Today's Big Story

For some reason - my college education in journalism or my years of newspaper writing or just a stylized preference - I start every Tomorrow Trunk entry with "Today's Big Story." I have spent twenty years doing this. Just this week, I wrote a "Today's Big Story" about the next door neighbor's dog, whose name just happens to be Romeo and who just happens to be in love with me. The "Today's Big Story" label was a tool I used to remind me that yesterday's big story is not today's big story. And, no matter how big today's story may be, it will be forgotten when the next big story comes along. Thank you, quiet genius, for helping me to preserve so many big stories that would have gotten lost forever in the daily headlines of childhood.

TODAY'S BIG STORY: Today Matt said the cutest thing! He came to the breakfast table this morning and announced that he wanted some achin' and begs. Of course, I knew what he meant, but I loved what he said. Ever since we moved here, we have been greeted on several mornings by a hungry little kitchen mouse, and we have an old cat who refuses to be bothered by his presence. I could hardly wait to serve up "Today's Big Story" with a side of order of bacon and eggs!

ACHIN' and BEGS: A Breakfast Tale

There was once an old cat named Achin',
and a bold country mouse named Begs.
They lived together in a house full of children
and ate leftover bacon and eggs.

Now Achin' would eat all the bacon,
and Begs would eat all the eggs.
A nice bed and breakfast in the house full of children
for innkeepers Achin' and Begs.

Every morning, as the biscuits were baking,
a boldness would rise up in Begs.
He'd scurry about in the house full of children
scrambling for droppings of eggs.

Now, Mom, who was barely awakened,
would scream at the first sight of Begs!
Laughter would fill the house full of children
as each one of them held up their legs.

"Quick! Somebody get Achin'!
That mouse is eating the eggs!"
But no hurry, no worry in the house full of children
who enjoyed sharing breakfast with Begs.

Old Achin' was feeble and shaken
with a limp in one of his legs.
He dallied all day in the house full of children
after a breakfast of bacon with Begs.

But, one morning while Mom was making
a big batch of bacon and eggs,
an intruder was hiding in the house full of children
baiting a trap for Begs.

As soon as Begs smelled the bacon,
he headed for leftover eggs.
All eyes were surprised in the house full of children -
a new cat with four healthy legs.

Begs thought his life would be taken
as he ran through the fried maze of eggs!
Staying out of sight in the house full of children
meant staying alive for Begs.

So Begs said good-bye to Achin'
and good-bye to leftover eggs.
Begs said good-bye to the house full of children,
and Achin' said good-bye to Begs.

Nothing could be so heartbreaking
for this duo named Achin' and Begs;
for one without the other in the house full of children
was like bacon without any eggs.

Just then, after following Achin',
pounced the new cat on four healthy legs!
How the fur did fly in the house full of children
as he ambushed poor little Begs!

At last, the cat was overtaken,
but not by Achin' or Begs.
"Scat! You mean cat!" cried the house full of children,
throwing a skillet of leftover eggs!

The children took care of Achin',
who was limping on two of his legs,
and they welcomed back Begs to the house full of children
with his own bowl of leftover eggs.

Now here is the lesson worth taking
in the tale of Achin' and Begs.
There is more to breakfast in a house full of children
than plain old BACON and EGGS!

Copyright 1993, Dianne B. McLaurin.

Wow! That was one of the most fun stories I have ever written! I have read it to many elementary classes. I ask the children to fill in the ending rhyme words, and they love it! And my little boy, Matt, is now a college junior majoring in business. He gives important presentations as eloquently as anyone; however, as a funny four-year-old, just a couple of words made headlines!

Dianne ; )