This is a story Talitha wrote named "The Old Shop"

“Oooooooooooooo,” the ghosts howled. Anna Kit Washboard skipped along the path to the next house. A girl dressed up as a witch answered the door. “Trick or treat?” Anna said. The girl brought a basket to the door. Anna picked a piece of candy and skipped to the next house. The next house reminded her of the Old Shop. She did the same as she did at the house before.

♦ ♦ ♦

Anna opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming through her window and her cat, Pussy, was curled up at her feet. She stretched, got up and got dressed. Breakfast was her favorite--pancakes and milk.

♦ ♦ ♦

The morning seemed to go by fast. Finally, it was time to go to her friend’s house. It was very exciting. Her friend lived about three miles away. On the way, she passed the Old Shop. You have probably been wondering what the Old Shop is. It used to be a shop, and now it is a museum and it’s very special. Anna tried to look through the window at her favorite thing. It was a table made from a tree trunk and it looked like the flowers on it were pressed. She only caught a glimpse. She kept looking straight ahead. When she was there her friend came running out to greet her, her black lab at her heals barking with excitement. Anna hugged her friend, whose name was Clarabelle. Clarabelle invited her in for a glass of lemonade. After that, they played with Clarabelle’s Barbies. Anna had a great time.

“My mom invited us to go to the Old Shop,” said Clarabelle, “Would you like to go?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” said Anna.

“Then let’s report to her,” said Clarabelle.

“OK!” said Anna. They skipped off to tell Clarabelle’s mom.

“OK, let’s go,” said Clarabelle’s mom. When they arrived there, Anna went directly to the table.

“Come look,” she called to Clarabelle. “Have you seen this?” she said.

“Yes,” said Clarabelle, “it is pretty.”

“It’s my favorite one,” said Anna.

♦ ♦ ♦

Back at Clarabelle’s house, the girls played tea party. After that, Anna’s mom came. “Time to go home,” she said to Anna.

“Ahhhh,” said Anna, “I want to stay, may I?”

“No,” said Anna’s mother, “I think you’d like it better if you didn’t. Not because you don’t like your friend.”

“OK,” said Anna “Bye.” She hugged Clarabelle and got in the car. On the way back, Anna’s Mom stopped at Dairy Queen. “Ice cream time,” she said.

“Yeah!” said Anna, jumping up and down. “Can I have a dilly bar?” she asked.

“Yes,” said her mother, “what kind?”

“I want the outside chocolate and the inside mint,” Anna answered.

“OK, time to order,” said her mother, “would you like to?”

“Yes”, said Anna, “I would like a dilly bar, the outside chocolate and the inside mint.”

“OK,” said the cashier, “find a seat and I’ll bring you your dilly bar. What would you like ma’am?”

Anna found a seat and waited for her mother. “What did you order?” she asked when her mother got there.

“Key lime blizzard,” said her mother.

“Sounds pretty good,” said Anna. But she didn’t mean it.

♦ ♦ ♦

For dinner Anna had Sloppy Joes. After she finished chewing, she said, “I’ve got it!”

“Got what?” asked her mother.

“What I want to be when I grow up,” said Anna.

“Great!” said her mother, “What do you want to be?”

“I want to work at the Old Shop,” Anna replied.

“I think that’s a great idea,” said her mother.

Just then, they heard twisting sounds from the door knob, then a knock. “Father’s home, Father’s home!” said Anna, as she got the door. Anna’s father came in. Anna jumped up and hugged him. “Hello, Honey Bee,” said her father.

“It’s good to see you,” said Anna’s mother. “Anna has good news for you, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do!” said Anna.

“And what’s that?” said her father.

“I want to work at the Old Shop,” said Anna.

“Good choice,” said her father, “but just so you know it might not be there still when you go to work at it.”

“Oh,” said Anna.

“Speaking of the Old Shop,” said her father, “I dropped by there on my way home.”

“You did?” said Anna amazed.

“Yes, I did,” said her father, “and the table’s still there safe and perfect.”

“Good,” said Anna.

“And,” said her father, “they got something new in. I think you’ll really like it, but I’m not trying to make a new favorite of yours. I think tomorrow we should all go look and if it’s hot we can stop by Dairy Queen.”

“OK!” said Anna.

♦ ♦ ♦

The next morning, Anna woke up from her father shaking her gently and saying, “Wake up, you have a big day.” Anna opened her eyes and stretched, she found it hard to breath for some reason. She happened to look at her stomach, there was Pussy curled up in a neat little ball. “Pussy,” Anna whispered, “but would you mind getting off my stomach?” Anna’s father giggled. Pussy opened one eye, then she got up and moved to the foot of the bed. “Why do I have a big day?” asked Anna.

“Remember,” said her father, “we’re going to the Old Shop and maybe stop at Dairy Queen?”

“Oh, right,” said Anna.

“And,” said her father, “if it’s hot enough, I might set up the sprinkler.”

“Great,” said Anna.

“Get dressed and we’ll go,” said her father.

“OK,” said Anna. When Anna was done, she went to the front door to get her shoes on. Her father and mother were waiting. “Ready to go?” asked her mother.

“Of course,” said Anna. At the Old Shop, father led mother and Anna to the new piece of art. “Oh!” Anna gasped. It was a little model of a big stained glass window, perfect for a doll house. “Oh!” Anna gasped again, “I like this almost as much as the table.”

“Father,” she said, “would I have to set up new art pieces people have brought?”

“Yes,” said her father, “you would.”

“Wouldn’t that be fantastic?” Anna whispered to her mother.

“Yes,” her mother whispered back, “and I think father wants to take you somewhere else besides Dairy Queen.”

“That would be great,” Anna whispered back.

“Time to go,” said her father.

“I’m ready,” said Anna. She loaded up into the car. The next place they stopped was a place called The Art Center.

“What is it?” asked Anna.

“You’ll see,” said her Father. When Anna went it, she saw a big wall surrounded with art. Her father said, “You see, people bring their art here too, for this store to sell.”

“Oh!” gasped Anna. She looked around. There was so much to see! Anna found a little doll house made out of stained glass; the perfect size for Barbies. “Father,” she said, “May we get this for Clarabelle?”

“Yes,” said her father, “she would love that.”

♦ ♦ ♦

The next day, after breakfast, Anna loaded up into the car to go give Clarabelle her present. On the way there, when they passed the Old Shop again, Anna daydreamed about what it would be like working there. When they arrived at Clarabelle’s Anna went to the door and knocked while mother waited in the car. Clarabelle’s mother answered the door. “Hello, is Clarabelle there?” Anna asked.

“Yes, she’ll be very happy to see you,” Clarabelle’s mother said, “I’ll go get her right now.” She went away to fetch Clarabelle. When Clarabelle was there, Anna handed her the present. She had wrapped it in colorful paper that looked like the stained glass on the doll house. “Open it,” said Anna.

“OK,” said Clarabelle. When she finished unwrapping it, she gasped, “Why it’s beautiful! Where’d you get it?”

“The Art Center, it’s new,” Anna replied, “I got it for you because I thought you’d like it and it’s the perfect size for Barbies.”

“It is beautiful and I do like it,” said Clarabelle.

“I knew you would,” said Anna, “maybe we could play with it when I come over next time.”

“I’ll wait to play with it until then,” said Clarabelle.

“That was very kind of you, but you don’t have to,” said Anna.

“No, I’m gonna,” said Clarabelle.

“OK,” said Anna, “but I need to go now. I’d stay and play if I could.”

“Oh, and thank you again,” said Clarabelle.

“You’re welcome,” said Anna. She hugged Clarabelle and headed back to the car.

In the car, her mother was waiting for her. “Did she like it?” she asked.

“Oh, yes, she loved it,” said Anna, “I’m glad we got it. Thank you.”

“Thank Father,” Mother said, “He’s the one who bought it.”

“OK,” said Anna, “I wish I didn’t have to wait to thank him until tonight.”

“I thought we could stop at the Old Shop on the way home to ask for details about working there,” said Mother.

“This is fairly soon, but it would be fun to hear,” said Anna.

They arrived at the Old Shop. Anna ran directly to the information desk. She had to wait for her mother. When her mother got there, she asked, “May I ask a question?”

“Why of course,” said the woman at the desk, “what’s your question?”

“I wanted to ask details about working here,” replied Mother.

“Were you thinking of working here?” asked the woman at the desk whose name appeared to be Sally.

“No, my daughter is going to work here when she grows up, if this place is still here,” Mother said.

“Oh, should I write a letter to you about working here?” said Sally.

“Why, that would be great,” said Mother.

“Now, I need your name, address, zip code and city,” said Sally.

Anna whispered to her mother, “May I go look at the table?”

“OK,” said mother.

Anna ran to look at the table while Mother told Sally all the information. There it was good as new—safe and sound. Anna looked at it, wishing she could hug it. It was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

♦ ♦ ♦

The next day, Anna was in the car riding to the veterinarians for a check-up for pussy. On the way there, Anna kept hoping and hoping that Pussy wouldn’t need a shot. She hated that little “meow” and just to look at the shot. She for sure didn’t want to be a veterinarian when she grew up—but she still loved animals.

When they went in, Anna hoped more than ever that Pussy wouldn’t get a shot. “Mother, can I go back to the car,” she whispered to her mother.

“No, I can’t see the car from here,” said Mother.

“OK,” said Anna.

Back in the car, Anna was very happy because Pussy didn’t have to get a shot and the veterinarian said she was very healthy. Anna almost squealed with excitement.

“Do you want to stop at the new art center on the way back?” asked her mother.

“Yes,” said Anna so loud she felt like the car shook.

“That sounded like a ‘no’,” said her mother laughing.

“But it was a yes,” said Anna.

“Here we are,” said her mother.

“That was short,” said Anna.

There it was, same as usual only with different art things. The time went by fast. They also stopped at the Old Shop. Everything was there, safe and sound. Oh, Anna couldn’t wait until she got to work there.

On the way out Anna noticed something she hadn’t noticed on the way in. It was a sign that said “Help Wanted” on it. Anna wished she was old enough to help.

And when she was 18 she got to work there. It was so much fun; she couldn’t put it out in words.

THE END