BENJAMIN'S BIG MOON SECRET (Word Count 1431) (standard:adventure, 1417 words)
Author: Rosie Jay	Added: Oct 18 2006	Views/Reads: 3609/2349	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
With his bigger-than-life imagination, Benjamin loves to play at pretending. One weekend, it all backfires as he tries to undo a problem he's created.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

in thin air?  Did aliens take it?  Oh, if only that were true, how nice 
it would be!  The only thing true, however, was that the brand new golf 
putter had vanished—simply vanished—and for that he had no explanation 
at all.  No matter how much he wished it to be, he simply could not 
imagine or pretend his way to an answer. 

How hard he thought.  Whatever could he do?  But he had no choice at
all.  He would have to tell Dad what happened, and with very good 
intention, he bravely opened the back door and went inside. 

But, by then, Dad was too busy painting.  Maybe now was not a good time.
 Maybe there was still time.  After all, it was still early in the day 
and he could still find that putter—couldn’t he? 

But no way did that happen.  With Sparky at his heels, all day long he
was in and out.  He wondered, he worried, the whole long afternoon.  
Not a word of it did he mention through Dad's quick homemade chili 
supper or even later, while they watched the Michigan-Ohio State 
football game on TV. Before he knew it, bedtime arrived and he had kept 
it all inside.  It sure was a good thing Dad was too busy to notice how 
awful he really felt. 

But, as he headed for the stairs, he felt a hand on his shoulder. 
“Benjie, what’s wrong?” Dad curiously asked. 

“Uh...nothing, Dad. Why?” 

“Well, you weren’t yourself today, hardly touched my incredible chili,
didn’t care about the football game and paid no attention to Sparky at 
all.  Were you going to bed without saying goodnight, too?” 

Now was the time to let it all out, but all Benjamin did was stare at
the blue paint-spot on Dad’s nose.  Then, just as he was about to 
muster some courage, Dad spoke again, this time very softly. 

“If you’re missing Mom, I’m missing her, too, Benjie.  But she’ll be
home before you know it.”  He yawned, and then he smiled.  “Goodnight, 
son,” he said. 

Benjamin managed a weak smile back.  He missed yet another perfect
opportunity—but then again, maybe not.  Dad would worry for sure, just 
like him, and it was too late for that.  No sense in both of them not 
getting a good night’s sleep. 

“I’m okay, Dad,” he muttered.  “Goodnight back.” 

Up the stairs he trudged with Sparky at his heels.  He washed his face
and brushed his teeth.  Tomorrow was a new day.  He would tell Dad 
everything. 

Sadly, Benjamin looked out again at another starry-night sky.  How
beautiful it was, still so very crisp and bright.  Silvery moonbeams 
came shedding down, lighting the whole backyard with pearly glow. 

Hey, what was that?  Something sparkled down at the furthest corner,
almost—just almost—hidden behind the big blue spruce tree! 

Taking a longer, closer look, Benjamin’s heart soared with joy! 
”Sparky, it’s the putter!  All this time...and it was you all along, 
wasn’t it?”  He was so happy, he forgot about craters.  “Thank you, 
thank you, Mr. Moon!” he cried. 

At that very moment, a gusty breeze swooshed hard through the window,
making the curtains dance.  “You’re welcome, Benjamin,” it seemed to 
say.  Even with his great big, super-sized imagination Benjamin was 
truly amazed.  “Ooh, it just couldn’t be—or could it?” he gasped. 

Suddenly, right then, Dad walked in on all the commotion and turned on
the light.  “What’s going on?” he asked. 

Benjamin said not a word at first, but his eyes were filled with
excitement.  Now was the time—the absolute perfect time—to let it all 
out.  So, out they tumbled, every word, every single detail, about his 
whole troubling day—except, of course, for what he’d just heard—that 
“your-welcome-Benjamin” part.   When he finally finished he took a deep 
breath—and waited. 

At first all was quiet.  Then Dad did a surprising thing.  He laughed,
so hard that Benjamin started up, too.  When they finally stopped, Dad 
gave him a hug.  “You’ve had quite a day, son, but I’m proud of you for 
telling me,” he said.  “Next time, though, just ask for the putter, 
okay?  Then we’ll both keep an eye on it.”  He was still chuckling as 
he shut the light and closed the door. 

Benjamin felt warm and peaceful at last.  He climbed into bed, settled
back, and gazed at the moonbeams still streaming through the window.  
Whatever he heard, imagining what he THOUGHT he heard was more fun than 
anything. “But we’ll just keep that part our secret, okay, Sparky?”  he 
whispered.  Into another rug-curl, Sparky perked an ear, answering with 
a sigh, long and deep. 

Naturally, Benjamin understood.  “What a day is right,” he then replied,
as he snuggled down for the night, too. 


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