Kids Story -- Arthur's Hat

 Kids Story -- Arthur's Hat
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Arthur and the other boys went to Konklin Park to play soccer. Just as they do every Friday after school before going home.
With hats on their heads and coats unzipped,they ran noisily through the Park entrance. "Hold-up guys!" called out Arthur, huffing and puffing behind them. He often got teased about his chubbiness,and inability to run as fast as the other boys.

"Aw c'mon Arthur,your holding up the game"shouted Billy, already way ahead at their game spot. Pete and Tommmy took up their places as goalies. Having caught his breath,he quickly tossed his hat onto a nearby bench before joining his team.They played more than one game by the time they were ready to go home.
As usual his clothes were filthy, but this time his team won. Billy's team had lost,and Billy wasn't wearing that annoying 'I won AGAIN' look. Which made todays win all that much better.

As Arthur entered his apartment,something smelled really good. "What's for dinner,mom?". "Chicken and dumplings" she said,before turning around to look at him. "Arthur,where's your hat??". Arthur put his hand on his head,surprised it wasn't there. "I must have forgotten it in the park,I'll go back and get it". He couldn't believe he had forgotten his lucky hat, the one Nanna had made for him for Christmas! She had made it specially for him,in his favorite colors. He ran back as fast as he could,but when he got there,the hat was gone..................

...............A man with a new puppy in his arms, had cut through the park on his way home to surprise his little girl. She is going to be so happy he thought, with a smile. I sure wish I had thought to bring a blanket, it's kind of chilly today. The poor little puppy shivered slightly. He didn't dare to put the puppy inside his trenchcoat,as he was afraid he'd slip right out of it.
He started walking a little faster. Then he saw the hat lying on the bench. He looked around,but no one was there. He picked up the hat,and sure enough,the puppy fit perfectly inside of it. The man was pleased to see the puppy stop shivering. When he got inside his apartment building,he dropped the hat into the lobby's lost and found box,before catching the elevator up...............

......... Monday, a boy from another apartment checked the lost and found box for his lost hat. It wasn't there. But Arthur's was. the boy took it anyway. He needed one as his were always coming up missing. It seemed that he just couldn't keep one. He ran to the bus stop just in time to catch the bus. At recess he sat on a swing,slowly moving. "Hey Farley,where'd you get that ugly hat?" yelled Tim Jones. Tim was a pest,always starting trouble. "From your mama,she loves me more than you" Farley shot back. "You take that back!" Tim said agrily,as he yanked the hat off and threw it on the ground.  With the fighting and the cheering onlookers,they didnt see the teacher untill he had grabbed Tim by the collar. He marched them both to the principles office. The hat lay forgotten on the playground. At the end of the day another boy had found it and put it in the lost and found....................

.......Two weeks later,since the hat hadn't been claimed,it was now free to be taken. Those were the rules of the lost and found. Suzy had waited patiently hoping it wouldnt be claimed. And it hadn't. She was so happy when she put her new hat on her head and preened in front of the bathroom mirror. She thought it looked great with her blonde curls and blue eyes. Her jealous little monster of a sister can stew about it,she won't be allowed to borrow it. At least not for awhile anyway. "Thats a nice new hat,"complimented her mother when she picked her up. "Is that from the lost and found too?". "Yep",replied a happy Suzy. When they got home,of course her sister had to try it on. "But it doesn't leave the house with you,O.K.?" she asked Lola. "O.K." Lola agreed.

The next day,Suzy had a play-date in the park with Tessa. "It looks really good on you Tessa" Suzy complimented. Before Tessa could hand it back a boy had grabbed it. "You better give that back",warned Suzy. "Or what?"he mocked. "You'd just better".
"I don't have it." he said as he tossed it to his friend. "Neither do I" said his friend,tossing it back to him. Each time they tossed it they made sure it was too high for Suzy to catch it. Then one of them tossed it up into a tree. They both laughed and ran off. It was too high for Tessa's dad to get when he returned with the cider. Suzy had to go home with out it...............

.............. A Jogger in a pink outfit stretched at a bench before starting her usual route through the park. She stopped for a minute to drink some water. As she replaced the cap on the bottle,something wet fell on her head. Her head and neck were really wet,before she heard the plop of whatever it was hitting the ground. It had really startled her. Looking down she saw a very soaked hat. She looked up. It must have fallen from the tree. It had turned warm the last few days,the melting snow must have wetted it. Some kid probably took it from another and threw it up there,she guessed. She picked it up and wrung it out. Continuing on her jog, she left the hat draped over a fence spike by the enterance,as she left the Park........................


........The afternoon sun warmed and dried the hat. Arthur and his pals went to the park to play soccer.  Arthur could hardly believe his eyes when he found it on the fence spike. "I told you it's my lucky hat,see,it came back to me.".........

THE END
 April 2, 2011