Sweet Potato Pie
By: John Hayes
Josephine Jones watched her mother pull the third beautifully browned sweet potato pie from the oven.
"Can I have some now, Mom?" Josephine asked.
"They're too hot. And besides, they're for supper tonight."
Mrs. Jones said, "Josephine, I promised Mrs. Lowe one of these pies. Run this one over to her and do not stop at Tributary Creek on the way there."
Josephine loved Tributary Creek and would often lie on her stomach, her toughened feet waving to the sky. She would smile into the dancing water until the stream would whisper to her.
She skipped off, carrying the pie. As she neared the creek, she glimpsed a mud turtle slide into the water. Forgetting her mother's warning, she ran to the creek.
"Hey, mister turtle where are you?" Josephine knelt and looked in the stream. "Quit hiding turtle, I know you're there."
Just then, the turtle raised its head only inches from where Josephine knelt. She dropped the pie, and it skidded into the water. Sadly, she trekked home and told her mother what happened.
Josephine's stomach sank when her mother frowned and said, "You still have to take a pie to Mrs. Lowe, so there won't be any for you at supper tonight."
Josephine trudged away with another pie.
"I hate that dumb old turtle" she said. "And I hate dumb old me, too. Bet I'll never do anything dumb like that again."
On her way, she did not even look at Tributary Creek, which had caused of all her trouble.
She arrived at the Lowe house and knocked, secretly wishing no one was home. Mrs. Lowe's smile changed to a look of concern when she saw Josephine's downcast face.
"Whatever is wrong?" Mrs. Lowe asked.
As Josephine finished telling about her misfortune, Sally Lowe ran up the path, "Hey Josephine, let's play."
Without waiting for an answer she called, "Mom, can Josephine stay for dinner?"
"Of course, there's enough for all," Mrs. Lowe said.
Josephine smiled. Now she would still get to have sweet potato pie for supper tonight.
~The End~
Illustration Copyright © 2009 Candace J. Hardy
Copyright © 2009 by John Hayes