LISTEN, LISTEN story

The tricycle crossed back and forth like a snake, before coming to the edge of the campground.

Four-year old Colin halted suddenly, then looked around. Mom always said to check carefully before crossing the trailer park road.

“Wait, If any cars come,“ she told him this morning. So he patiently waited, just in case. All he could see was one parked on the other side of the road.

His feet now rested on his blue tricycle pedals.

Colin stared at the shiny old car. Daddy said it was an antique. The little boy did not know what that meant. Maybe he should drive his tricycle closer for a better look.

"Don't touch!" Mommy and daddy shouted from their camp cots.

Colin's hands flew to his face. He quickly turned his front wheel towards the gravel road. It was time to move again.

He was proud of his brand new shiny tricycle. Red handlebars and a white seat made up the rest of today's birthday present.

Riding around the trailer park was going to be great fun. He also had on his new blue rubber boots to keep his feet warm.

The little boy raised his head and listened to a new sound. A chattering came from the tree above him. "Hello Chatty," he said to his squirrel friend.

Colin told mommy and daddy he was going on a treasure hunt. But he didn't think 'Chatty' could be of much help. He just had to find it himself. And he had to do it before lunch.

Let's see now, where could it be? He noticed the next trailer had a birdhouse and feeder. Was his treasure hiding there?

He leaned his tricycle up against the clothesline pole. It was tall enough to discourage raccoons, but not determined little boys.

Colin carefully climbed up on his tricycle seat.

Then he reached in and felt around the stack of birdseed. The Chick-a-dees swooped around and convinced him to get down quickly.

"Nothing here," their flapping wings seemed to say. "Look somewhere else," their chick-a-dee-dee-dee song told him. Colin quickly slid down the pole and raced away on his tricycle.

Both feet became pistons as they turned the pedals furiously. He had to hurry past the next campsite. There was a scary dog guarding the lawn.

"RURF! RURF!" sounds followed Colin as he raced by.

Then something strange happened. His tricycle began to swing back and forth on the road. It seemed to have a mind all of its own.

Colin had a habit of scrunching up his nose when he became serious. He listened to music coming from the pretty blue trailer.

It sounded as if someone was dancing inside. Even their pretty flowers seemed to sway to the music.

Colin's fingers began tapping on his handlebars. Now his arms were waving around as if they belonged to a maestro.

Was this beautiful music the treasure? Colin wondered. He decided it wasn’t.

He followed the road around the corner sure that journey’s end was nearby. Colin was determined to find the treasure.

It had to be somewhere.

Was it possible for the treasure to be hiding in the playground? There were many secret places around here. First, he checked around the chairs in the rain shelter.

Then he climbed the ladder on the slide so his eyes could see everywhere. Now he was high up in the sky.

Colin yelled out, "CAW! CAW!" It was fun pretending to be a crow. Suddenly, the whole flock began answering. "CAW! CAAAW!"

One flew swiftly towards him from the trees as if it wanted to be friends.

Some of the crows were so huge they looked like 'Flying Houses'. Colin closed his eyes and listened to their calling sounds. He watched their flying games before returning to his tricycle.

Today was full of fun adventures.

By now both legs were getting tired. He had traveled a long way for such a little boy. He decided it was time to make his way back to the trailer.

What would mommy and daddy say when he returned without any success?

Hey, there's daddy watering the lawn. Now, where's mommy? He wondered. "MOMMY!"

She came out of the dining tent and gave him a great big hug. Then Colin turned his head sideways as he heard something. The kettle was boiling on the camp stove!

Could this be a clue?

"Find anything?" daddy asked.

Colin was feeling a little sad. He didn’t really want to answer right away.

Mommy leaned down and whispered, "Look in the dining tent. On the table, quickly."

He jumped off his tricycle and unzipped the nylon screen door. Then he rushed to the table. Colin felt his heart's happy 'THUMP, THUMPING'.

The boy’s eyes were opened wide as saucer plates. "Daddy, I found it!" he yelled. "A real treasure! Look! Peanut butter cookies!!"

He knew Mommy had baked them just for him.

They were Colin's favorite kind.

* * *

© Richard & Esther Provencher 1999

Co-authors Richard and Esther Provencher invite you to view their newest novel SOMEONE’S SON written during Richard’s recovery from a stroke, which gob-smacked him in 1999. It is a Young Adult novel dealing with a family crisis. http://www.synergebooks.com/ebook_someonesson.html