Tearing pages out of an old journal I stumbled upon this story....made me smile, based on close pages I'd think I wrote this 3 or 4 years ago.
"Once upon a time, just down the road from you, a boy named Tommy slowly shuffled home. His dog, a big pointer named Ripper bounded from the back yard to greet him. Ripper busted out all of his best moves, the spin, sit, jump combo; the bump, pass and return face lick....but Tommy barely seemed to notice. Tommy slumped inside, set down his backpack and let out a BIG SIGH.
His Pop Pop strolled in with pep in his step and leaned down to hug Tommy in welcome. Receiving the wimpiest of hugs in return, Pop Pop stood back, pulled on his chin and stared. 'Why, Tommy' he said, 'you seem to have a hitch in your get-along. What's happening?'
'Well, Pop Pop, I think I caught something awful.'
'You don't say....' answered Pop Pop.
'Yes,' Tommy whined, 'Tracy's mom's sister's daughter has a terrible rash on her feet from her gym. We have a gym at school so I'm coming down with the same foot rash too....I'm sure.'
'Oh, I see,' said Pop Pop. 'Well that does sound serious; let's see your feet.'
Tommy took off his shoes and socks displaying his perfectly healthy looking feet. 'Hmmmm,' Pop Pop mused, 'I know just what you caught.'
'YOU DO?' said a frightened Tommy.
'Yup. You caught a bad story,' replied Pop Pop.
'WHAT?' Tommy shrieked!
'Sure thing, I've seen it before. A person hears about sickness or any scary thing and next thing you know their imagination jumps into overdrive. They fret and fuss and feel sick and afraid,' explained Pop Pop.
'Well, what do you take for it?' asked Tommy.
Pop Pop smiled, "you take good humour, great exercise, healthy thoughts and most of all....'
'Yes?' wondered Tommy.
'You take in great stories,' Pop Pop sagely said. 'There are far more healthy stories than sick ones and far more good news than bad. People just get in a nasty habit of spreading the worst news.'
Tommy absentmindedly stroked Ripper's ear. 'So, I'm going to be OK?'
'That depends,' Pop Pop said whistling as he went back to his bread making. 'Don't get sucked into catching gross news and I guarantee you'll spend all your days feeling MUCH better!'
Ripper barked and Tommy finally smiled and followed his Pop Pop into the kitchen. 'Jeeze, Pop Pop; now that I'm feeling better....I am starving!'"
CATCHING A BAD STORY
"Once upon a time, just down the road from you, a boy named Tommy slowly shuffled home. His dog, a big pointer named Ripper bounded from the back yard to greet him. Ripper busted out all of his best moves, the spin, sit, jump combo; the bump, pass and return face lick....but Tommy barely seemed to notice. Tommy slumped inside, set down his backpack and let out a BIG SIGH.
His Pop Pop strolled in with pep in his step and leaned down to hug Tommy in welcome. Receiving the wimpiest of hugs in return, Pop Pop stood back, pulled on his chin and stared. 'Why, Tommy' he said, 'you seem to have a hitch in your get-along. What's happening?'
'Well, Pop Pop, I think I caught something awful.'
'You don't say....' answered Pop Pop.
'Yes,' Tommy whined, 'Tracy's mom's sister's daughter has a terrible rash on her feet from her gym. We have a gym at school so I'm coming down with the same foot rash too....I'm sure.'
'Oh, I see,' said Pop Pop. 'Well that does sound serious; let's see your feet.'
Tommy took off his shoes and socks displaying his perfectly healthy looking feet. 'Hmmmm,' Pop Pop mused, 'I know just what you caught.'
'YOU DO?' said a frightened Tommy.
'Yup. You caught a bad story,' replied Pop Pop.
'WHAT?' Tommy shrieked!
'Sure thing, I've seen it before. A person hears about sickness or any scary thing and next thing you know their imagination jumps into overdrive. They fret and fuss and feel sick and afraid,' explained Pop Pop.
'Well, what do you take for it?' asked Tommy.
Pop Pop smiled, "you take good humour, great exercise, healthy thoughts and most of all....'
'Yes?' wondered Tommy.
'You take in great stories,' Pop Pop sagely said. 'There are far more healthy stories than sick ones and far more good news than bad. People just get in a nasty habit of spreading the worst news.'
Tommy absentmindedly stroked Ripper's ear. 'So, I'm going to be OK?'
'That depends,' Pop Pop said whistling as he went back to his bread making. 'Don't get sucked into catching gross news and I guarantee you'll spend all your days feeling MUCH better!'
Ripper barked and Tommy finally smiled and followed his Pop Pop into the kitchen. 'Jeeze, Pop Pop; now that I'm feeling better....I am starving!'"
