Picture This

If you are a dreamer, come in,


If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a prayer, a magi bean buyer…

If you’re a pretender, come sit by my frie

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in!

Come in !

-Shel Silverstein





I SPY THIS PICTURE BOOK IN THIS STORY



PICTURE THIS



By



Mark Wilson



Chapter One Fallowing the Good Morning



The sun rose that morning pouring its RAYS on my still sleeping body. The golden glow blanketed me in morning delight. A rooster clucked. I YAWNED. It was time to get up and get going. No reason to be a Late Bloomer. So many things for me to do and see today. First I Got to see how my Carrot Seed is doing. I planted it yesterday so my carrot must be huge by now. Don’t want a huge rabbit sneaking in and stealing my huge carrot. Huge rabbits tend to do such things. Being five is an adventurous time of life. I felt good this morning. And I let my room know it.



“Good Morning Room. Good Morning Poster of a Cow Jumping over the moon. Good morning chairs, mittens, clocks, socks, comb and brush. . Good Morning Floor. Good Morning Toys. Good Morning Sunshine.” It was time to start what I thought was going to be ‘A Lovely, Non Bad, Very Good Day.’ “It’s going to be another perfect day.,” I shouted to myself. I then looked up and said good morning to my prized book collection. I had lots of books. I loved books. The stories, the various people and animals that you met. Oh the places that you Go in books. ’Good Morning Books.” No sooner had I said that, I then heard a creek. I know sooner looked up when my book shelf above my bed came undone, causing my book collection to come spilling down upon my head.





It’s hard to settle down and read

When life flits by at dizzy speed.

But storytime is just the thing

To rest a play-exhausted wing.



And if we lesten, we will hear

Some distant voices drawing near-

Louder, louder, louder still,

The coax and pull us in, until…



Everyone-old bat or pup

Has been copletly swallowed up

And lives inside a book instead

Of simply hearing something read.



Bas at the Library-Brian Lies







Next thing I know, this man pulls me from the wreckage and says to me,



“ SO George, YOU JUST HAD TO BE CURIOUS HUH? “ He said this in a rather angry voice.



“Who’s George?“, I replied. Not listening he continued on.



“ Wreaking Hospitals, Causing Havoc at the Circus, Destroying Anything and Everything is all well, find and dandy. We all get a couple of yucks. BUT THEIR IS A LINE, and we will learn not to CROSS IT.“ The man was dressed all in Green, including a Big Green Hat. He was all in a tizzy. I was unsure why, till he said in a pleading voice.



“WHERE ARE MY SET OF YELLOW CLOTHES?“ Please where did you put it?



“I have no idea where George put your Yellow Clothes...“, I said. “Frankly George, who I am not, decided you needed a better wardrobe, although I don’t think he did a much better job.“ The man in the Green Hat left the room slamming the door quite hard, quite upset. Although I don‘t really know why. There just clothes. I had a group of friends whom were detectives; perhaps they could find his missing clothes. Little kid detective agencies are very well known for finding things. My friends were fearless and smart. Well… Smart. One time they hooked up their phone lines to their doorbells. I’m not sure why and why I brought that up. Fearless? They ran away from a bunch of girls, GIRLS, who took over their clubhouse. Their all guys by the way. Ok maybe there not the best for solving the case. Being a bunch of Dumb Bells and Scaredy Cats.





Anyway I got up out of bed, but immediately stepped back onto the bed.. What I saw coming out from underneath my bed seemed to cause me to wet my paints. I hate that, cause I’m too old to wet my pants. An Alligator came crawling out from underneath the bed. He turned around and gazed at me with hungry eyes. ’YIKES’, I criped. At this point instead of a Lovely, Non Bad, Very Good Day it was going to be just the opposite.



I jumped up out of my bed, or so I thought. I actually bounced up very very high and when I came back down, I landed back on the bed, causing the bed to crash through the floor beneath it. Below two hippo’s were sitting down to breakfast. Now I didn’t know that we had an apartment down below us, let alone two hippos living there. I caught part of the conversation as the bed and me, and the alligator beneath it, came crashing down in their apartment. Apparently the male hippo, who’s name was George, but I did not think the same one the man in Green was looking for, had put Marsha’s, the female hippo, Split Green soup in his loafers cause he didn’t like split green soup. Apparently neither did Marsha, she just enjoyed making it. The falling bed dragged the two hippos along for the ride.





We all fell to the apartment below that. I thought I lived in a two story house. Did I move during the night? Next we crashed through where a maid was dusting the furniture. That is what she was doing, throwing dust on all the furniture. I’m five and I’m not that dumb. I’m pretty smart if you hadn’t noticed by the way I talk. The bed pulled me, the alligator, the two hippo’s and the maid down with it.



Next all of us crashed through what looked like a swamp in an apartment. Two frog’s, well one of them was a toad, were sitting around making a list of things to do that day. The Frog got pulled down along with us, and along with Toad’s list. ‘Gosh Darn, I heard Toad say as Frog and Toad fell from sight. “I would go after Frog and my list, but that was never on my list.”



Next we crashed through a room with lots of bunnies sleeping in their beds. There must have been nearly 21, plus their mother rabbit. She was singing a sweet tender song to them. “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always” and as landed on the bunny bed, “As long as I’m livinggggggg”, On the wall was some plaque of appreciation for being the fifth Easter Bunny. That’s pretty odd and funny. The bed and me and the alligator, the two hippo’s, the maid, the Frog and Toad’s List, plus the 22 rabbits came crashing down in the next apartment.



All of us came crashing down into what I recognized as my friend Jack’s bedroom. We landed on the house of books that Jack built. CRASH! I heard lots of thumps. Lots of smoke came rising up. When the smoke cleared, I looked around and did not see anyone else with me. I looked out the window and saw a lady dressed in black riding a motorcycle down the street away from the house. I saw a note on my pillow and looked underneath it. I didn’t read it. I can read some things but not notes left on my pillow. I found a quarter and my tooth I had put underneath the pillow, GONE! My friend Andrew mentioned something about the tooth fairy riding a motorcycle and looking like a biker.



I then crawled under the covers, thinking if I stay in bed, nothing bad will happen to me. I no sooner said this when I looked next to me to find a monster in bed with me.





Chapter 2 The Nightmare Ride Begins



“YIKES,” I cried, but the Monster, did so also. Monsters are usually scary, nasty, and mean. But by watching Sesame Street and Monsters Inc., you learn that monsters can be nice as well. He was crying like a baby. I looked around the room to find out what was making this monster cry. My friend the alligator was back. I tried to sooth his mind, it’s just a Crocodile, em an Alligator. I looked again but the Alligator was gone out of sight. But he was still there. I realized that a monster like this would not survive much in this word. What a wimp, he’s crying. Scared. Man what a terrible monster. He would need to toughen up. Outside it had turned from Sunny to Cloudy. As I looked closer, it seemed to be raining also.

‘PLOP’. A meatball hit my window. More continued.

“I listened to the weather,” said the monster. “It did say it was going to be cloudy with a chance of Meatballs.” PLOP, PLOP I looked out the window. Besides the clouds, I saw A huge King who had raining meatballs pouring down from him. Very strange I thought. I was getting used to seeing strange things. I guess I can’t go swimming in my friend’s pool now”, I sighed. His pool has dolphins in it. I’m not lying either. Then I remembered what was in my bed. PLOP.

“Hey Monster.”, I said.

“Nightmare is my name.” PLOP

“Whatever, You need to toughen up or your never survive, I’m going to take you to a safe monster place, It’s where all the other Wild Things Are.” PLOP, PLOP. This seemed to give him a look of puzzlement on his face. It’s a nice place where monsters can roam around and yell, and be monsters AND they don’t have to be scarred.

He was about to take the nightmare by the hand when he said in a rather calm intelligent voice. PLOP.

“We must devise a cleaver plan to get across the floor and away from that Crocodile. I turned around and sure enough there was a crocodile now, not an alligator. He was trying to disguise himself as a rug. He must think I’m dumb. I’m five and I must be dumb. “I have just the plan.“ PLOP. PLOP. At this, I looked down at what was supposed to be a rug. Really. A rug. I looked at where the eyes were supposed to be. I jumped up and kicked him in the face and jumped across the room, and over the Crocodile disguised as a rug. All monsters that are usually nice and good are usually as stupid as a family I know called the Stupids. That statement I think was stupid. But not if you know the Stubids. They order mashed potato sundae's when they order ice cream. Anyway. YIKES, The Nightmare jumped out after me and stepped on the Crocodile. Just then through the window, a huge hamburger came crashing in from the sky light window and crushed the Nightmare wrestling the Crocodile.

I managed to head into the closet, before being crushed. Dead Silence. No Plop’s. Dead Silence. That Nightmare wasn’t so scary after all. The bully down the block named Richard, now he was really Scary. But this nightmare. Than I heard a ....

“A-CHOO“. A sneeze?

“A-CHOO- CHOO.”

“God Bless You”, I instantly said.”

“A-CHOO-CHOO. CHOO-CHOO. A Chug a Chug Chug.”

The sudden silence turned out to be what I thought was a train. The Closet felt like it was moving. I decided to open the door, wondering if the nightmare was trying to trick me. I opened it up to find myself on a train. It was now turning into a Weird, Quite Strange, Very Bizarre kinna day.





















Chapter 3



The quest to find Breakfast.



I took a seat and looked out the window. Snow seemed to be falling all along the outside. I thought I saw a boy on a bed out in the middle of the snow. He was looking at me as if I were a dream. No Meatballs or any other food dropping. I looked across the aisle next to me, to see a couple of kids playing a board game. One of them had on a big white t-shirt over some blue jeans. He also had on this big Red winter hat that for some reason covered his eyes. He was pestering the one with the dice to role. A lizard on his shoulder, the rabbit on his lap, and the chipmunk. in the seat next to him, all nodded their heads in agreement.

“I’m not a Pest,“ the boy in the red hat told the boy with the dice. Just roll why don’t you.“

“I said I’ll roll, “ said the Boy.

“I didn’t say you didn’t.” he replied back.

“I didn’t say you said I didn’t,” he replied back to him.

“I didn’t say you didn’t say I said I didn’t,” he replied back to him. This went on until the rabbit nudged the boy to throw the dice. He finally did. One of the kids sitting with them, a little black boy in an orange snow suit, watched intently as the boy throw his dice. The boy who rolled looked kind of scared. He got up out of his seat and began to run down the center aisle. He was instantly chased by a big huge lion.”

“What type of game are they playing,” I wondered? A conductor walked by and I thought I would ask him what train this was and where it might be going. Instead of really being any help, he just handed me a menu. Doesn’t matter what the question is, food is always the answer. It said, ‘POLOR EXPRESS MENU FOR TUESDAY Tuesday, June 29 1999’. Polor is spelled with Polar not Polor. I am only five and I know that. I do have quite the vocabulary for a five year old boy. Maybe it really was Polor. Ok. So I was on the Polor Express. Question answered, and an option for food. I wanted breakfast. Breakfast comes in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon if you go to Denny’s with your parents.



Let’s See. Breakfast. Breakfast. Ok Lets see. Soup? I don’t want soup. Who has soup for breakfast? I have soup when I’m sick and want to get better. What kind do they have. Stone Soup. Mmmm. Didn’t know Stone’s had taste. Chicken Soup with Rice in 12 different Flavors. 12 Flavors for Chicken Soup with Rice? Split Pea Soup. After seeing those hippos during that down fall, I don’t’ think so. Enough of this. This is breakfast time. Let’s See what else? An Enormous Potato. Doesn’t sound bad either. I wonder how big enormous is. Big Home Fries maybe. A Pizza the Size of the Sun? Sounds too big. Not Pizza time. Hey this sounds good. Green Eggs and Ham. I hate eggs with a passion. Yuck City. Jamberry‘s. I got up and proceeded to where the dining car might be. And where might it be? I decided to ask a bear sitting in a seat near me.

“Excuse me I said”

“Hello said the Bear”

“Hello” I said” Do you know where the dining car is?

“I don’t know about that, All I know is that I’m going to Fitchburg, and I’m hoping to get there before my friend Henry. He decided to walk to Fitchburg. I worked hard to get the money to go on this train and I hope to beat him there.” This didn’t tell me where the dining car was but was a nice story.

“Last one to the dining car is a green pig,” said a monkey to a duck.

“Oh Yes, last one to the dining car is a Green Pig.” said the duck to the monkey. And off they ran. This was more helpful to my quest. I decided to try to follow them.

“I hope you beat your friend” I said and then I took off after the duck and monkey. I hope I wasn’t last to the dining car. I didn’t want to be a green pig.



Lots of interesting people on this train. Were they all going to Fitchburg? Where was Fitchburg? When I say people I also mean the animals, monsters and anyone else with personalities as well. I say this so when I say people you know I include all the other variety of those whom I have meet and will meet on the remainder of this very Weird, Quite Strange, Very Bizarre kinna day Got that? Ok. This train trip reminds me of a story my grandfather told me about a great train trip that he took when he was younger. It was his first time on a train when he had came to America from Japan. Actually that might have been my friend’s grandfather who is Japanese. I’m not Japanese.





On a more interesting note, there is an interesting group of people having a interesting conversation. A group of scientists were discussing what would happen if they gave a moose a muffin and a pig a pancake. They were very much into the discussion when a mouse walked by with a cookie. A new discussion then began. I passed this Old Saw Horse who was busying philosophizing with a young toy rabbit of some kind. He was beginning to try to explain to him what Real Was. I was wondering that myself and took that thought with me as I traveled on.



I had to pass this very cold car on my way to the dining car. It was cold to accommodate the snowman that were inside. Their were no seats . This was so the Snow men could dance. One of snow ladies wanted me to join her, but I was getting cold being in my pajama’s so I continued on. Snow inside and outside the train. Also there were this group of penguins hunched around this other penguin. They were Huddling, Waddling, and Cuddling him. The other penguin did not seem to like it all that much. He tried to get away only to get pursued by some snow people who were not dancing. If I was not so hungry, I would go over and cuddle him myself. He was very Cuddly.









I was heading down the corridor when to my surprise I saw another crocodile. Gosh there everywhere. I reacted in fear, before a little kid told me about how he was a lovable crocodile. He was stroking a cat and had a swarm of children around him. He seemed to be a lovable Crocodile, and the Children seem to think that Lie for awhile. It’s a lie, El Crocodile’s can’t be loveable. Can They? Next to them was an another crocodile or was it an alligator. He was talking with a duck. They both seemed to be up to some type of mischief. They were talking about blowing up the Colossal Duck Factory. “And I know this predictable, practical, uncomplicated pig named Pete and Pickles his elephant friend who can help us do the job.” said the Duck to the alligator/crocodile. A mouse and a rabbit playing with a toy airplane chimed in “Not to worry, I have an idea.” I sensed that trouble was going to follow this idea. But it was way much too much for me to comprehend. I really need a strong breakfast.

Just when I thought nothing else could prevent me from eating a good breakfast, a bank robber came out of nowhere and pointed a gun at me. He asked me to give me all my money.

“I’m like five, what money will I have?” I said to him. He just ignored me and raised his gun. At that moment from behind me came a barrage of jokes. The jokes went over my head and hit the crook full in the gut. He fell to the floor clutching it. I turned around to see I was saved by guy dressed in a funny outfit. He handed me a car as he placed handcuffs on the robber.

‘Funnyman: The world’s funniest detective. Catching Crooks is a Joke.’ Well better Funnyman then serious man. That wasn’t funny. Guess that is why he is Funnyman and I’m not. Time to eat. Hopefully no more distractions.

‘Woo Hoo. Wow. A train seat.” I heard a voice shout. Oh gee more things to look at. Curiosity keeps me from completely ignoring this. Some type of dog was unwrapping a train seat. And he seemed pretty excited to be doing so. I was unsure why he was doing so, but decided to move on as he started to wrap up his suitcase. Some people or animals are just weird. I was now in seeing distance to the next car.



































































Chapter 4



The Dining Car



I got to the dining car and as I opened up the door, a kangaroo with a tool man’s apron on hoped out. In- side all the pockets were little animals, each eating some type of food. I went in and stood in line. There were boys, girls, and lots of different animals awaiting something to eat. A green pig rushed past me. I was unsure if it was the duck or the monkey. A badger in front of me got a plate of bread and Jam. The badger looked rather happy. Just after that, hopping over the counter, was some type of nasty smelling stinky cheese man. The majority of folks standing around in line, seemed to fix their noses. One of the cooks, a weird looking Worm type creature with tentacles for arms and a big chief's hat on his head jumped over the counter and began to pursue him, while the little cheese creature shouted taunts at him about how nobody would or could catch him because of who he was. At that moment a young boy, who looked as if his clothes and the plane he was flying in were baked in dough, went after the Stinky Cheese Man vowing to catch him and put the Math Curse upon him. Don’t know what that is, but don't’ care. Want food.



‘Chocolate Mousse Please,” the next person said. From around the corner a chocolate moose came out and strolled up to the person who ordered it. They then took off out the dining car’s door. Behind the counter I noticed Frankenstein in the back making a sandwich. Monster’s seemed to have more talent than just scaring people. I had a music CD at home with the Phantom of the Opera singing ‘It’s a Small World’.



“Would you like some Blueberry's Sal?, said a mother to your young daughter.” The little girl got her plate of Blue Berry’s and gave some to the little bear cub who was at her feet. She would have gotten some syrup for the blueberry’s but the syrup was eaten by a very big bear, no relation to the small bear. The cooks who looked like Laurel and Hardy kept trying to blame it on the boy, who was apparently his owner.

“Look I’m trying to get rid of him. He won’t go away. It’s not my problem that he ate your syrup.” She was cute. The girl I mean. Oh no, I’m not supposed to like girls yet. It was almost my turn in line. I looked to see a very Hungry Caterpillar chewing on some napkins that were on the counter. ‘MISS NELSON’, a little boy yelled. A group of 9 kids were looking all around the dining car. One of them handed me a huge poster with a picture of a woman on it.

‘COME ON, Step up the search,,“ said a nasty looking, mean looking, ugly looking woman. “Yes Ms. Swamp.“ Apparently this Miss Nelson was missing Then this Swamp lady looked at me and smiled. She gave me a little wink. Not sure why. I sensed that Miss Nelson was not far away.. I felt a paw poke me in the leg. I looked down to see a Puppy poking me with its paw. I hate to be poked.

It barked at me, and pointed to the front. It was my turn. I was just about to order when a bunch of monkeys came running by, each of them with a hat on their heads. Two men were chasing them. One of the men had some very plaid looking cloths on and a big black moustache and the other was the man in green, although he had managed to find some Yellow Socks. I could tell cause he didn’t have shoes on.

“George......” I guess George was one of the monkeys. So curious, I suppose to see what a life of crime was like, that he resorted to joining a monkey gang that stole hats. How sad. I was about to order again, when the conductor stood in front of me and waved me to the side saying ,

“Step aside and Make Way’. At this point a family of Ducks came wobbling up to the front of the line. At this point I got feed up with all the interruptions and decided to go back to my seat.

“Buzzzzzzzz are people still mad at me, came buzzing in my ear.“ Buzzzzzzzzzz. SLAP. A mosquito was trying to talk to me about its relationship problems, but he was doing it in my ears. That just resulted a problem for me. No more problems for the mosquito. Before I left I noticed that the last duck into the line in front of the counter got his tosh whacked. When it did, it made a loud PING. I thought it very cruel to do to a duck. Oh Crumb I never got to eat. But the train travels on.













Chapter 5



A Walk Through the Train



I started to walk back to my seat. Did I even have a seat to begin with? I went into the next car where there was some washing machines. A seal slipped out from one of the washing machine uttering to himself,

“Not a good place to swim’. In another washer a big Boa was busy munching on some laundry. “Ohhhhh” I then heard somebody pounding. I saw a little toy bear surrounded by soap flakes, just begging to get out . I opened up the door and out he fell, along with all the laundry.

He got up and brushed himself off. Thank you he said. He had on a pair of corduroy's and had a huge red mop top for hair. Weird for a Teddy Bear. He strolled down the car and went out the door at the other end, but not before picking up some Dandy Lion’s along the way. They were growing along the bottom of the washers and dryers. A little door mouse, acted as a doorman and opened the door for the Bear. When I came to the door he opened it for me also. I would have given him a tip had I any money.



I continued to travel down the aisle and found a seat. People kept walking back and forth past me. I wondered where everyone seemed to be going. There were lots of interesting and intriguing people on board this train. There was this group of Elephants, two with crowns on their head. Probably going to some fancy ball or something.. They had a monkey with them There sure were plenty of monkeys, crocodiles or alligators, bears and ducks around. The elephants seemed to look very distinguished. It looked as one of the elephants was dressed as a Barber, or as they say in French, Babar. In the seat in front of them sat a group of 10 girls and a nun. Next I passed a Moose and A Cow who were in a heated argument about how the Cow was really a Moose. The Moose did not seem to want to come to the logical conclusion that this was not so. There was a kid across the aisle from me who was in an acrobat suit, who looked scared out of his wits.

“Harry there is no reason to be scared.” said his father.

“But Harry is Scared of everything,” said his mother.

“He’s just scared about moving out west,” said the father.

“He just has the wrong idea about what is out west said the mother.” I could understand why he would be scared about going out west. I myself would be board. I mean out west all people do is chase buffalos and have to watch out they don’t sit on a cactus, cause there everywhere. Everyone wants to be a sheriff, and I just know my ambition is to not be a sheriff. I can’t remember quite what it is, but it’s not to be a sheriff. Also Gila Monsters great you at the train station. I have had enough of monsters. And if Harry knew they were in the seat behind him, he might have been very scared indeed. Just then, a Red Balloon peaked over the seat.

‘Were coming for you Harry’, it seemed to say. “Harry saw this and began to run down the aisle with the Red Balloon in hot pursuit. Someone was always chasing someone on this train. A family next to Harry was singing very loudly about how they were going to go on a bear hunt. This was being sung while a family of bears was behind them. The littlest bear began to sing along with them. More bears. The family who were going on the bear hunt were planning on ways to avoid the obstacles that were going to be in their way. For some strange reason they plotted on only going through things and never around or over them. Weird. A man with a sword kept challenging this bull to a fight, but the Bull just sat there and sniffed some flowers. “Hey Al” I heard a flock of various types of birds calling to this janitor sweeping up dirt in the middle of train aisle. His dog was right behind him. Al began to respond to the birds. I tried not to listen in on others conversations, cause I didn’t want to be noisy. This funny little woman came laughing down the aisle chasing after a dumpling. A whole opened up in the middle of the car and she fell through. It closed back up again. After seeing the dumpling, I started to think about how hungry I was. Just then a Strega sitting in the seat next to where I was standing... said

“I know just what you need.” She grabbed a bowl from her bag and pulled out a huge pot. She scoped some pasta out and gave it to me. I ate it up right away.

“Thank You very Much, I said. She had a boy next to her chime in. You want something besides just spaghetti, I know how to make the pasta pot make ziti. Here let me show you. Ignoring the Strega’s plea not to mess with her pot, Rotoni started to come out of the pot. Actually it kept coming and coming. Soon the pasta started to fill up the entire car. I managed to get out of the car before it filled up, listening to the Strega reprimand her assistance not to play with her magic pot.

I suddenly wanted to get to my original seat, but I don’t know why. I really didn’t have a seat. In fact where was this train going. I began to wonder again as I passed into the next car. I was wondering if I was going in the right direction. I didn’t seem to be going the way I came but what the hey.

I went into the next car in which some children were having some type of snow battle with some dark elves with some type of evil queen yelling things at the elves. One of the elves saw me and decided to grab me. Last thing I want is to be kidnapped in some battle. But thankfully one of the kids through some liquorish at the elves and they all seemed to dive for it, leaving me alone. For some strange reason I saw on the edge of battle, No that couldn't be. Who was it? Well some secrets are better left unsaid.



I was shivering after I came out of the cold. A young kid saw me shivering and took a button off his very colorful coat. It made me warm in an instance. Thanks I said. No problem he muttered. I guess there are nice and then not so nice people on this train.



Just then the train stopped. It was not a slowing down type of stop, but a sudden halting type of stop. Who is in charge of this train, Roofus the Doofus? Roofus always seemed to mess up his electric train set. The train stopping made me think of that. I looked out and there still appeared to be snow. Or was that green sunny sunshine. I couldn’t tell. I saw part of the train come off the rail. A huge red dog was chewing on the car. Some dogs chase cars, Big Red ones chase trains. I got up out of my seat and ran to where the engine room was. No one was there. Not sure why. Not sure how I found the engine room. While I was there I thought I should try to encourage the train to go forward.

“Come on” I said. “You got to get moving.

“You think so?, said the train’s engine back to him.”

“Yes. I think you can.

“Your right. I won’t let some silly red dog chew me apart. The train started to yell out to itself. “I think I can. Woo Woo.”

“Come on, you can do better then that.”

“I Think I can. I think I can. WOO WOO.” He kept saying it over and over. The engine got hotter and hotter. Eventually the engine blew and we did not continue to go forward. Enough of this I said. I went out of the engine room and continued down the corridors. A fire seemed to break out. A cat in a fireman’s outfit was running down the train car with a fire hose. A small dragon sitting in a seat next to a boy, raised his little arms and said, “Not sure how that happen, I mean there is no such thing as a dragon, and thus I don’t exist and could not have started it.” The next seat over was all purple. It looked like it was a crayon drawing and not a real seat. There was a kid there with a purple crayon. I went up to him and asked him if he could draw me a door out of here, I really have had enough of the Polor Express.

“You’ll miss Santa if you go,” he said.

“I think I saw him already, I replied. Anyway it’s time for me to go.” The train ride was getting dull and annoying. He then drew me a door. I stepped out the door into a forest.











































Chapter 6



Running/Water



As I stepped through the door into the forest, I saw a hole swarm of cows, chickens, gorillas and such not chasing this poor girl. Not sure why someone is always chasing someone. I decided to help her. She ran up next to me and I told her I would make them stop. She patted by head. It was such a good head pat I wanted another one, so I started chasing her also. I chased her when I passed a great big Steam Shovel with a face digging out a ditch next to the garden. Why not steams shovel with a face? He was having a conversation with the house who did not have a face. The house was telling the steam shovel about all the various places that it had lived. “And then they built all these tall buildings around me. They always wanted to build bigger and better, never down to the lovely simple country living I had started out with. I mean really, in the good old days some men would be out here digging and wouldn’t have needed you, no offense.”

I spotted the seal from the train and figured it had found someone to make it a pool. It was getting to be a rather big hole. Big enough for a Dinosaur. No sooner had I said that, when I spotted a boy with a dinosaur come walking around the corner. I was just going to sit back and admire the handy work of the steam shovel, when I saw this farmer pop up out of the cucumber patch. next to where the steam shovel was digging. ‘YOU. PETER YOU THIEF. Was he talking to me? ‘THEIF’, he said pointing to me.

“What about them,“ I said, not trying to pass the blame, but trying to make the guy realize that it just might not be me. I seemed to keep running into people who thought I was someone else. I hopped up, and began to run away from the mad farmer. I ran and ran and tripped over a big huge stone. As I did it turned into a donkey. I got up and continued to run. The Farmer jumped over the donkey and continued in hot pursuit. At least the man in green had left him alone when he realized that I was not his little monkey. Could this farmer do the same. He stopped to look. He was still behind him. Guess I got to keep on running.



As I ran and ran. I ran through corn stalks and trees. I decided to hide beneath a certain tree. The tree started to talk to me and asked me if I needed anything. “Not for me I said, but could you give the Farmer behind me some of your nice apples.

“Love to ‘. He replied. That took care of my farmer problem.



I ran along until I came back to where the ditch was. A huge swarm of frogs seated on flying lilly pads came rushed past me. I thought it was one of the ten disasters of Egypt for a moment and then I realized that it was just flying frogs. I think I saw that Toad and that Frog on the pads. This scene caused me to lose my balance and I I tripped over a tree branch and fell in the hole. Up above I saw a Chinese guy with what looked like a huge thing of water in his mouth. There were four more brothers standing below with me. One was on fire, but did not seem to burn. He was busy trying to get the other brother’s neck from out from under this huge guillotine that it was stuck under. His neck did not seem to be broken. They managed to get him out and they climbed into the other brother’s arms who seemed to stretch his legs and bring the other two up to the shore as the other brother spit all the water back into the sea. I managed to stay in the water and floated to the surface. There was also one other Chinese Brother down with me. As I swam to the surface, he stayed down below. Didn’t look like he was having any trouble breathing. Mmmm. Amazing how they all looked alike



As I was swimming around a bar of soap came floating over to me and on it stood what looked like to me to be Tub People. Not sure how I knew this. There were 7 of them all together. They helped me up on to the bar of soap. It was awfully nice of them to do so. As we floated along I noticed the sky around me had changed. It looked as if white walls had suddenly sprung up around me. Just then I noticed a huge Yellow Rubber Duck bearing down on us. The Tub People seemed to be a tad bit frightened. That is until a boy in a toy boat shot a dart out, hitting the rubber duck, causing it to go fall over. The Tub People thanked the boy, who just seemed to nod. At that moment he was swept away.



I looked up and I saw this giant king, splashing and playing with the toy boat. Didn’t think I would see another giant king. Some other people got into this tub dressed in their clothes. The king seemed to be stark naked. Yuck! The boat came down right on top of the bar of soap, causing me and the Tub People to go this way and that. I went under water. My eyes gasped when I saw a 1000 pound catfish swimming right at me. He was too interested in the worm to notice me. Someone was fishing in the tub. I heard the sound of swirling water. I swam as fast as I could to the top so I would not get sucked down the drain. The Tub Child was not so lucky. I popped my head up to see the edge of the lake. Somehow I got transported back into the ditch with the water. Maybe this was another lake. There was some sand, maybe I was at the beach. All these maybes. I got up out of the water and as I came out of the wet I found this camera on the shore. There was a stack of photos next to it. I started to look through them. There were pictures of all these different things happening under the water. Singing starfish, dancing mermaids, interesting looking fish and …. A picture of a young kid holding a picture of another kid, holding the picture of another kid and so on. Some of these kids I think I saw on the train. This picture must have been taken with that funny camera which must have taken all these other pictures. I liked my picture being taken so I set up the camera, got in front of it and took a picture of myself holding the picture of the continuing array of kids holding pictures of other kids. I then throw it back into the lake for it to wash on the side of some other body of water for some other kid to pick it up and look at all the exciting photos in it and to then add his photo to the collection. I then got up and went walking along this side walk next to the lake. There was a huge tree up above. I could see some type of battle going on. A nice kind toy on the side explained how the Leaf Men with the Doodle Bugs were battling the queen spider and her Goblin Ants. I heard some shouting. “Blaggle plabble, Wumby flappy”. Which translated means, “Hand over the Knuffle Bunny NOW!” Not wanting to get involved I continued on down the sidewalk.



Chapter 7



Back to the Beginning



I kept on walking down the sidewalk wondering when I could lie down and sleep. I was starting to get tired. This Bear walked by me with a hiking stick. As he passed me he was singing. “I’m on my way to Fitchburg, I’ll get there before the day’s end and it turns into night.” This must be Henry I thought. I was thinking the train might be delayed because of the Big Red Dog. I walked along and I passed this man with funny but interesting looking clothes had a cart set up on the sidewalk with some sort of cow that may have been what I believed to be a fox? Sox? Fox in Socks? Something with ox in it. The man wanted to sell me some sort of fancy homemade pillow. I didn’t have any money as I said before and so continued on to find a place to lay my head without having to buy a pillow, bed, or blanket. Maybe that kid on the flying bed would come down to rescue me. I finally got to where the side walk ended and looked over the side. I saw my bed far below and realized that yeah.... this must be a dream. I think the only way for me to wake up, is for me to fall asleep. It’s funny that all strange things that happen usually turn out to be dream. In-spite of the fact it seeming to be a dream, I felt scared to jump down to my bed. I looked and saw some white fluffy snow besides the green grass. In it lay the form of an angel. I guess one had laid down here not too long ago. So I asked the angel, where ever it was, to help me down. I suddenly grew some wings, which I used to fly to the bed. Had I not been tired, I may have flown around a bit more. I could have flown over to Sector 7 to see the cloud factory. This is where they produce the clouds that we see in the big blue sky. I have great ideas for some cloud designs I wanted to share with those who designed the clouds. Perhaps they would give me a job then I could have some money. Then I wouldn’t be a little kid without money.

Just then a little cloud whisked by me carrying a kid with it. It would have been fun to have ridden a cloud, but Hey I had wings and I wanted to return to the real world. The wings carried me down to my bed. I then placed myself beneath the covers. I thanked the angel for the use of the magic wings. I waited. Now isn’t this where I wake up? I sat there and sat there. I needed to fall asleep. I was getting board. “I really need to sleep so I can wake up. Please” No sooner had I said that, I saw a ship up in the sky. I could see an old man throwing out sand into the wind. Must be the sand man. I knew sleep must be coming so I turned and said “Goodnight Gorilla”, to the gorilla in bed next to me. A gorilla in bed next.. He would be gone in a minute. I said a prayer. I always say a prayer before going to bed. “Bless me and let me sleep and let me wake In peace and health for Jes…............ I no sooner said this prayer and then I began to fall asleep as sand hit my eyes. My head fell upon my pillow. Thump. All most as soon as that happen, my head rose from my pillow. Whoa...... What a dream. I had to fall asleep in order to wake up. Ok.... now it’s time to wake up and get to work. I got an idea for a picture book I want to draw.



Little Caldecott got out his pens and paper and began his masterpiece of art work



AUTHORS NOTE



I go on different kicks sometimes. This story resulted when I went on a picture book kick. I tried to research and jot down a list of all the picture books I grew up with and picture books that were popular and in style now, and decided to lump them all together. Can you spot which book is which? Can you guess and tell without looking at the list below. Well at the time there is no list below. I have some more titles and books I want to throw into the lump including some Seuss & some Munch and other goodies I have found. But of course I need to move on with my writing and need to focus on some other things as well besides this piece of writing. I did not or could not use all or half or a quarter of all the good kid’s picture books that are out there. I may have crammed too many story references into this tiny short story. Anyone who has ideas may give them to me and perhaps at some point I will do more on this work at some point.



I remember years in ago in Grammar School, an author came to our school and talked about her or his books. Think I found him. They were an author and illustrator. . But to the best of my ability, here is a good list of Good Picture Books.- Also some Children’s Bible Story of a Tiger and a Lollypop tree or something like that and some other cool Bible Picture books, including one of the Prodigal Son. Plus some type of Alphabet People.