CHARLIE ONION: HOPE DAD ISN’T TOO MAD WHEN HE SEES MY REPORT CARD.

(CHARLIE ONION ENTERS HIS HOUSE, AND PUTS HIS BOOKS DOWN).

DAD: IS THAT YOU, CHARLIE?

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH DAD. I GOT MY REPORT CARD TODAY.

DAD: GOOD. LET’S SEE HOW YOU DID?

CHARLIE ONION: HERE YOU GO.

DAD: A “C?” HOW DID YOU PULL OUT A “C”.

CHARLIE ONION: I’M NOT SURE DAD. I THOUGHT I WAS DOING GOOD.

DAD: WELL, I CAN’T TELL YOU ENOUGH ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE OWL’S SCHOOL IS. YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE MISTER.

CHARLIE ONION: I’LL GO SEE THE OWL AND FIND OUT WHY I DID SO POORLY.

(CHARLIE ONION GOES TO TALK TO THE OWL)

(KNOCKS ON THE OWL’S DOOR)

OWL: COME ON CHARLIE. THE DOOR’S ALWAYS UNLOCKED.

CHARLIE ONION: HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS ME?

OWL: I’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU FOR SOME TIME NOW.

CHARLIE ONION: I’VE BEEN BUSY.

OWL: I SEE. TOO BUSY TO SIT DOWN AND TALK WITH YOUR FRIEND OWL?

CHARLIE ONION: I GUESS. WITH SCHOOL, AND STARTING OVER IN A NEW PLACE, I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE TIME.

OWL: DID YOU GET YOUR REPORT CARD?

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH, AND THAT’S WHY I CAME OVER TO TALK.

OWL: YOU’RE ALWAYS INVITED. SO WHAT’S UP.

CHARLIE ONION: MY GRADE WAS A “C”. IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE.

OWL: WHY IS THAT?

CHARLIE ONION: I DIDN’T THINK I DESERVED A “C”.

OWL: WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU DESERVED?

CHARLIE ONION: AN “A” OF COURSE.

OWL: AN “A”? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I EXPECT FROM THOSE WHO I GIVE AN “A” TO?

CHARLIE ONION: NO.

OWL: FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO STOP TRYING.
CHARLIE ONION: HUH?

OWL: IT’S NOT HOW MUCH YOU DO, BUT WHAT YOU DO THAT COUNTS.

CHARLIE ONION: I THOUGHT IF I WORKED HARD…

OWL: YOU THOUGHT…THAT’S WHAT GOT IN THE WAY.

CHARLIE ONION: BUT WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?

OWL: BE QUIET.

CHARLIE ONION: BE QUIET?

OWL: AND TALK TO ME.

CHARLIE ONION: HOW CAN I BE QUIET, AND STILL TALK TO YOU.

OWL: THAT’S WHY YOU ARE GOING TO SCHOOL. YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO MY STILL SMALL VOICE.

CHARLIE ONION: CAN YOU HEAR ME?

OWL: I CAN HEAR YOU, NO MATTER HOW FAR AWAY YOU ARE.

CHARLIE ONION: YOU’RE AMAZING, FRIEND OWL.

OWL: I KNOW WHAT YOU NEED CHARLIE ONION, AND IF YOU DON’T GET WITH ME IN THE QUIET PLACE THEN YOU WILL MOST SURELY FAIL.

CHARLIE ONION: I DON’T WANT TO FAIL THAT’S FOR SURE.

OWL: I KNOW THAT, AND THAT’S THE REASON YOU ARE IN THE LAND OF FOREVER. THERE’S NO WAY YOU ARE GOING TO FAIL.

CHARLIE ONION: NO WAY?

OWL: NO WAY, CHARLIE. I WILL SEE THAT YOURV STEPS ARE SURE. IF I TAKE CARE OF THE SPARROWS, THEN WHY WOULDN’T I TAKE CARE OF YOU?

CHARLIE ONION: SO WHAT MUST I DO?

OWL: TAKE SOME TIME, AND TALK WITH ME IN THE QUIET PLACE. I PROMISE YOU THAT AN “A” IS ONLY A HEARTBEAT AWAY.

CHARLIE ONION: I’M DETERMINED TO GET THAT “A” FRIEND OWL.

OWL: I KNOW YOU ARE, AND I’M MORE THAN HAPPY TO GIVE IT TO YOU. OH BY THE WAY…… CARE FOR SOME OF MY FABULOUS HOT CHOCOLATE W/MARSHMALLOWS AND WHIPPED CREAM?

CHARLIE ONION: YEAH. YOU BET…..

THE END “THE QUIET PLACE”

COPYRIGHT © BY JOE MEDREK