Paddington, Scout and the Bad Rain
SCOUT: “Paddy! Oh Paddy!” *Distraught.*
PADDY: “What is it Scout? You sound upset!” *Concerned.*
SCOUT: “Oh I am, Paddy! Just look!” *Points paw to window.*
PADDY: *Looks to where Scout is pointing.* “It’s raining!”
SCOUT: “Exactly Paddy!”
PADDY: “Well, a bit of rain isn’t a bad thing, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Yes it is, Paddy! The rain is bad!” *Nods head seriously.*
PADDY: “Oh what nonsense, Scout!” *Shakes head.* “The rain is good. It’s good for the flowers and the grass and the trees. It gives them a much needed drink! It hasn’t rained a great deal lately and we need the rain.”
SCOUT: “Noooo Paddy!” *Stomps paw.* “The rain is bad!”
PADDY: “What Scout? You love the flowers and the grass and the trees. Don’t you want them to be happy?”
SCOUT: “Well, of course I do, Paddy. It’s just… it’s just…”
PADDY: “It’s just what, Scout?”
SCOUT: “It’s just that, well it’s my birthday on Thursday, and… and… and…” *Tears well in eyes.*
PADDY: “And what, Scout?”
SCOUT: “Well, Daddy is organising a birthday party for me with a chocolate cake with pink cream cheese icing, and I don’t want my party to be spoiled by the bad, bad rain!” *Starts crying.* “I wanted to have a nice sunny day, and… and…” *Cries.* “And so that we could have the party on the lawn, and… and…” *Sniffles.* And then we could play my most favouritest game in the whole wide world EVER!” *Cries more.* “Hide-and-seek in the garden.”
PADDY: *Opens arms and gives Scout a big little bear hug.* “There, there, Scout.”
SCOUT: *Still crying.* “I wanted it to be a perfect day! Now the bad rain is spoiling it!”
PADDY: *Comforts Scout.* “There, there, Scout. Tell me,” *Holds Scout at paw’s length.* “What day is it today?”
SCOUT: *Stops crying.* “Why it’s… it’s Monday, Paddy.” *Sniffles.* “Why?”
PADDY: “Well, if today is Monday, and your birthday is Thursday, why that is three whole days for the rain to come before we reach Thursday. I’m sure it will be sunny by then!”
SCOUT: “Wipes snuffly muzzle with paw.* “Do… do you really think so… Paddy?”
PADDY: “I do, Scout.” *Nods enthusiastically.* “And just think how beautiful and fresh the garden will be for your birthday! The flowers will be blooming, and the grass will be soft beneath your paws, and there may even be some new growth on the trees and bushes that make perfect hiding places.”
SCOUT: *Sniffs.* “Really… Paddy?”
PADDY: “Yes I do, Scout.” *Nods again.* “And even if it does rain on Thursday, it will still be your birthday, and you will still get a special chocolate cake with pink cream cheese icing from Daddy.”
SCOUT: “But what about the party, Paddy?”
PADDY: “Well, if it rains, I’m sure we could have a picnic party inside in the sunroom. We can set up on the carpet. There is plenty of room for everybear! And you know all the best hiding places in the house, better than anybear.”
SCOUT: “That is true.*
PADDY: “So we can still play hide-and-seek.”
SCOUT: “Oh!” *Wipes eyes with paws.* “I didn’t thin k about it like that, Paddy.”
PADDY: “So let it rain, and let the flowers and grass and trees have their drink and be happy, and you and everybear will be happy whether your birthday party is inside or outside!”
SCOUT: “Oh thank you, Paddy! You are soooo clever!” *Sniffs.* “Maybe the rain isn’t such bad rain after all.”
PADDY: “No, this is good rain, Scout. The flowers and grass and trees need a drink very badly.”
SCOUT: “You know what, Paddy?”
PADDY: “What Scout?”
SCOUT: “Now I don’t feel bad any more! My birthday party is saved!” *Gives Paddy a big little bear hug.* “Thank you Paddy! I love you very, VERY much!”
PADDY: “Well, that’s good Scout, because I love you too!”
Scout doesn't actually know when his first birthday was, but as bears are entitled to two birthdays every year, he has decided that his other birthday will be the day he came to live forever with Paddy and me, which was the 27th of March! So the 27th of March it is! I hope you can join us on Thursday. It is sure to be a fun party, whether inside or out, with lots of singing, birthday cake and bear party games to enjoy.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.
Paddington, Scout and the Bad Rain
SCOUT: “Paddy! Oh Paddy!” *Distraught.*
PADDY: “What is it Scout? You sound upset!” *Concerned.*
SCOUT: “Oh I am, Paddy! Just look!” *Points paw to window.*
PADDY: *Looks to where Scout is pointing.* “It’s raining!”
SCOUT: “Exactly Paddy!”
PADDY: “Well, a bit of rain isn’t a bad thing, Scout.”
SCOUT: “Yes it is, Paddy! The rain is bad!” *Nods head seriously.*
PADDY: “Oh what nonsense, Scout!” *Shakes head.* “The rain is good. It’s good for the flowers and the grass and the trees. It gives them a much needed drink! It hasn’t rained a great deal lately and we need the rain.”
SCOUT: “Noooo Paddy!” *Stomps paw.* “The rain is bad!”
PADDY: “What Scout? You love the flowers and the grass and the trees. Don’t you want them to be happy?”
SCOUT: “Well, of course I do, Paddy. It’s just… it’s just…”
PADDY: “It’s just what, Scout?”
SCOUT: “It’s just that, well it’s my birthday on Thursday, and… and… and…” *Tears well in eyes.*
PADDY: “And what, Scout?”
SCOUT: “Well, Daddy is organising a birthday party for me with a chocolate cake with pink cream cheese icing, and I don’t want my party to be spoiled by the bad, bad rain!” *Starts crying.* “I wanted to have a nice sunny day, and… and…” *Cries.* “And so that we could have the party on the lawn, and… and…” *Sniffles.* And then we could play my most favouritest game in the whole wide world EVER!” *Cries more.* “Hide-and-seek in the garden.”
PADDY: *Opens arms and gives Scout a big little bear hug.* “There, there, Scout.”
SCOUT: *Still crying.* “I wanted it to be a perfect day! Now the bad rain is spoiling it!”
PADDY: *Comforts Scout.* “There, there, Scout. Tell me,” *Holds Scout at paw’s length.* “What day is it today?”
SCOUT: *Stops crying.* “Why it’s… it’s Monday, Paddy.” *Sniffles.* “Why?”
PADDY: “Well, if today is Monday, and your birthday is Thursday, why that is three whole days for the rain to come before we reach Thursday. I’m sure it will be sunny by then!”
SCOUT: “Wipes snuffly muzzle with paw.* “Do… do you really think so… Paddy?”
PADDY: “I do, Scout.” *Nods enthusiastically.* “And just think how beautiful and fresh the garden will be for your birthday! The flowers will be blooming, and the grass will be soft beneath your paws, and there may even be some new growth on the trees and bushes that make perfect hiding places.”
SCOUT: *Sniffs.* “Really… Paddy?”
PADDY: “Yes I do, Scout.” *Nods again.* “And even if it does rain on Thursday, it will still be your birthday, and you will still get a special chocolate cake with pink cream cheese icing from Daddy.”
SCOUT: “But what about the party, Paddy?”
PADDY: “Well, if it rains, I’m sure we could have a picnic party inside in the sunroom. We can set up on the carpet. There is plenty of room for everybear! And you know all the best hiding places in the house, better than anybear.”
SCOUT: “That is true.*
PADDY: “So we can still play hide-and-seek.”
SCOUT: “Oh!” *Wipes eyes with paws.* “I didn’t thin k about it like that, Paddy.”
PADDY: “So let it rain, and let the flowers and grass and trees have their drink and be happy, and you and everybear will be happy whether your birthday party is inside or outside!”
SCOUT: “Oh thank you, Paddy! You are soooo clever!” *Sniffs.* “Maybe the rain isn’t such bad rain after all.”
PADDY: “No, this is good rain, Scout. The flowers and grass and trees need a drink very badly.”
SCOUT: “You know what, Paddy?”
PADDY: “What Scout?”
SCOUT: “Now I don’t feel bad any more! My birthday party is saved!” *Gives Paddy a big little bear hug.* “Thank you Paddy! I love you very, VERY much!”
PADDY: “Well, that’s good Scout, because I love you too!”
Scout doesn't actually know when his first birthday was, but as bears are entitled to two birthdays every year, he has decided that his other birthday will be the day he came to live forever with Paddy and me, which was the 27th of March! So the 27th of March it is! I hope you can join us on Thursday. It is sure to be a fun party, whether inside or out, with lots of singing, birthday cake and bear party games to enjoy.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.