OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 68, 30 April 1943, Page 6

OUR STORY

TIME TO GO TO BED

Bill3* hated bedtime. It made him cross eve;y night when Mother called, "Billy, time to go to bed."

One night when Billy objected more than usual, Mother said, "Why, Billy aren't you tired? What do you suppose 3*oll r feet and legs would say if they could talk?" > Billy looked surprised. "Feet and legs can't talk, Mother." "No, hut suppose they couldThey'd say, 'We're tired, Billy! We've, taken 3*oll many places to-da3*. Remember, we took a t ou to Jack's house where you had' so much -fun. WOj carried j*ou to the shop for Mother, and we kicked 3"our football a long time.''" Bi'lty grew interested. "What else would tliey say, Mother?" "The3 r would probabh r ask, 'How do 3-ou think you would have got to the table for your meals, or pedalled 3*olll* tricycle up and down the footpath if it hadn't been for us? But we. don't mind, Billj r , if you'll just take us to bed now and let us rest. 1 '" Billy began wondering. "Did an3 T of the rest of me get tired?" . "Yes, dear, 3*our hands get tired." Mother said. "What woukl 1113* hands say?" Billy wanted to know. "They'd. probabty sa\ r , 'Take us to bc.d, Billy. We've been busy helping 3*oll all daj*. We helped 3 r ou dress: washed our face: combed 3*our hair; guided 3'our tric3'clc so 3-011 wouldn't upset: held a big glass of malted milk while 3 r ou Avcnt sip, sip, sip; and helped you eat. a big apple. We. didn't sa3 r a word when 3*ou let the hammer slip and hit our thumb. Though we felt prettj* bad." "i suspect 3 r our ears are tired too,'' said Mother. "My ears didn't do anything," laughed BIII3'. "Yes, the3 r did. They'd sa3% "Billy, take us to bed where it's quiet. We've been patient all day long lis-< tening for 3*oll. We told 3-ou when mother called; let 3*oll know where the little puppies were; told you about the big aeroplane il3'ing overhead; and when 3*oll and Jim quarrelled, we listened.'" Billy's eyes grew wide. He had not thought how it sounded to his ears or to any one else's ears when he quarrelled. Then he asked. "Are my eyes, tired too?'' "Yes, Billy, they've been bus3 r every single minute since 3*oll awoke this morning. They'd just about sa\*. 'Pull 3*our little'winkers down where no one can bother us: we're nearly 1 worn out. We worked hard to-day, found your clothes that. 3*oll forgot to pick up last night. Remember how we had. to look and look before we could find them? We showed 3*ou whore the big aeroplane was that 3*oll r ears kept hearing: helped you enjo3* the funny papers: hunt.ed your ball; showed, you the way to Jack's and down to the store; and helped 3 r ou keep 3*our tricycle on the footpath."

"But I know the Avay to> the shop and over to Jack's, and I know aU read 3* how to keep my tricycle on the footpath,"' said Billy.

"Close your eyes,*' said Mother. "Pretend 3 r ou have no eyes. don't know where the ship is, or where Jack lives, or even where the footpath is. Don't 3011 think it would lie pretty hard to get around them?"

Bil'y had never before thought how important his eyes were, but just then he thought of something else:. '"Is my nose, tired?"

"Maybe your nose would say. 'I've been good 10-chrv. Bilh\ T told 3011 that Mother was making cakes, remember? After I told 3*ou and 3?ou

went iii to slc for sure "what it was that smelled so good, Mother let you have one. When you got jam all over me to-day trying to eat that big slice of bread and jam that your sister fixed for you. I didn't say a word. When you and Jack were boxing and Jack gave me such a punch, I didn't say anything either." Bil'ly remembered something else then and asked, "Is my mouth tired?" "I suppose so. It woulc] probably say with a great big yawn "Take me to bed, Billy, for I'm tired. I've laughed, cried, sung, talked and yelled for you all day. I kept your whistle going when you were playing policeman; helped you enjoy all your meals; and how 1 worked when you were enjoying that chewing gum!" Billy laughed as he snuggled down to go to sleep and let his helpers rest.