Tricking the Principal?

"Momma, you remember we went to Farm Day today, right?"

"Yes, Honey. How did you like it?"

I hopped onto a stool at the kitchen counter. "Oh, it was really good. Well, except ..."

Momma pushed a casserole into the oven and turned around. "Except what?"

"Milk comes from cows, right?"

"Yes, of course."

I shook my head. "Poor Dr. Hogan-Young was obviously being tricked." I folded my arms across my chest. "That just didn't seem very nice to me to do that to her."

"What happened?"

"They brought this scrawny animal up in front of everyone and told Dr. Hogan-Young to milk it. They called it a goat."

Momma giggled.

"You think that's funny, too, to trick her that way?"

"No, Dear. There are other animals that can be milked. A goat is one of them."

"You mean you can milk a chicken?"

"No, That's one that can't be."

"Wow, this farm stuff is more complicated than I thought." I brushed my hand across my forehead. "I felt sorry for the little sheeps too. They shaved all their fur off, and they looked naked! Kinda like Grandpa's head, with just a little itty bitty hair showing."

"They shear the sheep to use the wool for making yarn and clothes."

"That poor sheep could have used a sweater!"


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Chloe thought Dr. Hogan-Young was being tricked, and she didn't like it, probably because she thought they were making fun of Dr. Hogan-Young. Has anyone ever tricked someone you know? Have you ever been tricked? Have you had to stand up for someone and not let them be made fun of? Explain.

Chloe found out that there's always new things to learn. What is something you have learned recently?

Angels Wearing Blue and Think Before You Speak

We arrived back at school from our field trip to the airshow just in time for me to walk through the school and out the front door to meet Momma. I jumped into the back and strapped in.

"Hey Sweetie. How was the airshow?"

"Momma, it was fantabulous! There were parachuters and planes flying by with smoke. And we ate our lunch outside. Ben - he's a kid in my class - he said he wants to fly airplanes like that one day. Of course, I don't think I would want to fly upside down. I mean, I thought they might just dump themselves right out!"

Momma chuckled. "I'm so glad you had a good time."

"But we missed seeing the angels. That made me a little bit sad, They were supposed to be blue. I told Katie that the only angels I'd ever seen wore white and were in the Christmas play."

"Oh, you mean the Blue Angels. They aren't really angels. That's the name of their team. They fly these really fast fighter jets."

"Well that makes a lot more sense. I mean, why would they have angels at an airshow?"

"Honey, I need to stop by the store for some things. I hope you're not too tired."

"Naw, I'll be all right."

Momma parked the car in front of the big store. I liked this store. I could get crayons and snacks all in the same place. A person could probably find just about anything in a store this big.

Momma held my hand and we walked up to the glass door. It opened like magic. How did it do that? Momma pulled a shopping cart out, but I walked beside it. I was way too big to ride in the cart anymore. And anyway, Momma always needed my help to get stuff off the low shelves.

We started down the bread aisle. I spotted a man with something on his arm. When he walked by, I noticed it was a picture. It looked like he had drawn on his arm with markers. I didn't like the picture. It was scary.

One time I drew a picture on my arm with markers. My picture was pretty, but I still got in trouble with Momma. She said that markers weren't for drawing on arms and legs. They were for paper.

We turned down the peanut butter aisle, and I saw the man again. Just as we got closer, Momma rushed past him. I don't know why. Momma must have been in a hurry to get to the next aisle.

Did that man know he would get in trouble for drawing on his arm with markers? If he didn't get it cleaned off before his momma saw it, he would probably be punished. I just had to keep him from getting in trouble.

We started down the aisle with the clothes washing jugs, and the man turned the corner, coming toward us. Here was my chance to help. "Hey, Mister, you know that drawing on your arm? You need to clean that mess off before your momma sees it. Trust me, you'll get into a lot of trouble for using markers on your arm."

"Chloe!" Momma said.

The man smiled and didn't say anything. I was sure he smiled because he was glad I warned him.

When we got into the car, Momma turned around and looked at me. "Chloe, you have got to think before you speak. What if you had made that man mad or hurt his feelings?"

"But I did think about it for a whole lot of aisles. I needed to warn him before he got into trouble with his momma."

"Honey, that wasn't marker. That was a tattoo. It doesn't come off. He had that put on his arm on purpose, using needles."

"Needles! Like at the doctor's office?"

"Yes, sorta."

"And he can't wash it off? Ever?"

"Well, no, he can't just wash it off like markers."

"He has to wear that ugly, scary picture forever?" I shook my head. "Bless his heart. I was too late. His momma's gonna really be mad at him."



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What does it mean to think before you speak?

Why should we think before we speak?

Not a Grumpy-Bear After All

An ambulance whisked Mrs. Smith to the hospital.

Momma rushed back to our house and grabbed her book of phone numbers. "I just met Mrs. Smith's daughter the other day. She gave me her number. I better give her a call."

I walked to the kitchen door, turned around, and walked to the refrigerator. Then I did it again and again.

Daddy leaned on the counter. He stopped me. "Chloe, stop pacing. It'll be all right." He lifted me onto the counter top and kissed my forehead.

Momma hung up the phone. "Mrs. Smith's daughter is on her way, but she lives about an hour from here. I told her we would be glad to go to the hospital and stay until she can arrive." She grabbed her purse.

Daddy pushed his arms back through his church coat and scooped up his keys. He held out his arms. "Ready?"

I nodded and slid into his arms. He carried me to the car. Since I'm such a big girl, Daddy doesn't carry me much anymore. But I still liked it when he did.

Momma held my hand and we hurried through the Emergency Room doors. They whooshed open.

Daddy talked to a lady sitting behind a desk. He turned around. "I'll be right back. They're going to let me see Mrs. Smith for a moment."

Momma tugged me over to a chair and we plopped down.

"Momma, I know Mrs. Smith is a grumpy-bear but I sure hope she's all right."

"I hope so too." Momma rubbed my back and smiled. "I'm proud of you."

"Why?"

"You saw that Mrs. Smith needed help and you helped her."

"We need to be proud of Rosy. She's the one who led me to Mrs. Smith."

"She is a smart little dog."

Daddy slipped into the chair next to me. "I believe she's had a stroke. She was awake so I told her that her daughter is on the way."

"Mr. and Mrs. Parker?" A lady with long brown hair and a really pretty face rushed up to us. "I'm Sara. You brought my mother in? What's happening?"

Momma and Daddy jumped to their feet and I followed.

"Please, call me Charis. This is my husband, Preston. He's been in to see your mother." Momma's voice was very calm. She smoothed my hair. "This is our daughter, Chloe. She found your mother."

Sara bent down and looked at me. "Thank you, Chloe."

"You're welcome."

Daddy led Sara to the lady at the desk. He waited until a nurse came to get Sara then he returned to sit with us. "I told Sara we would wait to make sure she didn't need anything."

I swung my legs back and forth, then I stared at the ticker hand on the clock. Momma handed me a little notebook and a small pack of crayons. First I drew a dog like Rosy and used green for grass. I made a blue sky with a big yellow sun in it. On the next page I colored me and Katie on the swings at school. We were swinging high. I swung my legs again, harder, trying to think of another picture to draw.

Momma handed me her thing with the screen. I always forget the name of it. But she keeps books for me to read on there. I flipped through some of my favorites.

Finally, Sara came back out to the waiting room. "Thank you all so much. They don't feel that this was a severe stroke. Thank goodness."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Momma said.

"There is one thing." Sara looked right at me. "Chloe, could you take care of Rosy until my mother comes home?"

I looked at Momma then Daddy. They both nodded.

"Yes, I will. I'll take good care of her. Only ..."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, Mrs. Smith really didn't like for me to play with Rosy."

Sara knelt. "She's changed her mind. I told her how you saved her."

"I saved her?"

"Yes. If you hadn't found her and gotten help, she might be much worse. She wants you to take care of Rosy until she can come home. If that's okay with your parents?"

"Of course," Momma said.

"Maybe Mrs. Smith isn't a grumpy-bear after all."

Sara chuckled. "My momma can be a grumpy-bear, but I'm glad you're next door to check on her and help her with Rosy since I can't be there."

"Momma says I am getting bigger and can be 'sponsible."

"That's responsible," Momma said.

"Oh yeah, right." I patted Sara's hand. "Don't worry. Chloe Ann Parker is on the job."


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What does being responsible mean?

Are you becoming more responsible? How?

Chloe Saves the Day!

Momma's car pulled up next in the after school line.

"Chloe Parker," the lady with the dark hair and pretty eyes called.

I trotted out to the car and hopped into my booster seat.

Momma glanced back. "Hi Sweetie. How was school today?"

"Really good, as always in Mrs. Potts' class. But did you know we have like only 32 days left of school?"

"Yes, I know. Summer is coming fast."

I groaned. "Yep, I guess."

"What's wrong?"

"Well, not that I don't like summer time with you Momma, but that means I only have 32 more days with Mrs. Potts. I'll have to move on to another teacher next year."

"That's right. You're growing up. And I know you'll miss your teacher, but I'm sure you'll get another teacher you love in first grade."

I thought about that on the way home. Momma was right. I hadn't even paid attention to the first grade teachers. Who might I have? I would keep my eyes open for sure.

At home, I sprinted to the door ahead of Momma. She caught up and stuck the key into the doorknob, pushed it open, and held it for me. Just as I started to lift my foot, a whimpering sound caught my attention. I stopped.

"What is it, honey?"

I listened real hard. "I thought I heard something crying." I whispered to Momma, still trying to catch the sound again.

Momma stepped back onto the carport. We both stood very still.

A faint squeak came from the back of the house. Me and Momma looked at each other. Momma's eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up.

I left my backpack on the ground and followed Momma. At the back of the house we stood very still again.

The whining sound was a little louder.

"Momma, I think it's coming from over here." I ran and bent over, looking under the deck.

We got on our hands and knees. Momma pulled out the little flashlight that was attached to her keys. She flipped it on. The light glinted off something and Momma moved in closer.

"It's Rosy!" I shouted. I reached out my hand. "Come here, Rosy."

Rosy whined again. Finally she inched out and snuggled close to me.

"Poor thing, she's trembling." Momma rubbed Rosy's head. "You know, I did hear a commotion earlier. I wonder if that big dog down the street got out and chased her under here?"

I petted the little dog with a soft touch. "Poor baby." I sat criss cross applesauce and Rosy hopped into my lap. "That big bad doggie is all gone. Don't you worry."

"Chloe, we need to take her back to Mrs. Smith."

"Aw, Momma. Do we have to?"

"Come on. Mrs. Smith will be happy to get her back."

"I don't know about that. I'm not sure Mrs. Smith knows how to smile."

I trudged behind Momma across the side yard to Mrs. Smith's back door. Momma raised her hand to knock but the door flew open.

"So there's my Rosy." Mrs. Smith bent over, snatched the dog from my arms, and glared at me with a mean look on her face. "What are you doing with my dog? Are you luring her over to your house?"

I mashed my lips together, jammed my fists on my hips, and stomped my foot. "Excuse me ..."

Momma patted my shoulder. "Mrs. Smith, my daughter hasn't done anything with your dog. She has been away at school all day. We found Rosy under our deck. Chloe heard her whimpering."

"So you say." Mrs. Smith whipped around back inside her house and shut the door.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "She didn't even say thank you."

Momma smoothed my hair and smiled. "That's okay. We did the right thing."

Later after supper, I overheard Momma telling Daddy about how rude Mrs. Smith was. I was swinging on my new swingset. I don't think Momma knew I could hear her.

Suddenly, Rosy appeared at my feet. She barked wildly, spinning around.

"You better go home."

The dog skittered away but turned back around, still barking in a high pitch. I stopped my swing. Rosy sprinted back to me and nudged my leg.

"What's wrong?" I slipped down from the swing seat and Rosy raced toward her house. I slowed but the little dog whirled around and barked frantically. "Okay." I jogged hesitantly up to Mrs. Smith's porch where Rosy had stopped.

Rosy whined. Mrs. Smith lay sprawled out on the porch floor. Her eyes were closed.

I hurried back to the edge of the yard. "Momma, Daddy, come quick. Something's wrong with Mrs. Smith."


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Chloe really likes her teacher, Mrs. Potts. Have you had a teacher you liked so much that you didn't want to go on to the next grade? Describe that teacher and the things you liked about her/him.

Chloe is upset that Mrs. Smith doesn't even thank her for returning Rosy. Momma tells her that they did the right thing. What did Momma mean?

Make a prediction. What do you think will happen next in the story?