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Pitter pat. Pitter pat.
Pitter pat. The rain fell against the windowpane, splattering the glass
with large drops of water. "I want to go outside and play, Mum," Robbie
whined. "When is it going to stop raining?"
His mum didn’t know how to
answer Robbie’s question. She wished that it would stop raining too. For
three days Robbie hadn’t been able to go outside and play. "I’m sure it
will stop any time now, Robbie. Why don’t you come and help me make some
cookies," she suggested.
Robbie was tired of making
cookies. He’d made cookies every day. He didn’t want to play with his
toys. He didn’t want to watch television. He wanted to go outside and
play! "No, Mum. I don’t want cookies," he cried and ran into the living
room. He threw himself on the couch and sighed. "I just want to go
outside," he moped.
His mum, seeing how sad he
was, had an idea. "Robbie, why don’t you go upstairs and put your rubber
boots on and your raincoat and rain hat too."
Robbie sat up and smiled.
"Has it stopped raining?"
"No, but there is no reason
you can’t go outside and play in the rain. Would you like that?" she
asked.
"Yes, Mum. I want to go
outside and play, even in the rain," Robbie laughed. He ran to his bedroom
and put on his red rubber boots. They fit snuggly over his tennis shoes
and would keep the water out when he splashed in the puddles. He slipped
his raincoat on. It was red too, just like his rain hat. "I’m ready, Mum,"
he said.
"Wait one more minute," she
answered. She opened up the closet and picked up a bright yellow umbrella.
"Here you go. You’re all set now. Go outside and play." She hugged him and
opened the front door.
The rain was pouring down.
Puddles were all over the grass, street and sidewalks. Robbie opened the
umbrella and stood in the rain. It fell all around him, bouncing off the
umbrella, his rain hat and raincoat. He started laugh and run around,
splashing in the deep puddles. Water flew everywhere. "Are you glad to see
the rain?" Robbie asked the flowers growing in the garden. They seemed to
nod yes, answering his questions. "I’m enjoying it too," he giggled.
Robbie’s mum stood at the
window watching her son. He was having so much fun. She remembered when
she was a little girl. She liked to splash in puddles too. Another
brilliant idea came to her.
"Mum!" Robbie called, as
the front door opened and his mum walked out.
She was dressed in her
yellow raincoat, wore her yellow rain hat and rubber boots. She had a blue
umbrella. "Can I splash in the puddles with you?" she asked.
"Yes, Mum. Come and splash.
It’s fun," Robbie said.
Mother and son stayed out
in the rain for a long time. They jumped in the puddles and splashed on
each other; they sailed leaves down the overflowing gutters; they tried to
catch raindrops in their mouths and even switched umbrellas.
That night, when Robbie
went to bed, he thought about how glad he was for the rain and for the
wonderful day he’d had outside playing with his Mum. |
