Jr. Tales: The De-Lite-Ful Surprise
| November 29, 2017
A vrami’s hand was hovering over the phone when it startled him by ringing.
“Hey Avrami.” It was his best friend Shua.
“I was just about to call you!”
“Great minds think alike.” Shua chuckled. “Wanna swing by and shoot some baskets? I just got a great new basketball hoop and ball.”
“I’ll be over in a jiff” Avrami replied slipping on his sneakers while cradling the phone against his shoulder.
Huffing his way around the block Avrami reached Shua’s house in record time.
“Wow ” he said admiration oozing from his voice as he took in the shiny glass backboard and gleaming steel pole of Shua’s new basketball zone. “This is some setup.”
Shua dribbled the basketball and smiled.
“Sure is. My grandparents just came for a visit and this is what they got us. Pretty neat huh?”
“Cool ” Avrami agreed stealing the ball and racing toward the hoop. Leaping into the air Avrami gave it a toss and watched it swirl through the net for a perfect shot.
“Slam dunk!” Shua observed impressed. “Ready for a game?”
Jumping and running bouncing and tossing Avrami and Shua wore themselves out.
“Thanks ” Avrami said heading home when his arms and legs announced: “No more!” His mind whirled while he walked. He would love a new basketball hoop! Why it would keep him busy and give him great exercise at the same time. Would Mommy agree? he wondered.
“I wish we could” Mommy replied “but you know Chaya’s wedding is around the corner and I’m way too busy now. Maybe in a few months honey.”
Avrami’s lips turned down in an angry frown. Why did his sister’s wedding always come first? It wasn’t fair! Annoyed he stomped up to his room and slammed the door.
Later that evening the doorbell rang.
“Avrami Leah Dovid — Bubby and Zeidy are here!” Mommy called.
Avrami’s heart lifted as he scrambled ahead of his little brother and sister and zipped down the stairs. Sometimes his grandparents just popped in to say hello but sometimes they brought presents. Wouldn’t it be awesome if tonight was one of those times?
“Hi Bubby hi Zeidy ” Avrami greeted them with a grin.
“How’s our favorite grandson?” they both asked at the same time. They called every grandchild their favorite every time they visited but it still always made him smile. And what helped his smile grow even larger were the packages from Toy World he spied on the dining room table.
“We got you something ” Zeidy announced pointing to a brightly wrapped box.
“Thank you!” Avrami said brightly heart pumping with excitement.
Too small to be a basketball pole he mused tearing open the sparkly paper. But maybe it’s sports equipment like a new basketball or soccer ball or even a nifty pair of Rollerblades. Hey now that would be something!
Lite-Brite Avrami read his heart taking a nosedive as he eyed the package in disbelief. What in the world? (Excerpted from Mishpacha Jr. Issue 687)
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