“Especially after today. Ruth Wright complained that I let some children go out without sweaters when it was sixty-five degrees instead of seventy. Is that all school has become: rules about sweaters and fire drills instead of teaching children to learn and grow?”
“It never will be with you around, honey,” he answered.
“She said I should put my suggestions in the suggestion box. Well, I have a suggestion for her!” Mrs. Brisbane was getting pretty heated.
“I suggest you come out and see my birdhouse,” he said. “And that afterward, we order some Chinese food and watch a movie.”
Mrs. Brisbane gave his cheek a little pinch. “You’re the smartest man I know,” she said.
Maybe Bert could figure out a way to get her to sign the contract.
The next morning, Mrs. Brisbane went shopping for new spring clothes. As soon as she left, Bert came to talk to me.
“Humphrey, I’ve got to go somewhere, and it just occurred to me that it would be a very good idea for you to come along.”
Since I am a hamster in a cage, people hardly ever take me with them when they go out. I’ve never been to a restaurant, a movie or a mall. I’ve never been bowling, skating or camping. Wherever Mr. Brisbane was going, I wanted to be with him.
“Let’s GO-GO-GO!” I said.
I didn’t know where we were GO-GO-GOING, but it was fun to be heading out with Mr. Brisbane. It took a while for him to get me, his wheelchair and himself in the car, but it was a beautiful day and I was excited to go somewhere new.
As he was driving, Mr. Brisbane said, “I didn’t ask for permission to bring you along today, but I’m counting on you to win them over.”
Win them over? When
didn’t
I win humans over? I just didn’t know which humans he meant. Because if one of them happened to be Mrs. Wright, I’d have to work pretty hard.
Suddenly, the car made a sharp right turn. “Welcome to Maycrest Manor,” Mr. Brisbane said. “Today we’re having a surprise party. And you, Humphrey, are the surprise!”
No one was more surprised than I was.
BREAK: Another good/bad thing. If you break your arm or a vase, it’s a bad thing. But a break in school is like a vacation, and vacations are definitely good things.
Humphrey’s Dictionary of Wonderful Words
A Day at Maycrest Manor
B efore we went inside, Mr. Brisbane covered my cage with a cloth. “Just for a few minutes, buddy,” he told me.
Still, I could peek out just enough to see that Maycrest Manor was a huge building with lots of tall windows, plants and trees. Inside, I saw people with canes and walkers and wheelchairs, and there were other people in colorful uniforms helping them out.
“Hi, Bert,” a friendly voice called out. “What have you got there?”
He lifted a corner of the cloth and said, “Joyce, meet Humphrey. He’s today’s entertainment.”
“Great! You can go right to the recreation room. We’ll bring in the folks in about five minutes.”
We took an elevator, which always makes my tummy feel queasy and uneasy, and then entered a great big room with chairs and tables all around. Mr. Brisbane wheeled us over to a table in the center.
“The people here are all trying to recover from illnesses and injuries so they can go back home again.I was here for a while last year, and they helped me a lot,” Mr. Brisbane explained. “Now I want to help them back. All you have to do is be yourself, Humphrey.” As if I could be anybody else!
Soon, the people in uniforms helped the people with canes and walkers and wheelchairs come in the room. I peeked out as they all gathered around the table. I was used to having giggly, wiggly children around me, but these were tired and serious faces.
“Okay, Bert. They’re all here,” the woman called Joyce said.
“Good morning,” said Bert in a cheerier-than-usual voice. “I brought you a visitor today. His name is Humphrey. I know how hard you all work at your exercises every day, so I thought maybe you’d
“It never will be with you around, honey,” he answered.
“She said I should put my suggestions in the suggestion box. Well, I have a suggestion for her!” Mrs. Brisbane was getting pretty heated.
“I suggest you come out and see my birdhouse,” he said. “And that afterward, we order some Chinese food and watch a movie.”
Mrs. Brisbane gave his cheek a little pinch. “You’re the smartest man I know,” she said.
Maybe Bert could figure out a way to get her to sign the contract.
The next morning, Mrs. Brisbane went shopping for new spring clothes. As soon as she left, Bert came to talk to me.
“Humphrey, I’ve got to go somewhere, and it just occurred to me that it would be a very good idea for you to come along.”
Since I am a hamster in a cage, people hardly ever take me with them when they go out. I’ve never been to a restaurant, a movie or a mall. I’ve never been bowling, skating or camping. Wherever Mr. Brisbane was going, I wanted to be with him.
“Let’s GO-GO-GO!” I said.
I didn’t know where we were GO-GO-GOING, but it was fun to be heading out with Mr. Brisbane. It took a while for him to get me, his wheelchair and himself in the car, but it was a beautiful day and I was excited to go somewhere new.
As he was driving, Mr. Brisbane said, “I didn’t ask for permission to bring you along today, but I’m counting on you to win them over.”
Win them over? When
didn’t
I win humans over? I just didn’t know which humans he meant. Because if one of them happened to be Mrs. Wright, I’d have to work pretty hard.
Suddenly, the car made a sharp right turn. “Welcome to Maycrest Manor,” Mr. Brisbane said. “Today we’re having a surprise party. And you, Humphrey, are the surprise!”
No one was more surprised than I was.
BREAK: Another good/bad thing. If you break your arm or a vase, it’s a bad thing. But a break in school is like a vacation, and vacations are definitely good things.
Humphrey’s Dictionary of Wonderful Words
A Day at Maycrest Manor
B efore we went inside, Mr. Brisbane covered my cage with a cloth. “Just for a few minutes, buddy,” he told me.
Still, I could peek out just enough to see that Maycrest Manor was a huge building with lots of tall windows, plants and trees. Inside, I saw people with canes and walkers and wheelchairs, and there were other people in colorful uniforms helping them out.
“Hi, Bert,” a friendly voice called out. “What have you got there?”
He lifted a corner of the cloth and said, “Joyce, meet Humphrey. He’s today’s entertainment.”
“Great! You can go right to the recreation room. We’ll bring in the folks in about five minutes.”
We took an elevator, which always makes my tummy feel queasy and uneasy, and then entered a great big room with chairs and tables all around. Mr. Brisbane wheeled us over to a table in the center.
“The people here are all trying to recover from illnesses and injuries so they can go back home again.I was here for a while last year, and they helped me a lot,” Mr. Brisbane explained. “Now I want to help them back. All you have to do is be yourself, Humphrey.” As if I could be anybody else!
Soon, the people in uniforms helped the people with canes and walkers and wheelchairs come in the room. I peeked out as they all gathered around the table. I was used to having giggly, wiggly children around me, but these were tired and serious faces.
“Okay, Bert. They’re all here,” the woman called Joyce said.
“Good morning,” said Bert in a cheerier-than-usual voice. “I brought you a visitor today. His name is Humphrey. I know how hard you all work at your exercises every day, so I thought maybe you’d
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