The sun was peaking over the hill tickling the dewy grass

Winston Buckles awoke from his sleepy time with a sudden gasp

He ran across his hardwood floor to where his goldfish lived

And listened to the complaining that little Goldie did

"Ouch! My tummy feels strange," Goldie said with a frown

"It feels like I ate something that turned it upside down.

If only I breathed the air like you

I’d get out of this bowl

And march down to the pharmacy

Where antacids for fish are sold.

Winston, would you be a dear and fetch some without delay?

I need something to remedy this terrible tummy ache!"

"Would you please get a move on, I don’t know how much more of this I can take!

See if I stand around like you when you have a tummy ache."

That was all the prompting that Winston needed to get him out the door.

The squirrels were singing the sky was pink and the air was sharp and pure

As Winston walked down the street, fascinating sights caught his eye

Like old wise men practicing somersaults for the 1^st of July!

And what was more exciting to our active friend

Were some children in the park making a kite soar and bend.

The kite hovered in the sky whooshing up and higher

It’s rainbow tail streaking across the sky like a trail of fire

The string the kite was attached being gripped by a little hand

Controlled by the smallest child in a way that was grand!

As Winston watched the kite dip and swerve

His inner working clicking wheels began to turn.

"The kite is so beautiful up there and looks so easy to fly.

Perhaps I could stop my trip to the drug store and try to get it to go high.

I’m sure the children would let me, they seem so dear and kind.

I bet my day would be better if I could fly the kite on that line."

But then Winston changed his mind:

"Although on this pleasantly vibrant day

I could do the things I like to do

In my happy city with its jolly crew

I have to make sure that Goldie will be OK!"

And he went on his way.

As he strolled down the street, Winston heard a sound that warmed his heart

a tinkley song coming from an ice cream cart

And who was it pushing the cart with one hand?

It was Winston’s old friend, the Ice Cream Man!

"Winston, old boy! This day’s as lovely as a dream!

Won’t you join me for a scoop of ice cream?

We can get caught up on what’s happened since we last met.

My son is back from college and now he’s a vet!

And that newlywed couple that live around the block

Just had a baby and are moving to White Rock!"

Winston would like nothing more on this day of gold

To sit and converse with his friend of old.

It has been ages since he saw his good friend.

He would love to sit with him and watch they day end.

But then Winston changed his mind:

"Although on this pleasantly sunny day

I could just do the things I like to do

In my happy city with its jolly crew

I have to make sure that Goldie will be OK!"

And he went on his way

Winston was walking

The drug store was in sight.

But his eyes went wide with delight!

For outside the library near the drug store

Was a group of five children or six… maybe more

Sitting in a circle all nice and neat

Listening to a woman read And to Think that I Saw it On Mullberry Street

Winston could not believe that he was hearing this tale unfurl

This was his most favorite story in the whole wide world!

He wanted nothing more than to sit and take a rest

While listening to Dr. Seuss at his very best

But then Winston changed his mind:

"Although on this pleasantly sunny day

I could just do the things I like to do

In my happy city with its jolly crew

I have to make sure that Goldie will be OK!"

And he went on his way

He went to the drugstore with no more delay

And bought the antacid he set out for that day

And hurried home with those inner working clicking wheels having something to say:

"Of all the things I could have done today

Buying that antacid was boringly plain

When there was a kite that was winging

an Ice Cream man ringing

And a story that was bringing

Joy to all who were listening."

Winston got more and more angry as he hurried back on his way.

He really felt like he had wasted his day.

He went through his door and stomped up to Goldie

"Did you get them, oh Winston? I feel so rank.

Please just drop one of those tablets into my tank."

Winston plopped a pill into Goldie’s bowl

A smile graced the fish’s face: his tummy felt whole!

"Oh Winston, oh buddy, thank you so much!

I know that it took up lots of your time to buy a box of this stuff.

But I feel so much better now that I’ve eaten

This fish antacid I was so desperately need’n"

And slowly but surely a smile dawned on Winston’s face

When he realized when he was running home he had made a mistake

Thinking there was something better to do with his day

Because nothing he could have done would have made him feel as OK

As spending his day as it was supposed to be spended

That is… helping Goldie’s poor little tummy get mended