?!
asked A.G. Bear, You mean, the one who can...? |
|
|
Mrs. Duck nodded, with a smile.
The very same! she confirmed. |
|
Does Isadora know? asked A.G. Bear.
Why...I just naturally assumed that she...Mrs.
Duck’s voice trailed off.
|
|
|
Isadora, dear, Mrs. Duck
called towards the open bathroom door where water could be heard
splashing in the sink. Isadora, you DID realize that we were
on our way to OUR grandma’s house, didn’t you?
|
The water stopped splashing and Isadora
appeared at the door with a damp towel in her paws.
|
OUR grandma’s house? she said in
amazement.
A.G. Bear, said Isadora, That was
a perfectly WONDERFUL question!
|
|
|
I rather thought so,
replied A.G. Bear. |
| Where’s Miss Amanda?
asked Isadora suddenly. Does SHE know? |
 |
| Mrs. Duck looked around. She’s
in the next room, she said. Amanda said her Mommy was going
to brush her hair and fix it with special ribbons, and tie her
sash in a bow, and... |
 |
|
OH MY GOODNESS!! gasped Mrs. Duck.
We’re going to OUR grandma’s house!
They all looked at each other.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO WEAR??? they wailed.
|
 |
|
After much scurrying about, everyone found
exactly the right thing to wear and each one of them was all
decked out in Frills and Curls and Buttons and Bows.
Mrs. Duck had on her best hat, Isadora LeChat
had on her pretty pink headband, A.G. Bear had on his new blue
suit, and Amanda Gray wore a brand new green"visit Grandma"
dress.
|
 |
|
Off they drove.
Amanda listened to the tires humming, as she
watched the countryside speed past outside her window. She smiled
to herself, and ever so softly, began to sing her very favorite
song.
|
 |
A few minutes later they were all singing
it, even Amanda's Mommy and Daddy.
|
Grandma
Speaks Fluent Duck
And bear and kitty too
But best of
all she can converse
With me and all of you.
All grandmas
are special
But some more than the rest
The ones who
pay attention
They always are the best
Grandma speaks
fluent duck
And bear and kitty too
If you should
need a grandma
Then we’ll share ours with you.
All grandmas
are special
But some more than the rest
The ones who
pay attention
They always are the best!
|
|
| It was late afternoon when Miss Amanda’s
Daddy pulled into the driveway of a big, wonderfully friendly
looking old house. The house had a wide front porch with a swing
on it, and the shaded yard was full of flowers. A bird feeder
hung from a branch of a grand old oak tree, and a pair of squirrels
played tag on the front lawn. |
 |
There was a faint sound of children playing,
off in the distance, and a gentle breeze carried the sound of water
splashing somewhere nearby. As Miss Amanda’s
Daddy opened his car door, a black and yellow honeybee droned lazily
by.
Then Miss Amanda’s Mommy opened her door and was greeted by a trio
of tumbling, neon hued butterflies.
| Miss Amanda’s Daddy pulled on the rear
door handle, and out scrambled Miss Amanda and Isadora and A.G.
Bear and Mrs. Duck, all hurriedly straightening each others skirts,
and buttons, and bows, and bangs. |
|
Just then, the door to the house whisked
open, and a woman who looked a great deal like Miss Amanda literally
flew down the steps.
GRANDMA!! yelled Miss Amanda, joyously
throwing herself in Grandma’s arms.
| GRANDMA!! whooped A.G. Bear
and Isadora and Mrs. Duck, and they were all enveloped in the
same big hug. |
|
Hi, Mom, said Miss Amanda’s
daddy happily, gently putting his arms around her when she finally stood
up.
Hi, Mom, said Miss Amanda’s
mommy, with happy tears in her eyes as she put her arms around the both
of them.
Goodness, Gracious Sakes! said
Grandma, (who was a pretty young looking grandma, as grandma’s
go). I’m so glad to see all of you!!! she said cheerfully.
Come right in. Supper will be ready in a little while, and there’s
fresh baked apple pie with home made ice-cream for dessert! Why, there
might even be a brownie or two in the pantry! she said with a laugh.
Grandma turned back towards the house
and held out both of her hands. Miss Amanda immediately claimed one
hand while A.G. Bear insisted on being carried with the other. Isadora
skipped excitedly at Miss Amanda’s side, as Mrs. Duck bustled along
next to A.G. Bear.
Miss Amanda’s daddy put his arm around
Miss Amanda’s mommy, as they watched the happy little troupe head
for the front door. The light breeze brought them occasional snatches
of the conversation that was taking place.
A Purple Sea Cow, Isadora? You don’t
say! Grandma exclaimed...Why yes, A.G., she turned to the
little bear in her arms, I certainly DO think you should mail that
letter! Grandma looked down at Mrs. Duck. Well, Mrs. Duck, if
you’re all out of stamps I’m quite certain we can find one
inside...Yes, Amanda, of course you may be the one to put it
in the mailbox! and the voices faded off as they climbed the steps
to the porch.
Look at that, Miss Amanda’s
daddy smiled.
Isn’t she just swell? She’s acting as if she actually KNEW
what they were SAYING.
Miss Amanda’s mommy turned, and looked
at her husband with affection. Ever so softly,
and with a mysterious little smile, she told him...
Some of us... have ALWAYS known.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
C.K.Gurin lives in South Florida.
SEND MAIL
|
CAT SOUP
We're invited for lunch,
Miss Amanda and me..
First alphabet soup,
then cookies and tea.
There's bowls full of letters
like A, B, and C,
This bowl must be mine
'cause it spells C-A-T
|
The Adventures of
A.G. Bear
Copyright 1994-2023 by C.K.Gurin
Bedtime-Story Books - First Printing 1994
