Harry and Pepper Make Some Changes

            by Eileen Cullen

 

            Harry sat at the table and looked down at his plate. A big pile of yummy, spaghetti meatballs, a piece of bread, and his worst nightmare; brussel sprouts.
            "Mom, I don't wanna eat em'!" Harry pleaded.
            "Honey, you have no choice. Eat up." His mom ordered. Harry looked at the green, disgusting balls in terror. He held his breath, closed his eyes, opened his mouth, and forced a slimy, sour, brussel sprout down his throat. He looked at Pepper for help, but Pepper only cocked his head to one side.

                             

            After dinner, it was time to get ready for bed. "Time to brush your teeth, Harry," Harry's dad ordered. Harry stepped up to the bathroom sink and looked down at his pathetic, unnecessary toothbrush.
            "But Dad, I don't wanna brush my teeth!"
            "Come on, you've got to." Harry looked at Pepper for help, but Pepper only turned around in circles. Harry held his breath, closed his eyes, and put the disgusting, spicy toothpaste into this mouth and quickly brushed all around. When he finally finished, he sighed angrily and stomped out of the bathroom.
                                       
           

Soon after, it was Harry's bedtime. "Time to get in bed, Harry!" Harry's mom yelled. Harry continued to play with his army soldiers.
            "Pepper, I wanna keep playing," Harry confided. Soon, he heard the footsteps of his parents. Harry's mom snatched him into bed. Harry looked at Pepper for help, but Pepper only barked back. Harry fell asleep angry.

                               

            The next day when Harry got home from school, he ran into his bedroom as Pepper chased close behind him. Harry grabbed his bath towel and began to tie it around his neck.
            "Pepper, I need to take control of my life," Harry said as he then put on his birthday crown.
            "I don't like the way this house is being run. I'm gonna make some CHANGES around here!"

                                        

            Harry paraded into the kitchen with his bath towel cape flowing close behind him. "First thing to change," Harry said to Pepper as he crawled into the refrigerator. "Is supper time!" And with that, Harry grabbed the bag of brussel sprouts and marched to the backyard. Harry and Pepper dug a big hole. Harry dropped the bag of brussel sprouts in. "No more of those awful vegetables!" Harry said as he filled the hole back up with dirt. Pepper barked in response and the two headed back inside.

                                       

            "Next," Harry announced, "Is this awful routine. I'm gonna make some CHANGES around here!" And with that, Harry snatched all the toothbrushes and all the toothpaste in the house, ran to his room, and hid them in the bottom of his toy chest. Harry dusted his hands, gave a wink to Pepper, and strutted out of his room.

                                          

            When bedtime came, Harry was more determined than ever. "Pepper, I hate going to bed so early. I'm never tired! So guess, what? I'm not going to bed! That's right, boy, I'm gonna make some CHANGES around here!" So Harry locked himself in his room and stayed up late into the night after his bedtime story.

                               
            The next day, Harry was picked up after school by his Dad and Pepper. "We're headed to the dentist office," Harry's dad told him. Harry sat in the back seat, happy about the recent changes he and Pepper had just made around their house. He confidently strutted into the dentist office and lay down on the chair.
            "Uh-oh, somebody hasn't been brushing…" the dentist told Harry. Then, the dentist positioned Harry's chair upright, "I'll have to see you again in a few weeks, Harry," the dentist said. Harry sighed and headed over to the toy chest for a prize, but was interrupted. "Ah ah ah, no toys for you this time, Harry. You haven't been brushing!" Harry stood frozen. He looked at Pepper, speechless, but Pepper only gave a slight whine back. Harry ran out of the dentist office.

                               

            Soon, it was suppertime. Harry's plate had no awful brussel sprouts in the way. He was happy things had finally gone his way. Harry was ecstatic. After he cleaned his plate, happily, Harry asked, "Mom, where's my desert?"
            "You didn't eat any vegetables, so you don't get any desert, Harry," his mom replied.
            "No dessert?!" Harry yelled. Harry grew upset and ran out of the kitchen as Pepper chased close behind him.

                                            
            When it was bedtime, Harry continued to play with his train set, even though he knew he should be getting in bed. "Chooo chooo," Harry played. "Bark bark!!" Pepper responded. Soon, Harry realized that his parents hadn't come yet to make sure he was in bed.
            "Where the heck are they?" Harry murmured to himself. He poked his head out of his bedroom door, "Ma! Dad! I’m waiting for my story!" But there was no response.
            "Dad! Ma! MY STORY!" Suddenly, his Mom came up the stairs.

"Harry, since you aren't going to bed at your bedtime, you don't get a bedtime story." Harry's body stopped motioning. He stood dead in his tracks. His eyes began to burn and fill with tears. He began to yell and cry. Taking away a bedtime story was the worst thing his parents could do. Harry loved bedtime stories. Harry cried and soon fell asleep on the floor with Pepper cuddled close next to him.

                            
            The next day when Harry got home from school, he decided he couldn't have another day like the day prior. And with that, Harry grabbed his trusty bath towel and tied it around his neck. He put on his birthday crown and marched outside, Pepper marching right next to him.

                              

Harry began to dig and dig in his back yard, until finally, he found them. "Brussel sprouts," Harry said, holding the bag directly in front of his face. "We're gonna have to learn how to live together in this house." Pepper began to whine. "Because without you, brussel sprouts, I don't get my desert. And I'm not gonna spend another supper time with NO DESSERT!" So with dirt trailing behind them, Harry and Pepper headed back to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and placed the bag of brussel sprouts into the fridge.

                            

            "Next," Harry said to Pepper. "Is my prize at the dentist office. I need that prize next week, and I'm gonna get it!" Harry announced as he headed to his toy chest. He grabbed the bundle of toothbrushes he had hid a few days before, paraded to the bathroom, and began brushing (even though it was before supper!). He brushed and he brushed and he brushed. One thousand, ninety-four hundred, twenty-six brushes in all. Harry wiped his hands, and nodded to Pepper in satisfaction. Pepper raced around the house in excitement.

 

                                

            "Even though its not bedtime," Harry said. "Doesn't mean I can't get ready for it." So with that, Harry put on his Superman pajamas, even though it was the middle of the afternoon, pulled back his bed in preparation, and turned on his nightlight. "Now, there's no chance I'll be late for bed time," Harry explained to Pepper. "Which means, I’ll get my bedtime stories!"

            At suppertime, Harry looked down at his plate. A big pile of macaroni and cheese, some hot dog, and his familiar enemies, brussel sprouts. Except this time, Harry ate his brussel sprouts first! And he ate them all.
            "Great job, Harry!" Harry's mom said. "And here's your desert." Harry sat with his ice cream sundae and savored each and every bite of the sweet desert he had missed so desperately. Pepper waited directly underneath Harry, hoping that Harry would share his treat.

                               
           

After dinner, it was time to get ready for bed. Harry ran into the bathroom, and brushed his teeth. An entire one thousand, ninety-four hundred, twenty-six brushes. Harry's Dad nodded, impressed, and Pepper licked Harry's hand in encouragement.

                                

            Soon after, it was Harry's bedtime. Harry immediately ran past his toy chest, past his army men, past his train tracks, and into his bed that had been waiting for him. He lay patiently. Suddenly, Harry's mom and Dad entered the room.

                                 
           

"Wow, Harry, you are being so great today! And because of that you get two extra bedtime stories!" Harry was so excited he got his favorite time of the day back. Pepper jumped up on the bed, curled next to Harry's side, and the two enjoyed story, after story, after story….