Trouble in the Back Pasture.

Chapter 7

Jennifer's Mom Mom and Pop Pop lived on two hundred acre farm, across the railroad tracks, at the other end of town. Pop Pop had many animals to care for. There were cows, sheep, chickens three pigs and especially,  Betsy and Chubby, the two work horses.  They helped Pop Pop to plow the fields in the Spring, gather the hay in the summer and pull the wagon of turnips in the Fall.  Pop Pop did not have a tractor for a long time. He didn't need one as long as Betsy and Chubby worked as a team. They could pull as much weight as a small tractor could.

One day when George and Jennifer were down at the farm, George got an idea. "Hey, Jennifer, let's take Betsy and Chubby out for a ride to the back pasture?  I don't think your Pop Pop will mind do you?"

"I don't think so George, but we better ask first.  What if Pop Pop needs them for some work today?" suggested Jennifer.

"I don't think he will need them today, Jennifer.  He is picking apples in the orchard and the horses are loose in the barn yard."

 George convinced Jennifer that it would be all right. So the children made saddles out of grain bags, stuffing them with hay, threw them on the back of the two horses, and rode off  to the back pasture.

"Isn't this the greatest fun Jennifer? The saddle isn't that comfortable, but it is better than nothing. How is Betsy doing?  Chubby is so slow," said George.

"Betsy is great! No problem.  I can handle her.  She is very gentle, George."

  What the two children did not know was that just that morning, Pop Pop had let out Goliath to gaze in the back pasture.  Goliath was a mean, ugly bull, that Pop Pop had agreed to keep on the farm for a short time. At first the children did not see Goliath gazing, but the two horses did.  Betsy and Chubby did not like Goliath.  They were afraid.of him.  The horses were determined to go back to the barn, but the children were just as determined to stay!   The horses started to go around and around in circles.  Just than Jennifer saw Goliath up on the hill.

"Oh no, George.  It is Goliath.  He sees us. We better get out of here".

So the two children let Chubby and Betsy have their reins and headed back for the barn. As the horses started to run back home, Jennifer lost control of Betsy and fell off landing on her right arm on the ground. Betsy kept racing for the barn and left Jennifer crying.

 George was almost back to the barn when he noticed Jennifer wasn't on Betsy back! Where was Jennifer? George knew he could not get Chubby to go out there again, so he grabbed his bicycle and heading out to the pasture.  Jennifer was able to to crawl her way back to the gate, open it and lock it behind her before Goliath saw her. When George found her she was exhausted , with tears running down her face.  She was in a great deal of pain.

"Oh George, I am so glad to see you, I think I broke my arm." cried Jennifer through her tears.

"Jennifer, do you think you can ride on my cross bar?  I will give you a ride home"I know that it isn't the safest place of ride, but I think it will be o.k. just this time. George had a boy's bike, which made it very convenient for Jennifer to ride on.

When Pop Pop saw the two children and especially Jennifer riding on the cross bar, he called out, "What are you two kids doing?  Jennifer, you know that you are not to ride on the cross bar."

George stopped his bike and explained to Pop Pop what had happened and without saying another word, Pop Pop went into the house, called Jennifer's mother, told her about the broken arm and to meet him at the emergency room.

Yes, her arm was broken all right.  Jennifer had to wear a cast for six months. She wasn't very happy about that.  Bedtime that night wasn't very pleasant for either George or Jennifer. Both their parents were quite  upset with their disobedient children.

If you were their parents, what punishment do you think they deserved?  I hope all Mom Mom's story time friends will always remember  how important it is TO ASK TO PERMISSION FIRST BEFORE DECIDING TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD.