The Adventures of Pink Baby #4

"Pink Baby Earns a Bracelet"

July 2003

Molly had just been dropped off at preschool with her mama. Everybody, including the older kids, were wearing a bracelet around their wrist or around their neck (except for Molly).

Molly asked her mom, "Why is everybody wearing a bracelet?"

And her mom answered, "Because today is Bracelet Day."

Pink Baby said "What day?!"

"I'll tell you about it when I pick you up," said Molly's mom.

Her mom left her and walked to the car. Pink Baby watched her. She sat down and watched her. Pink Baby's mom got in the car. She drove away.

"Maybe, it's an earning thingamabob!" thought Pink Baby. She went over to the caretaker.

"Why is everyone wearing a bracelet," Molly asked, "and what is so special about Bracelet Day?"

"Bracelet Day is when if you don't have a bracelet on by that very day people will tease you."

One of the older kids, Charlie, spotted Molly. "She isn't wearing a bracelet, she isn't wearing a bracelet," mocked Charlie, "She isn't-"

"That's enough, Charlie," said the caretaker. But Charlie went off to tell the other kids. The caretaker left Molly sitting there. Molly looked at the tree and then at someone with a bracelet. She looked back at the tree. Then at the bracelet. And then back at the tree. She made a mad face. She got a running start- and VOOM! She jumped onto the tree. And lots and lots of kids stared at her, including big and little. And medium. She started scooting up the tree and she grabbed one of the branches on her left. Then she used her right arm and she scrambled up on to the branch. She looked up. She looked down. She screamed. She looked at the children. Her best friend screamed. Molly looked where her best friend was looking. She screamed louder. There was the caretaker. She was looking up, with her hands on her hips, shaking her head side to side. Molly looked up. She made another mad face. She jumped onto the branch above her. She bumped her head.

"Ouch!" cried Molly. She stood up on the branch. She almost fell off! She got up to the branch above her. And, she kept climbing up and up and up and up and up and the branch tipped over. She lost her grip because the stick fell off the tree. She had been at the very tippy top. She bumped her head on a branch. She clinged to the branch! And slid down the tree.

"The was fun! Can I do it again?" shouted Molly.

"No, you may not," said the caretaker. "but you will have one thing: your earnings," she said. She took Molly inside and gave her a plastic bracelet.

"What's this?" asked Molly.

"You earned that."

"For?"

"Being a brave three year old. You didn't cry like a cry baby. You were almost grown up." The caretaker shook Molly's hand.

"Does that mean people won't mock me any more?"

"They won't until next year if you don't earn another bracelet!"

Everyone, including Charlie, ran up to her to touch the bracelet around Molly's neck. She slapped Charlie.

"You spoke a little too soon," mocked Molly. Charlie ran away. "Scaredy cat, scaredy cat!" sung Molly.

The end