Tuesday, April 19, 2011

A children's story: No Pets

I wrote this story as a joke when my friend, Leah, talked about wanting to have goats as pets. Those goats that faint when they get scared. I'm not a pet person and I guess what that says about me is that I'm selfish and I don't want to spend the time that it takes to take care of a pet. But at least I'm honest about it, right?

When I re-read the story yesterday preparing for today's post I was saddened by something that this story says. I am the old lady. I do not like the fact that the old lady lives alone. I do not like the fact that she is happy living alone though if that is my future I hope I can be happy with it. So, as I share my story with you today, I still do not want a pet but I don't want to project to the universe that I want to live alone either!

The story needs some simple illustrations to go along with it and maybe I'll do that in the future.

There was an old lady. She lived happily alone but her family worried about her. They did not want her to be alone.

Her first son tried to give her a dog. The old lady said, "No, thank you son. I do not want a dog. They need too much attention and exercise for an old lady like me."

Her second son tried to give her a cat. The old lady said, "No, thank you son. I do not want a cat. Their fur bothers my nose."

Her niece tried to give her a bird. The old lady said, "No, thank you niece. I do not want a bird. They need to fly around and be free."

Her nephew tried to give her a fish. The old lady said, "No, thank you nephew. I do not want a fish. They need to live in the lakes and rivers not a glass bowl."

They all tried again. A snake. No, thank you. I do not want a snake. They need to slither in the grass.

A lizard. No, thank you. I do not want a lizard. They need to climb the trees.

A guinea pig. No, thank you I do not want a guinea pig as fun as that may be.

It became a great family joke as they tried and tried again to find the old lady the perfect pet.

A goat, a cow, a horse. The old lady laughed. I have no room for a goat, a cow or a horse.

What about an elephant, tiger or pony. The old lady said, "No, my home is not a circus."

No, No! Stop I say! I am perfectly happy alone in my happy home where I sit by my pool and enjoy the sun where every now and then a butterfly, a dragonfly, or a lady bug come by.


The End.

Maybe her family should focus on helping find her a nice, old husband. Just saying.

2 comments:

Peggy said...

is this a rhetorical story? Can I have a girl crush on you? I know that doesn't help! Dogs are really fun.... both mine are boys... they make me smile and they cuddle... sometimes....my profile 25 years ago said looking for a knight not necessarily in bright shiny armour.... what's with it and these mom's not raising decent 40+ year old sons? You need to go to Europe like Elizabeth and have an affair! Shhh, don't anyone else read this!

Cheryl Houston said...

You are cracking me up, Peggy!

I refuse to beleive that there are not wonderful, single, emotionally stable, kind, and every other positive adjective that I can think of, men out there. There are. I just have to sort through them and find mine. Or let him find me. Who knows! :) No one said it would be easy and I'm okay with that.

I still don't want a pet- be it a dog, a cat or any other animal variety. I won't be rushing off to Europe either since I have those two growing boys in my household but if when they reach the age of flying the coop and if I still haven't found the man for me, maybe I'll consider it! :)