Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Courage to Say No

   Tippy was a cute little Chihuahua puppy who liked to run around the back yard and play with his friend KiKi.  KiKi was a chipmunk who lived behind the garage.  Tippy ran into KiKi one morning when he was running from his master while he was playing.
   “Tippy! Tippy!” called KiKi as he came running around the garage.  “Where are you ?”
   “Hi KiKi!” shouted Tippy as he jumped off the back porch and went running across the yard to where KiKi stood near the garage. 

   “Come on,” said KiKi.  “Lets go play at the park with Snappy today.”
   “Oh, no,” said Tippy. “I can’t go there.  My master would be made at me if I left the yard.”
   “Come on Tippy,” begged KiKi.  “We can be back before he knows that you were gone.  I promise we will.”
   “I can’t KiKi,” said Tippy.  “It wouldn’t be nice to do what I’m not supposed to do.  He would me mad at me.  I don’t want my master mad at me.”
   “But I’m your friend,” said KiKi.  “Where’s your courage?  Come on please.”
   “I have plenty of courage,” answered Tippy. 
   “Then lets go to the park,” said KiKi.  “I promise that we will be back soon.  What are you afraid of?”
    Tippy sat and stared at the house for a while.  He didn’t know for sure what he should do.  He knew in his head that he shouldn’t make his master mad at him.  If he leaves the yard with KiKi, he would make him mad. If he stayed in the yard, KiKi for sure would think he was scared.
   “Come on Tippy,” aid KiKi.  “Come on chicken.”
   “I’m not afraid.  I have plenty of courage, but it is wrong to sneak off and make my master mad at me,” said Tippy.  “I have the courage I need to tell you NO.  I hope you will understand and will want to stay here and play with me.”
   KiKi thought about it a moment and answered,” I guess you are right Tippy.  Can we still be friends?  I like playing with you even if you can’t go to the park.”
   “Thanks KiKi,” said Tippy.  “When I grow up, I will be able to go to the park with you.”
   “That will be good,” said KiKi.  “I didn’t tell Snappy we were coming to play, so he won’t miss me today.  How long does it take for you to grow up?”
   “I don’t know,” said Tippy.  “I heard my master telling someone that I was just a baby, but he didn’t say how long it will take for me to grow up.”
   “Okay,” said KiKi.  “Maybe it won’t take long time.”
   “Maybe,” said Tippy.  “Are you grown up yet?”
   “I think so,” said KiKi.  “I don’t have anyone to tell me if I am or not.”
   “Oh, that’s sad,” said Tippy. “You are smaller than I am.  Maybe you are still a baby.”
   “I think I’m always going to be small,” said KiKi.  “I don’t think size has anything to do with it.”
   “Oh,” said Tippy.  “When I grow up, we will go play at the park.”
   The two decided that waiting for Tippy to grow up would be fine. Until that time, they would play together in Tippy’s back yard. 

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