This is Graham. He is 11. He can throw rocks much further than Ethan. Graham and I started to pretend that Ethan was throwing rocks really far and that gave me the idea for a story. I made it up on the walk back and told it during a regular unsnorffeled dinner. Here it is:
5/3/01
BROTHERS
When it was time to walk the dog, Graham and Ethan went across the street and Ethan said, “Let’s go downtown”.
“No” said Graham, ”I want to walk up hill, way up through the woods to the top of the hill where we can see everything.”
“Good idea” said Ethan.
So they walked across the street and up the path. Up, up, through the woods and up, up, up, all the way to the top of the hill. Ethan said, “Jasper looks like a little toy town. This is wonderful. I’m gonna throw rocks.”
He picked up a rock, threw it and said. “Ah, it didn’t even get to the bottom of the hill. I just can’t throw very far. I wish I were 11 and not 6. I wish I were 11 like you.”
“Throw harder” said Graham. “You’re a good thrower.”
So Ethan took a rock and threw it as hard as he could and he didn’t even see where it went. “Where did it go?” said Ethan.
“It’s still going” said Graham. “It’s incredible. That was the best throw ever. It’s almost going to hit a house. Wow, it’s all the way to the bottom of the hill. I think it almost hit a house!”
“Wow” said Graham. “That’s wonderful. Do another one Ethan. I bet you could throw one and hit the roof of our house.”
“Amazing” said Ethan. He picked up a rock and threw it as hard as it could. “I didn’t see where it went. How far did it go?”
“It’s going” said Graham. “It’s going, it’s going, it’s going over the house and it’s going over the train track on the other side of town, Ethan, that’s incredible. The most incredible throw ever.”
“Wow” said Ethan. “Can I throw across the river?”
“I think you could throw across the river!” said Graham. “Try Ethan.” “Throw it as hard as you can.”
So Ethan picked up a rock and threw it as hard as it could. “I didn’t see where it went. Where did it go?”
And Graham said “It’s going over… It’s going over… It’s going over the river. It hit an elk. Wonderful Ethan! I think you hit an elk.”
“Hey” said Ethan, “this is great. I’m gonna throw another rock all the way across town. I’m gonna throw it and hit a bear all the way on the Mountain on the other side of town.”
“Good idea” said Graham.
Ethan threw it and said, “I can’t see it. I can’t see it. Where did it go.”
“It’s gone!” said Graham. “It’s way over the tracks. It’s over the town and it’s gonna hit a bear. It definitely hit a bear! The bear is running around like crazy.”
“Well” said Ethan, “what should I do now?”
“I know.” said Graham. “Throw one really hard. Throw one really, really hard. If you throw it really, really hard it will go all the way around the world and come back from the other side!”
“Incredible” said Ethan. “This is great.” He picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could and said, “How long will it take to come back?”
“I don’t know.” said Graham. “Just stand here with your eyes closed and listen for it. We might hear it fall.”
They listened and listened and listened. Then Graham picked up a rock and threw it right at the back of Ethan’s head.
“Clunck.”
“Ow!” said Ethan, “What was that?”
“That was your rock!” yelled Graham. “It came all the way around the world. It came all the way around the world and hit you on the back of your head. It’s incredible. It’s incredible.”
“Wow” said Ethan. “This is great. I’m gonna go tell Mommy and Daddy.”
“Well” said Graham, “They might not like us throwing rocks. So let’s keep it a secret just between you and me.”
“Okay” said Ethan, “A secret just between you and me. That’s what brothers are for.”
And when Graham started to walk back down the trail, Ethan picked up a rock and threw it at the back of his head.
CLUNK!
“Ow!” said Graham, “What was that?”
“It was my rock”, said Ethan, “It bounced of my head and went around the world again!”
© 2001 – Bob Munsch Enterprises Limited
