“Geez,” said Ashley shaking her head. “You’ll take any excuse to climb a tree!”
“That’s right,” said Josh. “I love to climb!” He started to climb up the oak tree steadily moving from branch to branch.
“Be careful,” said Ashley. “I’d hate to see you break a leg on the first warm day.”
Josh looked down and gave her a withering stare. “Ashes,” he said with a sigh. “I’m always careful. Besides, my dad says that human beings are close to monkeys and monkeys are great climbers!”
Josh ‘s father, Mr. Stewart, was an archeology professor at the university. He traveled around the world on archeological digs. Ashley thought it was cool that he was Donnybrook’s own version of Indiana Jones.
“Alright, monkey boy,” said Ashley. “Just be careful!”
“O.k.,” said Josh as he climbed up a little bit farther. “I can read it now.”
Well?” asked Ashley. “What does it say?
“It says ‘R.L. + P.W. forever’,” said Josh.
“Hmm,” said Ashley. She pulled out her note pad from her jacket pocket and wrote down ‘R.L. + P.W. forever’. “Is that all it says? she yelled up to Josh.
“No, wait,” Josh answered. “It says ‘Drink Ovaltine’.”
“Josh, it does NOT say that!” Ashley yelled. “You’ve watched ‘A Christmas Story’ too many times.”
Josh laughed and said, “I guess so. There isn’t much to do in the winter and you know how much I like that movie!”
“Yes,” said Ashley. “I know. I’m surprised that you didn’t name your kitten ‘Ralphie’ instead of Silver.”
They’d each gotten a kitten last summer and so did her grandmother, Gram. Ashley named her kitten Scout, Gram named hers Mehitabel and Josh called his kitten Silver.
Josh stopped climbing down and slapped his head, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
“Beats me,” said Ashley. “But, it’s probably too late to change his name now.”
“I guess you’re right,” said Josh with a sigh. “But the next pet I get is going to be named Ralphie.”
“If you remember,” said Ashley under her breath.
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