Alice’s Daydream


Introduction:
Alice is a fictional person and she is just starting to go to school. Her parents move around a lot because of her father’s job. Alice has an adventure with a mouse that is brought in to the classroom for Show & Tell. To learn more about the Author and the book which he wrote and also the dedication of Alice go to the About Author’s page at the end of this book. I hope you all enjoy it.


Chapter 1

Alice was like any normal 5 year old, with blonde hair, and with those great big blue eyes, she was a child that any parent would want to have.
She was intelligent for her age at 5 and she was always active. She did not have very many friends, but it was not her fault. Her dad was always relocating, and came here to this small Midwestern town, because of his job. He was a scientist and working on different hybrid grains, that was suppose to free the world of hunger. This area of the country was the perfect setting to test his hybrid plants. It had the right amount of sunshine and rain and the air quality was excellent, hardly any of the big city pollutants reached this part of the country and the soil was rich with no clay. Her mother was always busy with different charities, and, was always in demand, because she knew how to open people’s hearts, and their wallets. She was a very good speaker and knew all her topics that she was to speak on well.
Her mom was now a stay at home mom and she was looking forward to all the schools functions that she would be attending, and being a part of.


Chapter 2

Dad had made Alice a promise that they would be staying here in this town only a couple years, and that they would be moving back permanently to their home in California, when his project here was finished. And he said there was going to be no more moves from then on. Alice did not know why daddy was looking at her so serious when he was speaking to her, or what he was thinking as he got lost in her big blue eyes. But Alice’s dad and mom had a discussion about the imaginary friends that Alice seemed to be having over the last few months. They were both worried that moving about in the last 2 years that it affected their daughter being she had no one to be with or play with. Alice was their only child and they did not want to mess up raising or enjoying all the moments they would have with her. That was their promise to each other and to their precious daughter when Alice was brought into this world August 10, 2000. This job opportunity gave Alice’s parents a chance to set things right, so once again they could be a normal American family and they all could be together.

Chapter 3

It was now early September and Alice’s mom had just dropped off Alice to kindergarten. Alice’s mom had already met Alice's teacher and found out how many pupils she had in her class, and she found out that there was 2 other girls besides Alice and 8 boys. Mom was turning to leave after telling Alice to pay attention to her teacher and to have fun in class. Her mom gave Alice a peck on the cheek and hugged her close.
. Alice looked at her mom when mom finally let go of the big bear hug she had on Alice. Alice thought she saw a tear as she turned and said goodbye. Alice called after her mom and was telling her not to cry and asking her mom why she was crying. That stopped her mom in her tracks as she bent down to explain to her that mommy was happy and sad at the same time and that she was growing up too fast and she gave Alice another peck on the cheek and left. Miss Lawson, her teacher hurried the other children into the classroom, and now held Alice by the hand as she led her to the school. Once inside she assigned all the children their desks by alphabetical order. Miss Lawson asked the children one by one to come up front and introduce themselves to the others in the class. Alice thought this was going to be fun as Peter and James and Bobby and the rest of the boys introduced themselves. Then it was the girls turn as Anna and Becky got up and introduced themselves and then it was Alice’s turn. She had her mother’s gift at capturing her audience, as she gave her name and described what her mother and father did for a living. And she noticed that the class was very quiet while she was speaking and it was not like when all the others got up to speak. For the teacher had to hush the class between all the introductions except for hers. Miss Lawson whispered to her some encouraging words as she sat back down in her seat. Alice was very happy that she had done so well. After everyone was settled back down Miss Lawson handed out coloring books and crayons. Miss Lawson said that everyone would get a chance to color one page in the book, and that the page would be ripped out, and taken home, so that their parents could put it on their refrigerator. The picture was of a cat and Miss Lawson said that the cat could be any color chose. Alice wanted her cat to be orange and yellow with big green eyes. She stayed in the lines of the picture as much as she could, and she thought it turned out well. And the teacher helped each one print their name on each one of the pictures. The pictures then were ripped out of the books after they were done, and one of the children collected the books, and another collected the crayons, to be put back in the closet. The pictures were handed to Miss Lawson and she was busy hanging them up on this great big cork board. So they all could see each others work.

Chapter 4

Alice loved this so far, as the clock on the wall was ticking toward 9. Miss Lawson was now teaching them all their ABC’s with great big letters on the chalk board and everyone had a chance at drawing on the chalk board the letter that Miss Lawson put up. And now Miss Lawson said that they had a special guest arriving after recess and that the guest was going to show them an animal. And it is used in science, and the animal that he was showing is very helpful to the world. The bell rang as the children went out to the fenced in playground to play. Alice, when she came out was met by Anna and Becky ,and they went and played on the bars and in the big sand box. The boys, I guess will always be boys, as they tried showing off to the girls, by poking each other, and squabbling which brought the watchers over to break them up. The watchers are a couple other adults, which are like teachers helpers, and they come there each day at recess time just to watch the children, so the teacher can have a break also, so the teacher's can get ready for the next session. Miss Lawson was not on a break. She was pouring milk into little dixie cups, and placing cookies on little napkins, that another parent baked for the class. After the special guest arrived and presented his object the children would wash their hands, and then another helper came in to help pass out the children’s snacks. The recess would last a half hour and if she hurried she just might be able to squeeze in a 15 minute break herself. She loved watching the children, as they played and she would be watching them as their different personalities would slip out. One day she hoped to have children of her own, after all she was just 24, and if her boyfriend of 2 years, Billy West ever asked her to marry him the dream might come true. Miss Lawson was now outside in the bright morning sunlight watching all her children as they played, the cool breeze that that was blowing in her face reminded her of the impending cold that was to come, but for now she was just happy being outside with the children and not cooped up in the classroom all day. She was busy watching, as the pet truck pulled up, and Mr. Jenson got out, and he had a cage with a cloth over it in one hand, as he was walking up the schools sidewalk. It was always great to watch all of the different volunteers from the community chip in, and bring something to Show and Tell. And the children always loved it.

Chapter 5

Miss Lawson met Mr. Jenson at her classroom door as she ushered him in. Mr. Jenson had put his cage onto Miss Lawson’s desk and was preparing in his mind of what he was going to say about the animal he brought in. For underneath the cloth was an animal that he captured at a person’s home. And the woman that just moved into the house screaming so much that she almost scared the poor creature to death! She immediately called 911,and then the dispatcher called him, because he was the nearest thing to pest control that the community had! When he arrived and knocked on her door she screamed at him to come in, because she was busy saving her life. No one told Mr. Jenson what the animal was? And when the dispatcher called he was almost prepared for anything, because people in the area had some weird affection about what kind of pets actually are pets and not something that would eat you. He had picked up small alligators, boa constrictors and even a small cub tiger which got a little excited and ripped up he owners sofa and bedroom when she was at work. And she decided enough was enough. A local city found out about the animal after Mr. Jenson captured it and they came and took it off Mr. Jenson's hands, and placed it in their zoo. And he was now walking through the door cautious, not knowing where the animal or victim as the case may be. The door came into the living room and nothing was disturbed, as he whispered to the woman to find her location. She let out another war cry, and loudly proclaimed she was in the kitchen and now her bladder thanks to him gave loose and now was all over her new kitchen chair! Something he definitely was not going to tell the children about. He heard where the sound came from and moved with great care not to be heard by the animal. His footfalls were silent as he neared the doorway. He peeked around the corner of the doorway and almost fell backwards laughing at the sight he bestowed. A woman of great proportions was on this little kitchen chair armed with a broom, and a look on her face of complete disgust, and she was on guard against a little white mouse, in which was now drenched in this woman’s urine and the mouse was looking straight up at her with a lot of curiosity and shivering from being wet. The woman had to tip the scale of at least 380 lbs. and the mouse which was almost drowned a mere few ounces. Mr. Jenson told the woman to be very still so he could net the poor defenseless animal. He walked to the back side of the mouse and shortly the animal was netted and put in a cage. The woman paid him $50.00 for getting rid of the disgusting creature, and she did not know why the previous owners of the house did not take their pet with them, but she was going to find out. Mr. Jenson thought about giving the money back, because he thought he should be paying her for the show he just witnessed. But, the animal would need feed and bedding and medicines so he thanked the woman and was off. He took the animal back to his store and brought it out of the cage with his leather gloves on, and was washing and drying the poor creature off when he noticed something strange about the mouse. The mouse had no tail; he examined it closer thinking maybe it was born with no tail. He got his magnifying glass out of his drawer and upon closer inspection found a little scar on the little mouse's rear where it healed by itself. Well, whatever happened to you little fellow I certainly hope you have become faster in your travels. And that is when Mr. Jenson named him Pokey. Course this was nothing to tell the children and all he was going to say was he did not know and which he didn’t know, how this mouse lost its tail.

Chapter 6

The bell rang and the children all were herded back into the classroom. After a brief calamity over seating arrangements, the children settled down. Their big wide eyes were now focused on top of their teacher’s desk, and the covered cage. A strange looking man was standing beside the cage and he was thin with intense blue eyes as he tried to hold the children’s gaze as their eyes went back and forth from the cage to him. Miss Lawson then introduced him to the class, and he slipped the cloth off the cage. The children’s eyes were big as saucers, as they looked at the tiny creature that was inside the cage. Alice was completely captivated by the mouse as Mr. Jenson talked about the mouse and its many uses and benefits to man. Mr. Jenson asked if anyone would like to see it up close, and hold the mouse, and many hands went up. Mr. Jenson took the mouse out of the cage very carefully and went around to each child, and let them hold the squirming creature and pet it. They all heard the mouse’s name and the tail was not even mentioned by anyone. Alice got to hold the mouse, and pet it, and the mouse wiggled its whiskers with glee, and then it was Bobby’s turn and Mr. Jenson went to hand it to Bobby, and Bobby was in his seat holding his hand out when the mouse jumped. The mouse was on the floor, and in a hurry went between Mr. Jenson’s legs as fast as its little legs would carry it. It then slipped under the classroom door and was out to freedom with Mr. Jenson following it. After he searched for a little while he came back in and told the class not to worry that the mouse would show up again and he hoped that everyone enjoyed the mouse, and when he got the mouse back, that Bobby would be the first one to hold it, and pet it. Miss Lawson thanked Mr. Jenson for his show and tell and told him that she was sorry that he lost Pokey as Mr. Jenson picked up the empty cage and headed back to his truck. Mr. Jenson said not to worry that he would find Pokey, or someone would spot him and he would get him back again.
Miss Lawson went back into the classroom, and with her helper had each one of the children wash their hands in the bathroom. Miss Lawson and her helper, then brought out milk and cookies for each of the children; after she was done she sat behind her desk and was eating one of the cookies with them, and thinking about what each child would become when he or she grew up.
Chapter 7

Miss Lawson and her helper cleaned up the remains of the treats, and the helper went home, being she was needed no longer. Miss Lawson told the children to put their heads on their desks while she read them a story. Miss Lawson was taught that little minds do need a nap after learning and eating. So she was hoping that the children might enjoy a half hour nap before their rides came to pick them up. She picked out Sleeping Beauty and began to read out loud as she noticed little eyelids droop and fall off to sleep. Alice was listening to Miss Lawson’s voice and it was getting so it was fading and finally she heard nothing. Her then her eyes flew open and there was Pokey on her desk looking straight at her. Pokey was moving his mouth, and his whiskers were twitching, as if he was telling her something. She wished she knew what he was saying, and then suddenly his whiskers touched her face, and tickled her, and she was instantly as big as the mouse. She was not frightened as Pokey was speaking to her, and she was hearing every word he said. His voice got clear, and she no longer had to strain to catch his words. Pokey wanted her to play, and he wanted to show her where he lived before Mr. Jenson picked him up. She told him that it would be alright as long as they were back in a half hour and before her mother arrived to pick her up, after all the other kids were sleeping, and her teacher was busy taking down the coloring projects, and sorting them out, so the children could take them home with them. Alice asked Pokey how they were going to get off of this desk as Alice was peering over the edge and it looked like a mile drop. Pokey said; No problem Alice just jump on my back and hang onto my fur real tight. So Alice did as she was told and Pokey then first jumped from the desk to Alice’s seat and then on to the floor. And Alice looked around amazed and giddish, because when Pokey jumped, and they were in the air, it tickled her tummy and before she knew it Pokey and she were past Miss Lawson and under the crack in the classroom door. Alice was still on Pokey’s back when they reached the outside and the mouse said: I will take you to the place I use to live. It is only a couple houses down this street and it will be so much fun. Just stay on my back and I will give you a ride. No one saw them because Pokey stayed in the long grass as he slipped under the door of his old home. Pokey said to Alice We have to be very quiet the big woman who now lives here does not like mice. Pokey looked around the living room and went to a hole in the wall underneath a couch undetected. Pokey made this hole when his owners let him out to play, he never had an idea that he soon would be needing this when his owners left and forgot him! They both were now inside the hole in the wall but Alice could see very clearly, because Pokey went right through the opposite wall when he made the first hole and it let light in from the other hole. Alice got off Pokey’s back and was standing on the floor, with her nosed turn in the air, wondering were that wonderful smell was coming from. Alice peered through the other hole which led into the kitchen and she saw that the big woman must be out somewhere, because she was no where in sight. Alice stepped out of the hole, and looked around the kitchen until her eyes caught what was making that wonderful smell. Above the counter, and on a shelf, and sitting before an open window, the big woman had just made 2 apple pies, and she left the window open for them to cool. Alice’s stomach began to rumble and wanting a bite of that pie. Pokey came out of the hole to see where Alice went, he was very cautious because he did not want to get wet or screamed at by the big woman again. Alice was pretty far away from the hole, and letting the pies rule over her senses. Pokey got near Alice who now was 7 feet away from safety, and then he heard a slight thump and turned to see a cat covering his hole. Pokey screamed and Alice then broke out of her pie trance ,and turned to see what Pokey was screaming about. The cat came in through the open window earlier, and he saw that the woman left, and was walking to the grocery store after something she forgot to get. Pokey looked at the cat and recognized it as being the same cat that dismembered him. Pokey was quick that day and only lost his tail, but today the cat had them both dead to rights, both Pokey and Alice were under the kitchen table with no place to run. The cat inched forward with his bright green eyes on both of them. Pokey jumped out in front of Alice more to get eaten first and give Alice a chance to run an protecting her. The cat moved forward some more, and to them looked very huge as its shadow overpowered them. Pokey looked around to see if there was a way out of this situation, but gave up when he saw things helpless. The cat moved forward again, and it was close, and Pokey and Alice could see something protruding from the cat’s mouth. The cat was big and orange with a tinge of yellow on its fur and it had big green eyes just like in Alice’s coloring book page that she colored. They could both now smell the cat as the cat exhaled its breath on them, it was warm and moist and smelled terrible like the cat ate something that it shouldn’t had. The cat, if it moved another inch would be eyeball to eyeball with Pokey and Pokey, closed his eyes and said goodbye to Alice. Alice watched the cat, as the cat lay down in front of Pokey, and opened its mouth up. Alice thought sure the mouse was a goner, and shortly she would be next. She saw something drop from the cats mouth with a tiny thump, and the cat began to purr, Alice peeked around the now statue Pokey to see what it was, but could not comprehend what she was looking at. Pokey finally opened his eyes when he heard the cat purr, and looked down at the floor to see what the cat dropped, and there in perfect shape was Pokey’s tail. The tail should have been gone a long time ago, because the cat got his tail 2 months previous. Pokey picked it up and was holding it when the cat got back up, the fear came back into the little mouse’s eyes as the cat bent over and licked Pokey’s face. The cat then turned and was ready to leave when this giant scream pierced the air, and the cat turned and came face to face with the big woman. Her piercing yells were now penetrating the poor cats ears as the cat cowered on the floor froze there by the sound alone. The big woman picked her cell phone up and called Mr. Jenson who said he would be right over. While the big woman’s back was turned Pokey and Alice escaped, because they could stand this no more. Alice sat on the mouse’s back holding in one hand the thing the cat gave him and hanging on to the furwith the other as tight as she could and the big woman’s screaming drowned away as the mouse slipped out of the open door.

Chapter 8

The last thing Alice remembered as she woke up at her desk was the big woman’s scream, which is now she is starting to realize is just the school bell going off, reminding the children that school is over with for the day. Miss Lawson was at the door greeting the children back to the real world from the children’s naps, and had all their crayon drawings in her hand. She told the children to line up in a single line, and went down the line and put each of their drawings in their little back packs to take home with them. They all went out to the fenced in playground where the watchers were waiting for them, and they could play until their rides arrived to pick them up. Alice was very happy today she had made four new friends and she could hardly wait till her mother arrived to tell her all about them. Anna and Becky, Pokey, and of course the cat, because the cat very well could have had them for his dinner, but the cat was very sorry that he bit Pokey’s tail off and he did give it back and licked the mouse’s face besides. So the cat was a friend also, wanting forgiveness for its actions, and willing to come to the mouse he hurt, laying on the floor and dropping the tail in front of the mouse and purring.


Chapter 9

Alice’s mother arrived just after Anna and Becky’s parents left and most of the boys were still waiting to be picked up. Her mother came in the fenced in playground and bent over to give her a hug, and plant a kiss on her forehead, they were now heading to her mother’s car hand in hand, and Alice had a big grin on her face. They arrived at their house and her mother wanted to know how her daughter’s first ever day at school went. Her mother listened intently as she described her new friends Anna and Becky, but her mother’s face changed when she told her about her other two friends, and the adventure she went on. The phone rang just as Alice finished up her story, and her mother answered it, and she appeared to be whispering and giggling into the phone. After her mother hung the phone up, Alice found out that it was her daddy, and he was bringing a special surprise home for his daughter, for her successful day at school. Her father arrived in about ten minutes, and Alice went to greet him at the door. He was holding a cage with a cloth over it, and a big red bow was on top of that. He put the cage down inside the door, and picked Alice up and was planting kisses on her and tickling her in the rib cage. Her mom waited till they were through and it was her turn to kiss daddy and hug him. Her father took the cage in and sat it on the kitchen floor, explaining to his wife that a child needs a pet, so he stopped by the pet store, and the shop keeper just arrived from picking up a stray cat. Mr. Jenson said it would be perfect for a child of her age and that the cat was gentle as any cat could be. Her dad pulled the cloth off and introduced the cat as Mr. Jinx. The cat was orange with just a tinge of yellow on its fur, and it had great big green eyes. Alice’s dad picked Mr. Jinx out of her cage and the cat went immediately to Alice who was sitting on a kitchen chair, the cat gave one giant leap and gently came down on the girl’s lap, and started to purr and lick Alice’s face. Alice and her cat played together the rest of the afternoon, and after supper the cat and Alice sat together in the living room watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Her father and mother was on the sofa close together watching TV and now and then kissing each other. Shortly Alice’s eyes began to droop and she was fast asleep and her father picked her up and carted her off to bed with Mr. Jinx following. He tucked her in and the cat lay on the bottom of the bed as if it was on guard watching over the girl. Her father gave Alice one quick peck on the cheek, and turned off her bedside light, and he made sure that her night light was on, as he left the door open a crack. He headed to the bathroom, to grab a much needed shower to get the days grime off him. Alice’s mom was in the kitchen when she found Alice’s back pack on a chair and opened it. She saw a piece of paper neatly folded, and opened it up, and it was a good thing she was sitting down, because in that picture was Mr. Jinx she was certain of it, and she got up and went to Alice’s room to compare the picture to the cat. She flicked on the light and looked at the crayon tracings and compared them to the now alert cat. The coloring and shading of the cat was the same right down to the bright green eyes and as she was looking at Mr Jinx the cat, she thought she saw the cat winking at her, and now had a grin on its face as she shut the bedroom door.

Chapter 10

Morning came and Alice’s dad was off to work on the hybrids at a local farm after breakfast. Her mother fixed Alice some cereal and a glass of milk, and now it was just her and her daughter at home. Her mom asked Alice to retell the story that she told her yesterday, and Alice told her all the details. After breakfast was over her mom drove her back to kindergarten, and hugged her, and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Her mom did not stay long today, because she wanted to check on all the things Alice had told her, and she was afraid she might not get through it all in one day. The house was easy finding, Alice described it perfectly ,and now her mother was standing at the front door with a batch of cookies in one hand and ringing the door bell with the other. The big woman opened the door and Alice’s mom greeted her and welcomed her to the town with the batch of cookies. The big woman invited her in for some coffee and to help eat those fresh cookies in the kitchen. Alice’s mom was now in a state of denial because everything was just as Alice described it, the mouse hole, the apple pies, the window, and the big woman, and of course the cat. The only thing missing was the mouse. She just got through talking to Mr. Jenson about the mouse and no he said he did not find the mouse yet, but he said it will because mice have a habit to get into peoples homes, and this one was white with a tiniest spot of black fur under his chin, and of course no tail. Alice’s mom had heard enough ,and she had to hurry to school because class was about to be dismissed for the day. She picked Alice up and drove home silently, and when they arrived in the kitchen, she sat Alice down in the kitchen chair, telling her not to repeat the story about the cat and the mouse to anyone, that it was just their family secret. Alice agreed and her mother hugged and kissed her and Miss Jinx gave her another wink.

Chapter 11

The headlines on the morning’s local paper had a picture of Mr. Jenson holding a white mouse, as Alice’s mom was reading the paper. It turned out that the mouse showed up mysteriously back at the pet shop, and this mouse was one and the same named Pokey Mr Jenson said. But the only thing was Pokey somehow grew his tail back. Mr. Jenson went on to proclaim that the mouse must be magical or something and yes he was sure it was the same mouse. And under this story was another story from a Mrs. Flatt stating that she just moved here and she thinks her house was haunted by a mouse and that she had finally reached the previous owners of her house by phone, and was complaining about their pet they left behind. She described it as a little white mouse with no tail, and yes the owners did have a pet like that, and they would let it out of its cage once in awhile to play in the house. They never knew how it lost its tail but they did know how it lost its life. It seemed the poor creature got under the sink, and drank some bad chemicals, because one morning they woke up to find him in his cage with all four tiny paws straight up in the air. And they went on to tell Mrs. Flatt that they buried their pet in the back yard of her house. Mrs. Flatt went on to announce that she was calling a Catholic Priest to exorcise her house. Alice’s mom hid the paper then, so her daughter would not see the picture of Mr. Jenson holding Pokey , she heard Alice coming from her room. And all this would be funny reading. If she did not know that it was all true! And, she must start keeping a more cautious eye on her daughter...

The End

Or Is It?
Was Alice a clairvoyant? Was the mouse the one and the same? Will Mrs. Flatt stay in her haunted house? Reader you be the judge. From the mind of a child great things do become real. Is pretend really a game they play or is it something else?


The End


About The Author: My name is Ed Lindsey and the picture on the front cover is not of Alice. The picture is of my late grand-daughter Megan Madeline Thomas. She perished at the early age of 5 years of age, at the hands of just another Drunk Driver here in the United States. After being rammed in the rear one night at around 7:00 p.m. on a Friday, in which my wife was turning into a driveway, and stopped with her turn signal on. The drunk driver got out and looked around to see all the carnage that he just made. He then proceeded back to his truck and got in and sped off. Megan was found underneath the van by my wife. My wife held her in her arms on the bank waiting for help to arrive. Megan was alive and conscious, not a scratch on her face or upper body but she did receive a badly mangled leg. Her last words to my wife (Her Grammy) “Grammy I Can Not Breathe.” The medics took her away to a waiting helicopter to be transported to a hospital. Megan died in route on that helicopter. The man was found the next morning and was still above the legal limit of alcohol in his blood stream. Later that year he was sentenced to 4. 8 year in the state penitentiary. I dedicate this book to Megan and all the little girls that have that imagination and may they never grow out of it.
Ed Lindsey lives with his wife Nancy and 1 dog Toby, and various cats that people seem to drop off on our road and find the way to my garage to be fed. We live in Susquehanna County which is in the Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania. The web page below has pictures of Megan and music on it. It also tells you on how to deal with that drunk driver that is on our roads today. I hope you visit and try and do something about it.
The Web Site I Created Is On You Tube and it is this..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ik3woSJyE

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 23.06.2011

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Widmung:
The front cover is a picture of my late grand-daughter. She was taken from us in 2006 by just another drunk driver here in America. She just turned 5 years of age the month previous. This book is like Alice in Wonderland but is not. I dedicate this book to her memory.