This story is for my little friend "Jacob"with love..
There once were to boys..Johnny and Tommy..they were best of friends..and Tommy loved to go see his Aunt who lived and owned a large farm..but he never could get his mom to take any of his friends along since his Aunt was an older woman and sickly..
The boys were always together..went to church together..and school as well..and they both were on the soccer team..and always loved to play sports..football..basketball..and baseball..they said when they grew up they would like to have a sports shop and vowed they would do this one day..
In time Tommy's Aunt got very ill..and in a few months there was sad news that his Aunt has gone to heaven to be with Jesus..
Tommy's mom was going to get the farm..well this was great in Tommy's thoughts..he loved the farm..and the cows..chickens..
pigs..
and horses
that were there..his Aunt always had a farm hand or two to do all the chores..and this even made for more time for Tommy to play and roam the country land around the house..where he saw small little animals like squirrels..rabbits..quail..and ducks..there were all kinds of birds..
and he loved to go to the pond on the land where he could see the frogs jumping in and out of the water..
Sometimes he would even catch a glimpse of a fish swimming around in the pond..
but he was not always to lucky to catch one.
The day Tommy told his friend Johnny that he was going to have to move to the farm..they both said that when summer came they would see what they could do about Johnny staying for the summer..what a fantastic time they both would have..
The few months of school were over now and Tommy was dead set on Johnny staying the summer..with much preparation and doing all his chores..he did finally persuade his mom and dad to let Johnny come for the three months during summer for his vacation..ohhhh Tommy was so excited..
When Tommy and his mom went to the train station to meet Johnny the two boys were so happy to see each other..and were so pleased with being together they both just kept talking all the way home..Tommy telling of all the things he had done while away from Johnny and then of course Johnny had to tell that everyone sure did miss him..and gave him letters all his friends had written..it sure was a great day!!
The first night that Johnny was there he and Tommy spent the night in the hay loft way up in the barn..with soft home made blankets..and over the straw it was really cozy and warm..and although it was not hot or cool out right now.. nights in the country did get a little cooler..
They talked and talked..and played hand held video games..by the night light his dad had made for them..and ate chips and drank soda's and had a good time..this was great..
The next day Tommy showed Johnny all the cool places he knew..and all the cute little animals he saw all the time..they ate apples..and fresh grapes from the backyard grapevines..and pears from the pear tree.."this is really something Johnny was saying..I never knew it was like this..I thought you had to work on the farm and never did have time to enjoy yourself".."Oh I have some things I have to do but we can do those later..your my guest now for awhile..and anyway mom and dad have old Sam and Bob to do most of the things that have to be done around here"..
They were walking down in the back pastures now..just throwing rocks and playing around when they heard something..standing real still..again they heard something.."Tommy looked at Johnny and said.."I'm not really sure about this..but I think there is a little bear in trouble..I mean I have heard those little bear cubs before..with my dad.. when we went bear hunting once or twice a year"..
So the two boys walked ever so quietly until they went around a little bend in the hollow..and there it was..the cutest little bear cub sitting on the ground in a field of daisy's..
He was just so scared and lost..but where was the mother bear..if she were around and they tried to move or take the little bear and she found out they would really be in for it..
Hating not to take the bear..but knowing they should not they started back for home..while talking about there new adventure and seeing the little bear..they heard something behind them...what was that...looking they saw the cute little bear just bouncing along the way right behind them..well they sure could not have this..cute or not..both boys started running..well the little bear ran just as hard as his little legs would carry him..with both the boys laughing and near out of breath they jumped the back fence to the farm and went into the house..
"Mom..hey mom where are you Tommy was saying"..."I'm here in the kitchen his mom said".."Well boys.. so how has your day been"..and before they could hardly explain they heard all this racket..and going to the back door..there on the porch was the little black bear..sitting right in the middle of the porch..playing with apples out of the buckets which were put back for canning..well what would they do..
They tried to run him off by banging pots and pans together since that was the old way if a bear came to close to your house..shouting..and yelling go away..nothing worked..Tommy's mom explained that the bear's mom was probably hurt or worse..and he was hungry..and just let him have the apples..and he would go on his way..
The next morning much to there dismay the little bear was gone..and although they knew that he could not stay there at their home it sure was nice to actually see a cute little black bear..as the years went by and the boys grewup and had families of their own..they still stayed in touch visiting now when they could and bringing their family's to the farm.. Ever so often..they would catch a glimpse of a big black bear roaming out in the back fields where the apple orchard was..both wondered if it was the little black bear they had seen when they were younger boys..it was a nice thought to think maybe it was...
By Kyusha��1999