David Simple's Simple Shortcut

By Rea Kelsie  ©2001

David Simple was a simple boy with floppy black hair and bright green eyes. He didn't have lots of complicated freckles on his face like most boys his age, but only one on the bridge of his nose, which he could see if he simply crossed his eyes. His backpack was light and he carried it slung simply over a shoulder.

Today, he had a simple desire to surprise his mother by being early. So, today, he would simply take a shortcut. He whistled a simple tune as he entered the big green forest in long, simple strides, his arms swinging easy by his sides. Soon, he heard a bubbling sound, like you hear when you pour Kool-aid over ice.

"Well," he said, "I'll simply have to investigate. It won't take long."

So, he followed the sound and came upon the bank of a bubbling brook. Seeing the small flat stones at his feet, he decided that he simply had to see if he could skip one across the water. So he simply scooped up a small, flat stone. But, as he threw it, he lost his footing. He fell on his rump and simply slid to the edge of the brook, laughing all the way. Finally, he simply stood up, brushed himself off and began to walk again.

Soon, he heard a little meow. He simply cocked his head and listened.

"Well," he said, "I'll simply have to investigate. It won't take long."

So, he followed the sound and came upon a little blue kitty hiding in some bushes. The little blue kitty was simply shivering with sobs.

"Hello, little blue kitty, why are you crying?" he asked, simply pulling the kitty from the bushes.

"I ran into the forest to escape from a dog and now I'm lost!" cried the little blue kitty.

"I can help!" said David. "I'm going South, which way do you live?"

"I don't have a home but I was running from the North." sniffed the little blue kitty.

"Well, that's simple!" said David. He simply rummaged in his backpack and found his compass which he gave to the little blue kitty.

"Just keep the needle pointed toward the big N and you will find your way back!" he said.

"Really?" the little blue kitty asked, big green eyes blinking.

"Really." said David.

"Oh thank you… um… Mr.?"

"David Simple. And what's your name?"

"My name is Timber. Thank you very much, Mr. Simple! I'll never forget you!" Then Timber simply darted away. David simply beamed and began to walk again.

Soon, he heard quacks, lots of quacks. He simply cocked his head and listened.

"Well," he said. "I'll simply have to investigate. It won't take long."

So, he followed the quacks and came upon a line of ducks who were simply walking in a circle, arguing amongst themselves.

"Excuse me!" David called. "Can I help you?"

"Why, yes, Mr. … um…" said a little yellow duck.

"David Simple. And what's your name?"

"My name is Lucy. We were chasing a bug. We've lost our way and have been wandering for hours. We are very hungry and need to find Bubbling Brook." she said.

"Well, that's simple! I can help you!" He simply rummaged in his backpack and found his sandwich. He gave it to Lucy and simply pointed toward the brook.

"Oh, thank you very much, Mr. Simple! We won't forget you!" And, with that, the funny little ducks simply waddled off toward Bubbling Brook, sharing the bread. David simply beamed and began to walk again.

Soon, he smelled a funny smell. He simply wiggled his nose and sniffed the air.

"Well," he said, "I'll simply have to investigate. It won't take long."

So he followed his nose and came upon a little red skunk who sat all alone, crying, on a big rock by a mighty oak tree.

"Well, hello, little red skunk, why are you crying?" he asked.

"Why, I don't have a friend in the world!" the little red skunk cried. "The other skunks say I smell funny!"

"Well, that's simple! I'm David Simple and I'll be your friend!" he said. The skunk simply looked at David with her big blue eyes.

"You will? Oh, Mr. Simple! Thank you very much for being my friend! My name is Rose."

"Well, Rose," David replied. "You don't smell funny at all, you simply smell like… well… a rose!"

Rose smiled very big and simply hopped off the rock. "Mr. Simple, I won't forget! You are my first best friend!" And with that, she simply scurried into the woods. David simply beamed and began to walk again.

Soon, he realized that he was simply tired. He found a log and simply sat down to rest. A little purple snake fell from a nearby tree and simply slithered up next to him.

"Well, hello there, little purple snake. What are you doing here?"

"Ssssimply Sssslithering. I can't find my rock to sssleep under. I'm very tired." the little purple snake simply hissed.

"Well, that's simple! I can help!" David simply pointed and said, "If you simply go that way, there is a big rock where you can cool off and simply go to sleep."

"My name is Sssslim. What issss your name?"

"I'm David Simple and I'm simply glad I could help."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Ssssimple. I'll sssee you later," and, with that, Slim simply slithered off toward the rock.

David simply beamed, then his smile simply faded. He realized he was simply lost and hungry.

"Oh, no! What am I going to do now?" He simply lowered his head and cried.

Soon, he heard noises, like a murmur through a big crowd. He simply looked up and saw Rose.

"Why are you crying, Mr. Simple?" asked the little red skunk.

"Well, I'm lost but I gave away my compass. I'm hungry but I gave away my food. I simply wanted to surprise my mother by being early but I simply investigated too much!" he cried.

"Oh!" replied Rose. "That's simple, Mr. Simple!" And with that, she simply whistled. Rose's family came out of the woods. So did Timber, Lucy, Slim, and all of their friends!

"You helped us so we'll help you, Mr. Simple!" they said together.

Timber, the little blue kitty, held the compass. All the little skunks gathered in a circle. And all the little snakes slithered together while Lucy, the little yellow duck, and her friends tied lily pads over their backs with vines.

"Now climb on to the lily pads!" said Rose. "We'll get you home early!"

David Simple was simply amazed. He sat, gently, on the lily pads that were tied to the snakes. The little snakes were very strong and held him up. And Lucy gave David a vine to hold on to so he wouldn't fall off.

"That way!" Timber shouted, pointing South.

As the ducks simply waved goodbye, the skunks simply raced ahead, clearing the path with their funny smell. The little snakes slithered, carrying him faster than the wind and, within moments, he could see his house.

"Well, Mr. Simple, this is as far as we can go." said Rose. "But you can still get home early if you run!" And, with that, the animals simply disappeared into the forest. All except Timber, who simply ran beside him, all the way to his house.

"Hi Mom!" David shouted as he simply leaped to the porch.

"Why, David! How ever did you get home so early?" his mother asked. She was simply surprised.

"I took a Simple shortcut," David said, "And I made some friends along the way."

"You're a good boy, Mr. Simple." she smiled. "Are you hungry?"

David simply nodded.

"Then come on inside for some cookies and milk" she said, "and bring your new friend with you."

David simply beamed and Timber simply purred as they simply hurried through the door together.

THE END

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