Tug Baker and the Big Bamboo (F)

Just after his morning cereal, Tug Baker first saw the bamboo growing next to the chicken coop. One small green shoot, about as big as a drawing pencil.

Tug filled the water bowls for the chickens and went back up to the house. Next he filled the water bowls for the dogs, Macy and Lacy. 

Just one more chore, then he could explore what the day would bring. Tug poured more sand in the little sandbox for the twins to play in later that morning.

Tug looked back down the hill. He looked again. Was that the bamboo, now almost as tall as him?  He trotted down to the growing shoot. Well, more than a shoot now. As thick as his arm.

He looked around. No, no one else there. He reached out and wrapped his fingers around the bamboo.

“Wow!” Tug jumped back. The bamboo grew another 4 feet just like that.

Tug scratched his head. What to do next?

“Here goes!” He grabbed the bamboo again. The bamboo shot up 8 feet and was as thick as the barrel of his mother’s softball bat.

Now Tug could see this could be an adventure, and he liked adventures.

Tug leaned forward and bravely grabbed the bamboo with both hands.

“Yippee!” Tug called out. The bamboo again grew 8 feet and lifted him right off the ground. He wrapped his legs around the bamboo cane.

Each time he squeezed the bamboo, up, up, up it grew. Now he was looking down on the chicken coop. The clucking chickens were looking up at him. Barking, the dogs came running out to see what was going on.

Another squeeze, his legs wrapped tight, and farther he went toward the clouds.

“Wow, wow, wow!” Tug smiled his biggest smile. He could see the mail truck coming up the street. He could see Mr. Dixon mowing his front lawn. He could see his friend Nick’s house.

“Higher!” And higher he went. Two robins flew around him. A crow went winging by.

Now Tug could see the whole neighborhood like a toy village below him.

About this time, Tug’s mother came out to look for him. She had the twins, Mary and Carrie, one on each hip.

“Tug!” she called.

No answer.

“Tug!” a little louder.

Still, no answer.

“Tug Baker! Where are you?” She looked around and then she saw it, the giant bamboo, like a new tree that popped up out of nowhere.

She set the twins down in the sandbox.

Once she got down to the bamboo, she of course looked up.

Tug was now so high he could see the 7-Eleven and Arby’s and Bojangles and Highland Water Park and Thomas Smith Elementary School.

“What in the world!” his mother yelled. “Tug! Tug Baker! You get down right now!”

Tug heard his mother and called down, “Hey, Mom, look at me!”

“I am looking at you, Mister!  You get down now!”

“It’s okay, Mom. I’m holding on real tight.”

“Theodore Anthony Baker! Right! Now! This! Second!”

Now it’s very important to know when your mother is serious. And Tug knew she was very serious. Her arms were folded and one foot was tapping the ground.

“Okay, okay, I’ll come down. Promise!”

Each time Tug dropped down, the bamboo got a little shorter. A little farther down, a little shorter.

Before he knew it, he was just above the roof’s top. His mother was still waiting, foot still tapping.

Almost there, back on the ground.

 

“Tug. Tug. Tug, wake up. Sleepy head,” his mother said. “Time to get up.”

Tug put his feet on the floor and stretched out his arms. “Ouch!” His arm muscles were so tired. Like he had been climbing or something all night long.

But he was hungry for his morning cereal and the chores were waiting for him, too.