*All ages
Bobby
By Milly
"Moms, it’s not fair!" 6-year-old Bobby Belden wailed as he watched his sister leave to go on yet another trip, this time to Idaho to go camping with their cousins.
"Bobby, it’s OK. We might go into White Plains tomorrow, would you like that?"
Bobby gave up; it was always something. He tried to look cheerful. "Yes, Moms, that sounds great."
"That’s my boy. Now why don’t you go outside and see what Reddy’s up to?" Mrs Belden looked at her son and smiled
"OK," Bobby yelled and ran out the back door.
Helen Belden watched her youngest child run out the door, thinking how fast they all grow up, and wondering if this boy would turn out being easier to handle than his sister. She sighed and went back to her cooking. He’s probably just lonely.
Meanwhile, Bobby was running through the woods on his way to his favorite little place. It was a really big old hollowed out tree that he could hide in whenever the mood took him, but he was still close enough to hear when his mother called.
Bobby sat down. It isn’t fair, Trixie and Mart and Brian get to go everywhere, and I get silly little nothings while they all leave me by myself so that they can go have fun. Bobby watched as the trees swayed in the wind, and thought about all the times he had been left at home when Trixie got to go somewhere. What about when her and Honey went on that silly trailer trip to find Jim. Mart and Brian were away, they even took Reddy with them, and they probably didn’t even realise I was here by myself. Bobby sighed, was he really that horrible to spend time with? Then there was Arizona, at Christmas and all, left me by myself at Christmas – ‘I had to wait for Santa’, I even begged to go on that trip. Of course that was followed closely by a trip to Iowa – Happy Valley farm, but no, I couldn’t go on that either! Then they go to visit Uncle Andrew in the Ozarks – did I go NO!!!!!!! Bobby realised he had tears running down his face, he wiped them away roughly. Big boys don’t cry, and he WAS a big boy, no matter what the bigger kids said, or did! Cobbett's Island – another one I was too little to go on. I even packed my stuff to go on that trip, but no, I wasn’t big enough to go to Cobbett's Island, but I was big enough to ‘take care of Reddy and feed the chickens and look after Moms and Daddy.’ They even offered to bring me a present – don’t they realise it’s not the same! Then there was Virginia, and St Louis, It's just not fair!!!! Bobby then realised his mother was calling him. He quickly picked himself up off the ground and ran towards the farm. "Yeah, Moms," he panted as he raced in the back door
"Bobby, could you please go up to the Manor House and take this to Regan?" his mother asked, handing him a small package.
Bobby looked at the package and nodded. "Sure, Moms."
Bobby was walking up to Manor House, and his sad thoughts came back to him. Mead’s Mountain, I could have had lots of fun there with my sled, but no I’m too young, then they HAD to leave straight after Christmas. I was all on my own for the Christmas holidays ‘but I had my new toys to play with!’ augh. I wish I was a big kid too, they get all the fun! Bobby was crying again, this time his vision was so blurred that he nearly tripped over a big rock, he wiped his eyes and continued to trudge up the Hill. Trixie and Mart even went to ENGLAND!! Honey and Jim got to go too, I never get to go anywhere, and they get to go overseas! Why do I have to be the littlest! Bobby stopped and looked around him. He was almost at the stables, and maybe he would spend some time with Regan. Regan always had time and riddles for him. Except when he went away too, and then Trixie and Honey went away ,and Mart and Brian and Jim were all at camp, Dan was here but he was too busy doing his job and keeping an eye on the stables to visit me much, I only saw him once. They all go to Saratoga and what do I get, Honey promises me a souvenir – whatever that is, and then laughs when I ask for a present instead, and then Celia took me to White Plains to do her shopping!
Bobby reached the stables. "Regan, Regan!!" Bobby called out, then he heard Tom, the chauffeur, behind him.
"Bobby, Regan has gone into town and he won’t be back for a while."
Bobby’s face fell. "Oh, Moms wanted me to give this to him." Bobby said, holding out the package for Regan.
"That’s OK, Bobby, I’ll give it to him," Tom said, reaching out for the package.
Bobby handed Tom the package. "Tom, can you tell me a riddle?"
Tom looked at Bobby. "I’d love to Bobby, but I’m in a bit of a rush, I promised Celia I would take her into White Plains to see the dentist. Maybe later."
Bobby was disappointed but he didn’t want to show it. "OK then. Bye!" Bobby yelled running down the hill towards his house.
I don’t get it, nobody wants me around anymore, I wasn't even allowed to go visit Knut and Cap and Hallie when the Bob-Whites went camping with them, and they are my cousins too! It’s not fair! They probably only spend time with me because they have to, they probably don’t like me at all!
"Bobby! Bobby!" Bobby heard his name being called out. He turned around. It was Dan; he was riding his old horse Spartan.
"Hello, Dan."
Dan smiled at him. Dan hadn’t gone to Idaho with everyone else. "Bobby, how are you?" Dan asked
Bobby put a lot of effort into looking cheerful. "I’m really good, thank you."
"That’s good. Are you busy?"
Bobby didn’t want Dan to think he had nothing to do without his brothers and sister around. "Yeah, I’m helping Moms."
"Oh, that’s a shame," Dan said sadly.
"Why?" Bobby blurted out
"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to help me check that everything is OK in the preserve, and then I was going to shout you dinner at Wimpy’s, you know, a boys' afternoon, ‘cos I am really lonely and bored, and I could use some company." Dan smiled
"Well…. I guess I could ask Moms." Bobby brightened a bit.
"Please. I would really like you to come with me."
At that Bobby took off down the hill. Maybe they do like me, ‘cos Dan doesn’t HAVE TO spend time with me, he just chose to. "Moms! Moms!" Bobby called as he raced in the door.
Mrs Belden turned around sharply, and thinking something was wrong she asked, "What’s happened Bobby? What's wrong?"
Bobby just grinned. "Nothing is wrong, Moms. Can I go help Dan, please, and then go to Wimpy's for dinner with him? PLEASE, Moms!"
Mrs Belden smiled. Good old Dan! Then she nodded her head "You’d better go and get changed then. You can’t go out dressed like that." But Bobby was half way up the stairs before she finished her sentence.
Just then Dan sauntered in the back door. "Hello, Mrs Belden, I’m assuming Bobby has already told you what I asked him."
"Yes, Dan, he has, Thank you for doing this. I know he gets lonely when Trixie and Mart and Brian go away."
"I understand, I get left behind, too. I’ll have him home nice and early." Dan grinned
Two minutes later Bobby came bolting down stairs ready to go. Dan picked him up, carried him out and sat him up on Spartan, then he climbed up behind him, and they rode off into the woods.
The End