Peepers Can't Fly But He Sure Can Walk! by Sharon K. West
Copyright Sharon K. West 2007. All Rights Reserved. You may not reprint this short story without permission.
Today, Uncle Ottie, who lives on the green bean farm just down the road from Granny Ada, hitched up Pepito, the brown burro, to his little red wagon, and he and Aunt Poppy climbed on board. Pepito's feet clip-clopped up the hills and down the hills all the way to Cat Tails Cottage. They came to a birthday party for Peepers, the little yellow bird who lives in Granny Ada's kitchen. Well, it wasn't really Peepers' birthday. Granny Ada celebrated Peepers' birthday on the day he came to Cat Tails Cottage because she didn't know the real day he was born.
Uncle Ottie tied Pepito to Granny Ada's apple tree just outside her kitchen window and everyone else gathered around the kitchen table. There were Granny Ada, Mrs. Salt, Uncle Ottie and Aunt Poppy and all the animals of Cat Tails Cottage. Granny Ada cooked three kinds of cakes. One was for the people, one was for the animals and one was special, a birdseed cupcake, just for Peepers.
Everyone enjoyed their sweet treat when Uncle Ottie picked up his old banjo and set it on one knee. He was going to play a tune and tell a story. Now, Uncle Ottie was the best storyteller around. The problem was, he thought he could play the banjo as well as he could tell a story but Uncle Ottie was a terrible banjo player. When everyone saw Uncle Ottie pick up his banjo, they looked at one another. But they loved Uncle Ottie so much that they did not mind sitting still while he played his little tune. Uncle Ottie's stories always came after he finished.
Uncle Ottie waited until everyone got ready for his banjo tune. Peepers, who was let out of his cage to eat his birdseed cupcake, stood still on the kitchen table. Aunt Poppy pushed her chair close to Granny Ada. Mrs. Salt wore her “listening to Uncle Ottie” hat which was an old brown hat that had ear flaps which she could put down over her ears while Uncle Ottie played the banjo. Then she could flip them up when Uncle Ottie told his stories. Mrs. Salt reached up and lowered her ear flaps. Jo Jo, Pumpkin, Baby Buttons and Spice all ran to their favorite places around the kitchen. Sky, the medium sized fuzzy dog, scurried under the table to sit at Granny Ada’s feet. Everyone was ready for Uncle Ottie to begin.
Clank-a-clank! went the banjo, and Uncle Ottie pumped his foot and moved in time to the music. He ran his hands up and down the banjo, but just missed the right spots to press. But that did not matter to Uncle Ottie. He thought he was really playing well. Clank-a-clank. Clanketty, clank, clank. Uncle Ottie played and played.
How long was Uncle Ottie going to play? Granny Ada wondered. Finally, his banjo let out a mighty note and he got to the end of his little tune. Uncle Ottie rested one arm on the edge of the banjo and wiped his face with his hankerchief. Mrs. Salt lifted her ear flaps. Everyone clapped.
“Thank you, thank you,” Uncle Ottie said, and he bowed. “Well . . . let me read you the poem I wrote of how Peepers came to Cat Tails Cottage.” Uncle Ottie pulled a wrinkled sheet of paper out of his pocket and put on his glasses.
It was a dark and stormy night, And Peppers flew just like a kite. Up and down, over and around, He saw everything in the town.
Oh, no! A big storm came up, Peepers held to the wind but it started to buck. Over and over he rolled, Boy, that wind was sure cold!
In the backyard he landed. Splat! Flat on his little yellow back. One wing up and one wing down, Now he can't fly. How about that?
Granny Ada saw the flash of yellow. She ran outside, picked up the little fellow. Then she bought him a grand big cage And he'll live in her kitchen for the rest of his days.
Now Peepers can't fly. No, Peepers can't fly. Oh, no, Peepers can't fly. But he sure can walk!
Uncle Ottie put the paper back into his pocket. Everyone looked at Peepers.
"Go ahead, Peepers," Aunt Poppy said. "Show us your walk!"
Little Peepers looked around and stepped out across the table. His yellow head bobbed. His tail feathers wiggled. With one wing up and the other hanging down, his little feet tap-tapped all the way around the table. Not many birds could walk like Peepers. He knew he was good! Peepers can't fly but he sure can walk. Everyone clapped and cheered.
Granny Ada smiled at Uncle Ottie. She thought, Uncle Ottie can't play the banjo but he sure can tell a story!
Copyright 2008 Sharon K. West. All rights reserved.