Ned Helps in the Yard
Bedtime Story #12 of 12
Dylyce P. Clarke
Eleven-year-old Ned Nelson hid in the closet, hoping his mom wouldn’t find him. He wanted to finish playing on his computer instead of helping her rake the leaves in their yard.
“Son, where are you,” Cindy called. “You said you’d help me with a chore, and I think it’s time you learned to keep your word. That’s what real men do.”
Oops, Ned thought. He had promised to help, and he was the man of the house now that his father was gone. He pushed open the closet door and stepped out. His mom stood with her hands on her hips, a bright red scarf around her neck, and a wool cap covering her hair.
“There you are,” she said, and held out his jacket.
After he put the jacket on Cindy smiled and yelled, “Race you outside!”
Ned beat his mom through the front door, jumped down the porch steps, and headed for the old tree in the corner of the yard. Already the leaves had turned several shades of red, orange and yellow. Many had fallen to the ground. The neighbors fat cat Sadie crouched on one of the lower branches, watching him. When his mom caught up, she picked up one of the rakes leaning against the tree trunk and handed it to him.
“You get started over there and I’ll begin over here. We’ll rake toward the middle.”
“What do I get if I finish first?” Ned asked.
“Hmmm,” Cindy replied. “You mean more than me thanking you for helping?”
When he hung his head she said, “Okay, I’ll try to think of something.”
Ned ran to the other side of the tree and began raking. The leaves piled up as he neared the center of the tree. A few more swipes and he beat his mom. Her pile wasn’t nearly as large.
“Yes!” Ned exclaimed. “I did it.” His yell startled Sadie. She leaped from the tree branch, landing in the middle of his pile. “Sadie!” Ned hollered as the leaves scattered once again. His mom laughed.
“That’s not funny,” he said with a frown. “Now I have to do it all over again.”
Cindy put an arm around his shoulder. “Son, I know you’re disappointed. But sometimes that happens in our lives. However, we can look for something positive in it rather than letting it get us down. And you have to admit, seeing Sadie leap into that leaf pile really was funny.”
Ned giggled at the memory. “I guess you’re right,“ he said.
Cindy squeezed his shoulder before letting go. “You bet I am. Hey, have you ever made a leaf angel?”
When he shook his head no, Cindy sat in the middle of her leaf pile and flopped backwards. Then she waved her arms and legs back and forth until the grass underneath appeared in the shape of a robed angle with wings.
Ned flopped into what was left of his pile and did the same.
