The Big, Big Stick

Reeve found a big, big stick. It was twice as long as his whole body. It had two long prongs like giant witch's fingers. When Reeve swung it, he could stop traffic. Cool.

His older brother took notice. "Hey, give me that." Duncan made a grab for it.

"No, Gungcan, it MY 'tick!" Reeve whipped it away, nearly taking out a passing biker.

Duncan lunged again, but his brother hung tough, especially for a two-year old. Duncan let go and strolled away. "Who cares. It's not such a great stick anyway."

"It is a great 'tick!" Reeve protested.

"No, it's not."

"It IS!"

Duncan pretended not to care as he hunted among the fallen leaves. As last he found a little stick, more of a twig really. "Now, THIS is a great stick. Don't you want this one, Reeve? I'll trade you."

"No."

"Reeve! Give it to me!" Reeve shook his head. Duncan checked to see if his mom was looking. Nope. He snatched Reeve's stick.

"GUNGCAN! IT MINE!" Reeve howled. Now their mom was looking.

"Duncan, give it back," she said. He held firm as Reeve yanked the other end. "Duncan? Now." He let go.

"Aw! No fair!" Duncan plopped cross-legged in the middle of the path. Strollers and joggers swerved to avoid him. After a minute or so of good pouting, Duncan got up and ran across the grass to the edge of the woods.

Meanwhile, Reeve waved his stick in victory. Strollers and joggers swerved to avoid him.

"Reeve, you have to keep the stick down or I'll take it away," his mom warned, to no effect. "Reeve, do I need to take it?"

"No! My 'tick!" he shouted as he ran away, menacing dogs and their walkers.

His mother caught him and took the stick. "We can't hurt other people with our sticks." She snapped off the long prongs, leaving the stick no longer than Reeve's own little arm, then handed it back. Reeve looked at his maimed stick as if to say, what's the point?

"What happened to Reeve's stick?" Duncan was breathing hard. He had returned from the woods with the biggest stick ever. It was five times as long as his whole body. If you put it upright, it could almost be its own tree.

"Wow, Gungcan!" Reeve's eyes bulged. "Can I have it?"

"No. It's my stick," Duncan said.

"Please!" Reeve cried.

"That's yours!" Duncan took pleasure in pointing to the small remains of Reeve's stick.

"No, it not!" Reeve cast the useless thing aside.

Duncan wrapped both arms around his limb and dragged it with all his might. Reeve lifted the opposite end.

"Let go!" Duncan ordered his brother. "This is my stick!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

The problem with such a big stick, Duncan realized, was that he was only one person and he couldn't defend the whole thing. Much less move it. He sensed an opportunity.

"Okay, Reeve. You can help me. Go this way."

"Okay!"

Together they managed to drag it across the path. They stopped to catch their breath. Now bikers, strollers, and dog walkers had no way to pass.

"Boys, you have to move the stick back onto the grass," their mom demanded.

Duncan pulled one way. Reeve pulled the other.

"Reeve! You're going the wrong way!"

"No, I not! You go wrong way!"

"We have to bring it over here!"

"No, we don't!"

Duncan stomped his feet. Reeve dug in his heels.

"Quickly, boys!" their mom insisted. Traffic was building up.

Wearily Duncan looked at the heavy branch. All the fun was gone. He looked around for an escape.

Dandelions!

"Hey, Reeve, let's bring the stick over to those flowers!"

Intrigued, Reeve looked up. "Flowers?!"

Together they hauled the branch to a grassy knoll where some dandelions had gone to seed. Duncan abandoned the branch and plucked a fuzzy white orb.

"I wish for... chocolate cake for my birthday!" Duncan said and blew. The seeds drifted up into the evening sky.

Reeve picked a dandelion for himself. "I wish for... chocolate cake!" Reeve yelled and blew, missing. He pulled the seeds off and threw them in the air.

Duncan ran to the next dandelion. "I wish for... a pizza parlor and a toy store right across the street from my house that I can go to any time I want!"

Reeve picked another. "I wish for... chocolate cake!"