Mike’s Delivery Service

“I’m bored,” Mike said.

Mike’s mother looked up from the cake she was making. “I’m going to work in the garden while the cake bakes,” she said. “I could use a strong boy like you to help me.”

“That’s no fun,” Mike told her as he licked the spoon. “I want to do something fun.”

Mike followed his mother to the garden. He looked cross, even with cake batter on his chin. He ate some fresh peas, watered the corn, and watched a ladybug crawl along a bean leaf.

“How would you like to deliver some carrots to Aunt Annie?” asked his mother.

Mike started to grin. “I have an idea,” he said, running toward the house.

Mike cut out the bottom of an old shoe box. He found a red crayon and wrote three words on the piece of box. Then he got his skates and ran back to the garden. “Pin this on my back, please,” he said to his mother.

“Mike’s Delivery Service,” she read as she pinned it to his shirt.

Mike put on his skates and picked up the bag of carrots. “Vroom! Vroom!” he said as he started down the sidewalk.

Old Mr. Davis, who lived in the next block, was walking by. He had a bag of groceries in his arms, and his dog, Chip, on a leash. “Beep! Beep!” Mike shouted, skating carefully out around the old man. “Make way for Mike’s Delivery Service!”

“Yap! Yap!” barked Chip, jerking his leash.

Mike turned in at the house on the corner. He rang the doorbell and called, “Delivery for you, Aunt Annie!”

“Why, thank you, Mr. Mike,” said the smiling lady who opened the door. “Do you take return loads?”

Aunt Annie put a carton of eggs in Mike’s hands. She said, “This is a special delivery, sir. Please be very careful.”

Chip barked and pulled at his leash when Mike passed him and Mr. Davis again.

Mike’s mother met him at the door and took the eggs. “Thank you, sir. You have a very good delivery service.”

Mike sat on the step and ate a piece of warm cake. While he ate, he had another idea. “I have one more job to do, Mom,” he called. And Mike’s Delivery Service took off again.

Mr. Davis was sitting on a low wall, resting. Chip could hear Mike’s skates, and he pulled on the leash.

“Mr. Davis,” said Mike, “I’ll carry that bag for you.”

“Well, Mr. Delivery Service,” said the old man, “it has a jar of jam in it.” Then he winked and said, “If the glass broke, it could give your ‘delivery truck’ a flat tire. But you would help me a lot if you could take my dog!”

Mike took Chip’s leash in his hand. Chip barked and ran down the walk, pulling Mike behind him. “Slow down, Chip, before we get a ticket for speeding!” yelled Mike.

Chip and Mike were waiting when Mr. Davis got home. “Thanks, Mike,” said the tired man. “You made a fast delivery—but did you deliver the dog, or did the dog deliver you?”

“Chip delivered me,” Mike said. “And he liked it. Look at him.”

Chip was wagging his tail hard.

“You like to help, don’t you, boy?” asked Mike as he patted the head of the happy dog.

Mike felt happy, too, and not a bit bored.