Geraldine and Geraldine and Albert TogetherAlbert Together

(Based on Aesop’s Fable The (Based on Aesop’s Fable The Grasshopper and the Ant)Grasshopper and the Ant)

By Shannon L. MoxceyBy Shannon L. Moxcey

Geraldine and Albert both lived in the same town. Geraldine lived in a Geraldine and Albert both lived in the same town. Geraldine lived in a trim little house where she swept the porch every morning. Her grass trim little house where she swept the porch every morning. Her grass was always mowed, her flowers were always happy and healthy, her was always mowed, her flowers were always happy and healthy, her front walk was always swept and tidy. Inside her home, everything front walk was always swept and tidy. Inside her home, everything was neat as a pin and the house always smelled of something was neat as a pin and the house always smelled of something delicious cooking or just cooked. Geraldine didn’t have a lot of time delicious cooking or just cooked. Geraldine didn’t have a lot of time for fun and friends, but she had neatness, order and quiet.for fun and friends, but she had neatness, order and quiet.

Albert didn’t have his own home, but he spent lots of time with his Albert didn’t have his own home, but he spent lots of time with his many friends and had lots of fun. He didn’t have his own home many friends and had lots of fun. He didn’t have his own home but Albert didn’t care. He would sometimes stay with his friends, but Albert didn’t care. He would sometimes stay with his friends, Tom or Ralph, at their homes, where they would watch tv, play Tom or Ralph, at their homes, where they would watch tv, play video games, or go with them on trips to the beach or to the zoo. video games, or go with them on trips to the beach or to the zoo.

One day, when Albert, Tom and Ralph were going to the One day, when Albert, Tom and Ralph were going to the movies, they saw Geraldine outside, busily sweeping movies, they saw Geraldine outside, busily sweeping the sidewalk in front of her trim little house. Albert said, the sidewalk in front of her trim little house. Albert said, “Hey Geraldine, come to the movies with us!”“Hey Geraldine, come to the movies with us!”

““No, no, no, I have too much work to do, I have no time No, no, no, I have too much work to do, I have no time for fun,” said Geraldine, and she waved them on, still for fun,” said Geraldine, and she waved them on, still busily sweeping.busily sweeping.

Albert didn’t understand this. Albert didn’t have a home of his Albert didn’t understand this. Albert didn’t have a home of his own, but that never bothered him. He always had great fun own, but that never bothered him. He always had great fun doing fun things with his friends. Sometimes, when he doing fun things with his friends. Sometimes, when he wasn’t invited to sleep at one of his friend’s homes, he wasn’t invited to sleep at one of his friend’s homes, he would find a cozy place to curl up outside, where he would would find a cozy place to curl up outside, where he would fall peacefully asleep under the stars, thinking of the places fall peacefully asleep under the stars, thinking of the places he’d gone with his friends and the things they had done and he’d gone with his friends and the things they had done and seen, and talked about. seen, and talked about.

““Oh, well, who wants to spend all their time Oh, well, who wants to spend all their time working on chores anyway,” he thought to working on chores anyway,” he thought to himself as he and Tom and Ralph waved to himself as he and Tom and Ralph waved to Geraldine and continued on their merry way to Geraldine and continued on their merry way to the movie theater.the movie theater.

The summer months passed, the leaves started The summer months passed, the leaves started to change color and finally to fall from the trees, to change color and finally to fall from the trees, and the mornings became colder and colder. and the mornings became colder and colder. Geraldine made sure put her flower gardens to Geraldine made sure put her flower gardens to bed against the coming cold weather, laid in a bed against the coming cold weather, laid in a supply of firewood, and made a batch of muffins. supply of firewood, and made a batch of muffins.

As she ate one with a cup of hot tea as she sat in her As she ate one with a cup of hot tea as she sat in her solitary rocking chair alone in her cozy little kitchen, she solitary rocking chair alone in her cozy little kitchen, she thought to herself, “It would be nice to have someone to thought to herself, “It would be nice to have someone to share these delicious muffins and tea with. It would be share these delicious muffins and tea with. It would be nice to have someone to talk to.” But Geraldine just nice to have someone to talk to.” But Geraldine just finished her muffin and got back to her chores.finished her muffin and got back to her chores.

Albert woke up one morning feeling cold and hungry. Albert woke up one morning feeling cold and hungry. Snow had fallen in the night, and Albert was shivering Snow had fallen in the night, and Albert was shivering and hopping up and down trying to keep warm. He and hopping up and down trying to keep warm. He walked to his friend Tom’s house and asked to come in walked to his friend Tom’s house and asked to come in to get warm and have something to eat. Tom said, I’m to get warm and have something to eat. Tom said, I’m sorry but my whole family is here and there is no more sorry but my whole family is here and there is no more room. room.

Albert walked to Ralph’s house, feeling even colder Albert walked to Ralph’s house, feeling even colder and hungrier, but when he got there, he saw a note on and hungrier, but when he got there, he saw a note on the door that said “On vacation, won’t be back until the door that said “On vacation, won’t be back until spring.”spring.”

Albert felt terrible. He didn’t know what to do, so he Albert felt terrible. He didn’t know what to do, so he just kept walking to keep warm. He passed by just kept walking to keep warm. He passed by Geraldine’s house, where he saw smoke puffing from Geraldine’s house, where he saw smoke puffing from the chimney. The light coming from behind the the chimney. The light coming from behind the cheerful curtains and the clean windows looked so cheerful curtains and the clean windows looked so appealing that Albert knocked on Geraldine’s door.appealing that Albert knocked on Geraldine’s door.

Geraldine had been home alone sitting beside the fire, Geraldine had been home alone sitting beside the fire, and when she heard the door she was surprised, she and when she heard the door she was surprised, she didn’t have many visitors. Her friends used to ask her didn’t have many visitors. Her friends used to ask her to do things with them, but she always answered that to do things with them, but she always answered that she had too much work to do, so eventually they had she had too much work to do, so eventually they had stopped asking. stopped asking.

When Geraldine opened the door, there was When Geraldine opened the door, there was Albert, looking cold and miserable. “Geraldine, Albert, looking cold and miserable. “Geraldine, may I come in and get warm and maybe have may I come in and get warm and maybe have a bite to eat?” Geraldine was surprised, but a bite to eat?” Geraldine was surprised, but she said, “Sure, come on in.”she said, “Sure, come on in.”

Albert came in and Geraldine gave him some warm Albert came in and Geraldine gave him some warm muffins and a cup of hot tea. The two sat and talked muffins and a cup of hot tea. The two sat and talked and laughed the day away. Albert told Geraldine about and laughed the day away. Albert told Geraldine about the things he and his friends had done last summer, the things he and his friends had done last summer, the places they’d gone, the things they’d seen, the the places they’d gone, the things they’d seen, the funny things they’d laughed about. Geraldine couldn’t funny things they’d laughed about. Geraldine couldn’t remember when she had enjoyed herself more.remember when she had enjoyed herself more.

Later, when the fire was beginning to get low and the Later, when the fire was beginning to get low and the muffins were all gone, Geraldine stood up to bring in muffins were all gone, Geraldine stood up to bring in wood for the fire, tidy up the kitchen and make more wood for the fire, tidy up the kitchen and make more muffins. Albert wanted to spend more time talking and muffins. Albert wanted to spend more time talking and laughing, so he said, “Hey Geraldine, I will fill the wood laughing, so he said, “Hey Geraldine, I will fill the wood box while you make muffins, then maybe we could go box while you make muffins, then maybe we could go outside and make a snowman…together,” said Albert.outside and make a snowman…together,” said Albert.

Geraldine smiled. “That’s a great idea,” she said, and Geraldine smiled. “That’s a great idea,” she said, and the two made quick work of tidying up after their snack the two made quick work of tidying up after their snack and filling the woodbox. They bundled up and ran and filling the woodbox. They bundled up and ran outside, and quickly made a snowman. When Albert’s outside, and quickly made a snowman. When Albert’s friends, Tom and Ralph came by, they were surprised to friends, Tom and Ralph came by, they were surprised to see their friend and Geraldine p[laying together, but they see their friend and Geraldine p[laying together, but they all laughed and played and had a wonderful snowball all laughed and played and had a wonderful snowball fight.fight.

Albert remained with Geraldine through the Albert remained with Geraldine through the winter. In the spring time, the two of them went winter. In the spring time, the two of them went out and started working on the garden, planting out and started working on the garden, planting food and flowers and making the yard trim, tidy food and flowers and making the yard trim, tidy and welcoming. and welcoming.

The two of them worked hard in the mornings, and in the The two of them worked hard in the mornings, and in the middle of the day then they had a delicious lunch middle of the day then they had a delicious lunch together, and in the evenings they had parties, went to together, and in the evenings they had parties, went to the movies, or talked and laughed together before the the movies, or talked and laughed together before the fire. Geraldine learned to enjoy herself more and Albert fire. Geraldine learned to enjoy herself more and Albert learned how good it felt to work hard and help others. learned how good it felt to work hard and help others. They both learned to balance work and play and they They both learned to balance work and play and they both lived happily ever after.both lived happily ever after.

The End