the Apple Pie
Copyright 1999
All rights reserved. May not be used without permission.
He shook his head and then suddenly realized that Trixie was up the tree alone with Anna.
�Trixie!� he screamed. �Jump!� He spread his arms wide and the faithful fox obediently jumped into his arms. The force of it made him fall to the ground again. He lay there gasping with his arms around Trixie, his heart pounding and up above he heard Anna laughing. He was so mad and embarrassed and uncomfortable. He got to his feet, still holding Trixie and went inside. Jacob was in the living room, so he went into the bathroom and closed and locked the door. Here he could be alone. He took a long time. He made sure Trixie was all right and then he washed his hands several times. He found a brush and brushed his hair and then Trixie�s. Finally he left the bathroom after tasting Jacob�s mouth wash.
The hamburgers were still not finished, so Sam and Trixie snuck out to the car and got in. Sam turned on the radio and listened to his favorite Christian Rock Station. He smiled contentedly as he listened to the music and played with Trixie. He pretended to be playing the guitar as he bounced up and down. Then he held Trixie's paws and helped her clap to the music. Suddenly he heard a loud snicker and looked up. Anna was looked through the window at him!
Sam ducked behind his hair and sat perfectly still until she left. However, it wasn�t long before Dad opened the car door and said, �Sam come out and be sociable. The hamburgers are ready.�
Everyone was finding spots to sit in the grass to eat. Sam got a hamburger and smothered it in mustard and ketchup. Then he got a plain patty for Trixie. He was disappointed to see that the apple pie had not yet been cut. He decided he�d just have to come back for that.
Thankfully he was able to get settled with no trouble. Soon he was sitting comfortably in the tree eating his burger. Trixie eagerly ate her piece of meat.
When they finished the food, Sam was ready for some pie. He could see that nearly everyone already had apiece so he knew it had already been cut. Leaving Trixie in the tree, he bravely climbed down to see if he could sneak away with a piece. He cautiously snuck around behind the hedge and circled around the edge of the yard to the back door. He slipped in and was glad to see no one else was in the kitchen where the pie was. He found a paper plate and was just about to lift a large delicious piece of pie onto his plate when he heard footsteps right outside the door. He dropped on his hands and knees and crawled under the table. By the legs, he could see it was Anna. He waited nervously as he heard her call, �Sam! Where are you? I know you�re in here!�
Finally she left and he crawled out from under the table and served up the pie. Now there was only one piece left. He hoped Trixie was all right in the tree alone. He had to hide under the table once more when Mr. Jackson came in for pie.
Finally he managed to reach the tree again. His mouth was watering. The big piece of pie looked better and better every second. He could almost taste it. Now if he could just climb the tree with it he could enjoy it�that is Anna would let him eat in peace.
He precariously balanced the plate in his right hand as he began climbing upward. Finally he reached the top. He patted Trixie who was glad to see him and licked his hands eagerly.
�Don�t worry, girl. You know I�m going to share with you,� Sam said softly. He looked at the pie and licked his lips. Pie or desert of any kind was a rare treat for their family. �This is the only reason I came,� he said. �I�ve endured this whole torturous trip just for this piece of pie.�
Just then Anna�s voice startled him; �Didn�t you enjoy meeting me?� Her head popped up above the edge of the treehouse.
Sam began scooting away from her without a word. She reached out her hand towards him and he never knew what her intentions were, but her hand bumped his plate of pie right over the edge of the treehouse.
Sam didn�t say a word as his precious piece of pie disappeared over the edge. He just stared as if he couldn�t believe it.
