The Wagon Ride

“Hey Jake!” called Midge as she and Booker-T strolled up the sidewalk to the front porch where Jake was sitting on the swing.

“Hey you two,” said Jake.

“Hi Jake,” said Booker-T.

“Want to go to the big zoo?' laughed Jake.

“Oh no!” said Midge. “Do you really want to go to the big zoo again?”

“No,” said Jake. “I was kidding. I think it is too much trouble trying to go across town.”

“I think you are right,” smiled Midge. “We have a nice little zoo right here we can go see the animals.”

“It was a nice ride to the zoo,” said Booker-T. “But I don't want to get taken to a pound with cages if they catch us. I think it is safer for us to stay here close to home.”

“What do you want to do today?” asked Midge.

“Do you want to go to the skateboard ramp?” asked Jake.

“What are we going to do over there?” asked Midge. “We can't ride a skateboard and we don't have one.”

“Lets ride the wagon down the hill,” said Jake. “That would be fun.”

“Okay,” said Midge. “We will have to go to my house to get the wagon.”

“Do you think it will be safe to rid the wagon down the ramp?” asked Booker-T. “You might get hurt.”

“I'll jump out of the wagon,” said Midge. “I will do good.”

“Okay,” said Jake. “Lets go.”

The three hurried through the gate and quickly made their way along the sidewalk to Midge's house. When they entered the gate, Midge hurried to the back yard to get the wagon. As she pulled it around to the front of the house, Jake was starting to walk to the back yard.

“Where are you going?” asked Midge.

“Lets go say hi to Snappy before we go,” suggested Jake.

“I'm coming too,” said Booker-T as he followed Jake.

Midge dropped the handle of the wagon and followed Jake into the house through the doggie door.

As they entered the living room, Jake called out to Snappy. “Hey Snappy!”

Snappy was napping on the small rock in his tank. “Hi you guys,” he said as he poked his head up and saw them coming across the room. “What are you doing?”

“We are going to the skateboard ramp but wanted to say hi to you first,” said Jake.

“What are you going to do at the ramp?” asked Snappy.

“I'm going to ride the wagon down the ramp,” smiled Midge.

“Don't you think that is dangerous?” asked Snappy. “You know what happened when you rode that skateboard.”

“The wagon will be safer,” said Midge. “Don't you think?”

“I only know what you told me about falling off the skateboard,” laughed Snappy.

“You were lucky you didn't get hurt,” said Jake. “Do you want to try the wagon?”

“I will if you do,” said Midge.

“We are going to try,” said Jake.

“Be careful,” said Snappy as the three turned to leave.

“We will be careful,” agreed Booker-T.

They said good-bye to Snappy and hurried through the doggie door. They walked along the sidewalk with Jake pulling the wagon. “Whew, this wagon is heavier than I remembered,” said Jake.

Midge turned around and started to laugh. Standing in the middle of the wagon stood Booker-T. “You have a passenger,” laughed Midge.

Jake stopped walking and turned to see Booker-T standing in the wagon. “What are you doing?” asked Jake. “You are heavy.”

“I'm just a little guy,” said Booker-T. “I was tired.”

“Can I ride in the wagon now?” asked Jake. “You and Midge can pull it.”

“Oh!” said Booker-T. “But you are really big.”

“Me!” said Midge. “You are bigger than I am Jake.”

“Lets go to the ramp,” smiled Jake. “You can stay in the wagon if you want, Booker-T.”

“Thanks Jake,” said Booker-T as he leaped out of the wagon. “I'll walk the rest of the way.”

They got to the skateboard ramp and stood staring at the top of the ramp. “How are we going to get the wagon up there?” asked Booker-T.

“Can you pull it up the steps?” asked Midge.

“Oh sure,” said Jake as he started toward the steps pulling the wagon. “It should be easy.”

He slowly started up the steps, one at a time. Thump thump thump went the wagon as he climbed the steps to the top. He pulled hard to get it up the steps. When he reached the top, he turned around and the wagon went rolling down the ramp and up the other side and then at the bottom of the second ramp, it flipped over and laid there on the ground.

“Oh my!” said Midge. “What happened?”

“I turned around the wagon slid down the ramp,” said Jake staring at the wagon laying at the bottom of the ramp.

“Wow,” said Booker-T. “That wagon went down really fast.”

“I wanted to ride it down,” sighed Midge. “Will you pull it back up the steps for me?”

“You want to ride it down the ramp?” asked Jake. “You might get hurt Midge.”

“If I am sitting in the wagon,” said Midge. “Maybe it won't turn over. I'm heavy you know.”

Jake walked down the steps and got the handle of the wagon and Midge and Booker-T helped him turn it back onto its wheels. He pulled it back up the steps. Thump thump thump went the wagon as he pulled it up each step to the top. Midge followed behind him.

“Hold the handle,” said Midge. “You can let go when I sit down in the wagon.”

“Are you ready?” asked Jake.

“Okay Jake,” said Midge. “Let go of the handle.”

Jake let go and the wagon went racing down the ramp. Midge was yelling, “Wheeee!” Suddenly the wagon went up the other side and came rolling backwards to the bottom of the ramp. Midge was laughing.

“That was fun!” said Midge. “Do you want to try Booker-T?”

“Okay,” said Booker-T as Midge grabbed the handle and started to pull it up the hill for him. At the top, Booker-T climbed in the wagon and Midge let go. The wagon raced down the ramp and across the bottom and up the other side. It got about half way up the hill and rolled backwards to the bottom. Booker-T was breathing hard until it came to a stop.

“That was so much fun,” said Booker-T. “Now it's your turn Jake.”

Jake pulled the wagon to the top and Midge held the handle while he climbed in. The wagon raced down the ramp and at the bottom it stopped. “I think you are too heavy Jake,” said Booker-T.

“That was fun,” said Jake. “Now I'm hungry. Lets go home.”

They agreed and with Jake pulling the wagon, they slowly walked back to Midge's house where they found something to eat.