Thaddeus Gunther is tired and grouchy and wants left alone! |
There is, in a house just like yours, this little boy and his name is Thaddeus Gunther. And it so happens that one morning Thaddeus absolutely does not want to get up. "I’m not getting up. No matter what!” Thaddeus thinks to himself. “I wanna stay right here in my bed with my best ‘ole blanket over my head.” But, no - oooooooooooooooooooo. Here comes his mom, hip hopping into his room singing in her mom voice, “Good morning, dear Thaddeus! Good morning to youuuuuuuuuu!” Can you guess what Thaddeus does? Well, he grumbles and growls and yells really loud! “I’m tired. I’m grouchy. Now leave me alone!” “You’re my little boy and I love you a bunch, Thaddeus Gunther, no matter what,” says his mom. “But it is time now, for you to get up!” And she stands him upright, and sends him outside, his pajamas still on! Boy, oh, boy, did that ever make him mad! Thaddeus Gunther slams out the door, putting his best blanket right over his head. “Fine,” says his mother, and goes on her way. And then... Thaddeus mumbles and stumbles and bumps – Boom! Right into his sister. Her glasses go a-flyin’ to the ground, and her eyes go a-rollin’ around and around. Can you guess what Thaddeus does? Well, he grumbles and growls and tells her, “I’m tired. I’m grouchy. Now leave me alone!” “Fine,” says the sister, and goes on her way. Thaddeus Gunther, with his mad face on, peeks out and sees his sister is gone. And then… Thaddeus mumbles and stumbles and bumps – Boom! right into the neighbor lady. Her big purse goes KERPLUNK! and the poor neighbor lady can't tell which way is up. Can you guess what Thaddeus does this time? Well, he grumbles and growls and yells out loud - “I’m tired. I’m grouchy. Now leave me alone!” “Well, I never!” says the neighbor lady, and goes on her way. Thaddeus Gunther, with his mad face on, peeks out and sees that the neighbor lady is gone. And then… Thaddeus mumbles and stumbles and bumps – Boom! right into a scrawny yellow cat! “MEEEEEE-OOOOWWWWWW!” screeches the cat. “AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!” screams Thaddeus. The hair stands up on Thaddeus’ neck. The hair stands up on the cat’s yellow back. Can you guess what Thaddeus does this time? Well, he grumbles and growls and he yells very loudly – “I’m tired. I’m grouchy. Now leave me alone!” Thaddeus Gunther, with his mad face on, peeks out and sees that the cat is not gone. Can you guess what Thaddeus does then? He grumbles and growls and he yells REALLY LOUD! – “I’m tired. I’m grouchy. Now leave me alone!” Thaddeus Gunther, with his mad face on, peeks out again, and sees that the cat STILL is not gone! Can you guess what he does next? Well, Thaddeus decides this time, he’ll just throw a BIG FAT FIT! “I’ll teach that scrawny ‘ole cat. I’ll pound my fists and stomp my feet and holler and I’ll scare the bejeebers right out of it!” So he pounds his fists, POUND! POUND! POUND! Until he can’t pound anymore. And he stomps, STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! until he can’t stomp anymore. And he hollers and hollers and hollers until his throat is sore. Then, Thaddeus Gunther, with his very maddest ever face on, peeks out and sees that the cat still is not gone. In fact, there the scrawny cat sat – right on his blanket – imagine that! The scrawny cat shivers. The scrawny cat shakes. Then the cat looks up at Thaddeus, ever so scrawny and ever so sad, that Thaddeus Gunther - forgets he is mad! He laughs at the cat, the cat purrs at him, and he uses his blanket to wrap her up in. “HEY!” yells Thaddeus, “Come see what I’ve got!” But when he looks up, no one is to be found; no mom, no sister, no neighbor lady. “C’mon, Cat,” he says, “I have some sorry’s to say”. The yellow cat purred and they go on their way. How about YOU? Are YOU grouchy today? THE END |