Franklin's Day Off
Franklin could count by twos and tie his shoes. He liked to ride his bike and build things too. But when it was time to put away the things that he had built, Franklin wanted to ride his bike instead.
Franklin: Great. Let's meet at the playground….Okay. See you soon….Bye Bear.
Mom: Planning something…Franklin?
Franklin: Huh? Oh, well….um……just a bike ride with Bear.
Mom: And what about the fort in the backyard?
Franklin: Awwww, Mom, I'm going to take it down.
Mom: So why do you need your helmet?
Franklin: Um…..Because I'm going on bike ride right now. I'll take the fort down later.
Mom: Later?.Hmmmm. It seems to me you said that yesterday.
Franklin: I know, but yesterday Rabbit wanted to fly kites and the wind was perfect, so I couldn't do it.
Mom: But if you had done it yesterday, you wouldn't have to worry about it today.
Franklin: I'm not worried about it mom. I'm just going to do it later.
Dad: You know Franklin, putting off unpleasant tasks until later, often has a way of making more work.
Franklin: Huh? What do you mean?
Dad: Well, let's take the garden for instance. If I put off pulling weeds when they're little, they grow up and spread their seeds so I have even more weeds to pull.
Franklin: That's weeds Dad. My fort isn't going to do anything while I go for a bike ride. Can't I do it later? Please. Bear is waiting for me.
Mom: Alright.
Franklin: Thanks mom.
Mom: But you'll have to take it down today.
Franklin: I promise.
Dad: And that means putting everything in the fort away too.
Franklin: Oh, I will dad. Don't you worry.
Mom: Well. I hope he doesn't look in the garden.
Dad: Why?
Mom: Because there are weeds this tall out there.
Dad: I'll pull them later.
Franklin: Huh? Awww, no. Not again.
Dad my tire is flat again.
Dad: I told you I'd fix it, Franklin. Did you bring home our patch kit from Beaver's?
Franklin: I was going to get it after school on Thursday, but then Fox asked me to play.
Dad: It's just a slow leak. Put some air in it the way I showed you and that will last you until you get back.
Franklin: Okay dad. I'll go to Beaver's tomorrow.
Franklin: Dad! Dad!?
Dad: I'm in here.
Franklin: I can't find the bicycle pump. Where did you put it?
Dad: The last time I saw it, it was under the big tree, I asked you to put it away the other day and you said you'd do it later… remember?
Franklin: Oh yeah…Don't worry Dad. I'll put the pump back in the shed as soon as I'm done with it.
Franklin: Awww. I should have put the bicycle pump away before all the leaves fell off the tree. I'll never find it like this. Hey! I know what I need! There it is. Awww. That's not the rake. It must be in here somewhere.
Mom: Franklin? I thought you were going on a ride with Bear.
Franklin: I'm, but I can't find the rake….
Mom: You are going to ride the rake?
Franklin: Huh?…No, I need it to find the bicycle pump.
Mom: Hmmm…..Franklin? Do you remember what you used to hold up the roof of your fort?
Franklin: The rake! Thanks mom!
Franklin: Get off.
Mom: Franklin, why don't you empty the fort and then take the trap off.
Franklin: I'm going to empty the fort later. Right now I need the rake. I'll get it out this time.
Now I can get these leaves out of my way….Huh?! Awwww..no.
Bear: What's taking him so long? I'm not going to wait at the playground all day. Franklin?
Franklin: Get off!…. Let go!……Ahhhh!
Bear: Oh no…..Franklin's trapped! Hold on Franklin, I'm coming. Don't worry Franklin, I'll get you out!
Franklin: Ahhhhh! What are you doing Bear?
Bear: Ummmm……Saving you?
Franklin: I don't need saving, I need the rake.
Bear: Oh. Ah, here it is. Hmmmmmmm…. I think the rake needs saving.
Franklin: I might as well forget about our bike ride.
Bear: So why do you need a rake?
Franklin: I need the rake so I can rake the leaves, so I can find the tire pump
…so I can pump air into my flat tire, so I can go on a bike ride!
Bear: Oh……..
Franklin: I'm sorry Bear. I'm just mad because I really wanted to go on a bike ride.
Bear: That's okay Franklin.
Maybe you could bring your bike to my house and use our tire pump.
Franklin: Oh yeah. It's a great idea Bear. Come on, let's go.
Bear: What about all your stuff Franklin? Shouldn't we do something with it?
Franklin: I'll do it later.
Bear: Okay.
Bear: Go Franklin, go!
Franklin: Wait up Bear!
Bear: Go Franklin, go!
Franklin: Why can't we just walk?
Bear: We'll get to my home faster if we run.
Bear: Go Franklin, go!
Bear: Go Franklin, go!
Franklin: Wait up Bear!
Bear: Go Franklin…… Go Franklin……. That does it….
Franklin: Huh? Oh no! All my stuff!
Awww noooo!
Ahhhhhhh! Get off!
Bear: Do you need help Franklin, or are you looking for the rake again?
Hey Franklin! Look what you tripped over. Now we don't have to walk to my place.
We can pump up your tire right here.
Franklin: Bear can we go on a bike ride later?
Bear: Later? How come?
Franklin: Because I should have listened to my Mom and Dad.
Bear: Huh?
Franklin: If I had taken down my fort when they asked me, it would have been a lot easier.
Now it's going to take me hours.
Bear: Not if a friend helps you.
Franklin: Would you Bear?
Bear: Sure. Come on. Let's fold up this trap.
Franklin: Yeah, before it tries to eat me again.
Dad: Whew. This is hard work. I can't believe how big these roots are.
Mom: Ya know, if you had pulled the weeds when they were little,
the roots would have been little too.
Dad: Well, I ….Uh……you know…..you're right.
Franklin: Hi Mom. Hi Dad!
Dad: How was your bike ride?
Franklin: It was great! We rode all the way to the waterfall.
Dad: Now isn't it nice to come home and not have that fort to take down?
Franklin: It sure is dad. And it's nice to have a patch on my tire so it doesn't go flat all the time.
Hey Dad, you should rake up those leaves over there before they blow all over the place.
Dad: Awww. Can't I do it later? I want to pull weeds.
Franklin: Dad!