wanna read a childrens story i just found that i started about 5 years ago...this is the intial rough draft and i got bored after page three which is why i will never write a book. i am really practicing cutting and pasting and holy smoke it actually

Merrib­elle of Maybe Later Farm

I sat in the back seat of my parents car tapping my new UGLY shoes against my mothers seat.

“ For goodness sake! Merribelle, would you please stop that infernal thumping!â€

“ I HATE these shoes! Why can’t I have a pair of Baby Janes like everyone else.â€

I heard my mother sigh with impatience, “ You know very well you have to wear corrective shoes. They’re not ugly, they’re a good, sturdy shoe, theyâ€ll last for a long time.â€

Oh great, I’ll be wearing these horrid things for the rest of my life. I know why I have to wear them, I have one leg that is ¾â€™s of an inch shorter than the other leg. Big deal. You can’t tell by looking at me. And what was my mother doing anyway measuring my legs to make sure they were the same. No one elses mother measure their legs, how come my mom couldn’t just leave me alone! Plus that’s another reason I’m mad. She’s dumping me off on this stupid farm for the summer. My brother and sisters aren’t getting sent to some stupid farm for their vacation. They all get to stay at home and be with their friends. She likes them better than me. She’s always “ for goodness saking meâ€! And NONE of them EVER had to wear corrective shoes, betcha she didn’t measure their legs even to check! My sisters all have to wear braces though, and one sister has a retainer. But I’d rather wear braces like most other kids than stupid UGLY corrective shoes all by myself. I’m going to get them all smeared with cow poo so I don’t have to wear them to school in the fall.

“ Any way sweetie, you don’t have to wear them during the summer, these are your good shoes for school. I bought you a pair of gum boots for the farm.â€

“What are gum boots? Are they like those really cool go-go boots that cousin Sue has?â€

“ Goodness Merribelle, those things are silly, gum boots are good sturdy black rubber boots just perfect for mucking around on a farm.â€

Oh even better, black rubber boots and red polka-dot shorts, I hope the cows don’t die laughing.

“How come I can’t stay home with you? I don’t want to stay way up here on that icky farm.â€

“ My goodness Merribelle you make it sound like a punishment! This is a treat, any child would be thrilled to be able to spend their summer on a farm, for goodness sake what is wrong with you!â€

That’s it, she’s getting mad. I’m not saying another word until me and my rubber boots get to that farm. I may not even say good bye to her, serve her right! Besides I have to figure out another way to get rid of those horrible shoes before school starts. I know! I’ll hide them down is the basement of that old farmhouse. I’ll close my eyes when I hide them so when they ask me where those ugly shoes are I can say dunno and it’s not a lie. Plus I never took the shoes out of the house so I can’t get in trouble for that either.

“ Look dear, we’re coming up to the border crossing.â€

“How come you’re sending me to a different country anyway, I want to go to a farm in New York.â€

“We don’t have any friends that have a farm in New York. Evie has been a very dear friend of mine since I was a little girl. Besides Canada is not really like going to a different country, it’s just across the lake from home.â€

“We do so have friends with a farm, Mr. and Mrs. Moyes have a farm and it’s real close to home. They have a barn and everything.â€

“ For goodness sake ! the Moyes are in their 80’s and their barn is empty and falling down.â€

“Sooo? It’s still a farm and it’s in New York.â€

“That’s enough Meribelle, if you can’t be grateful then just be quiet.â€

Fine. I will be quiet, I won’t ever talk again!

As we pull close to the border gates a big, tall man in a funny uniform steps up to our car and sticks his head through my mothers window.

“ Hello M’am, little lady. Where you folks heading today?†After my mother finishes explaining that I am spending my summer on the farm of her very dear friend, the man winks at me and smiles. “Where were you folks born?†he asks.

My mother tells him she was born in Wilkie Saskatchewn and I was born in New York.

“ I was born in Johnson City, New York, our house is on Third Street, right next to the great big bank.†I tell him proudly. My mother whispers to him†she means an embankment.â€

“Yeah and at the bottom there is a big field and across the field are railroad tracks and on the other side of the tracks is Indy-O. But we’re never allowed to go over there cuz it’s very dangerous except my brother sneaks over there and catches great big carp fish. He brought one home and made me stay in the basement and watch it but it jumped off the bench and scared me so I ran away.†OOPS! My brother is going to kill me. My mother looks mad.

“Well, you have fun on the farm and don’t forget to wear your cowboy bootsâ€.

“I don’t have cowboy boots, my mom bought me dum boots instead. My mother quickly said†GUM boots†as we drove away.

“I thought that man was nice†I say just to check how mad she is.

My mother just said “mmmmm.â€

I decided to have a nap for awhile.

When I woke up we were driving down a shady, dirt road. Soon my mother turned the car through a set of gates. We drove under an old worn sign hanging low on one side, the sign said “MAYBE LATER FARMâ€

We went over a metal thing my mother called a “cattle guard†and continued down a long dim drive that was surrounded by huge trees. They stood in a perfect line like soldiers in a parade. Soon we drove around a bend and the air opened up as beautiful green fields lay on each side of the drive.

“Look mom! There’s a black and white pony. Oh, look there are real big horses over there!â€

“Yes dear there are lot’s of animals on this farm.â€

At the end of the drive there was an old white 2 story farmhouse with a huge verandah circling the entire house. As we got closer, I could see the paint was peeling along the porch. On the side of the house fresh white sheets swayed in the breeze. Two big dogs came racing to the car barking and wagging their tails. As my mother stopped the car. I heard her take a deep breath and then she said, “well, here we are.â€

I quickly scrambled from the car and knelt down in the gravel driveway to greet the dogs. They both gave big wet kisses and they smelled warm and sweet, like hay.

“ For goodness sake get out of the dust, you’re getting your new shoes all dirty!†my mother exclaimed. As I clambered to my feet a boy with shocking red hair and about a year younger than me, came racing down the porch steps shouting “theyâ€re here.†He skidded to a stop in front of us and gasped “Hi I’m Sam, get back Buck and Cleo, move off, give them room for gosh sakes.†These are our dogs, Buck, andâ€

“Cleo,†I finished for him.

“Ah yeah,†he said turning red.

“Hello Sam, where is your mother?†inquired my mother in her very polite voice.

“ Oh, Mum’s in the kitchen and my dad’s still out in the back field.â€

“Well, come along you two let’s go in the house.â€

Sam and I fell in behind my mother and followed her up the porch steps and into the house. We walked into a bight sunny kitchen the smelled like freshly baked bread.

“Hello Evie.†I heard my mother whisper. She was blocking my view so I couldn’t see past her.

“Oh Helen, there you are!, it was starting to get dark and I was worried.â€

My mother bent down to hug a tiny lady in a wheelchair. “It’s so nice to see you again.†I heard her sweet soft voice murmer.

As my mother stood up, she said,†This is my daughter Merribelle, Evie.â€