THE MUNCHKIN TEAM OF PLEASANTVILLE

The person who gave the town of Pleasantville its name sure got it right.  This small town is nestled in a valley among huge scenic mountains in Montana.  In the summer months you can still look up and see snow on the mountain tops.  Winter months offer the best of all winter sports and views most people only see on Christmas cards.

Mr. Harvey owns a shoe store in Pleasantville and most     people in town go to him for shoes.  There are lots of big Malls around town but Mr. Harvey had his own little store long before the Malls came along.  He has built up a huge following of families who would not buy their shoes anywhere else.  He is a special person, so kind and has such a great personality that he is loved by all.  Mr. Harvey also knows just the right new styles of shoes to get in.  Today he is helping Rebecca get some very special pink tennis shoes she has wanted very badly!

Lisa wanted a pair also but her mother told her she couldn't have them   until she started doing better at getting her chores done at home.  She cried pretty hard but decided her mom was right and promised to try harder.  She told her friend Cindy she was going to work real hard and get her room all cleaned up by the weekend.

   It was early fall in Pleasantville.  The weather was        wonderful, bright sunny days and clear nights just warm enough to still be comfortable with just a jacket.  Jamal and his family had come to town to visit with friends of theirs.  He had been here several times and had made many good friends.  He and Rebecca were having fun in a big pile of fall leaves.  Then along came Tamara, she's Jamal's little sister, to tell him it was time for lunch.

Jamal had borrowed his friend Bobbie's bike and did wheelies back to his house for lunch.  He and Tamara were having a great time staying with Bobbie's family.  They were excited too, because the fair would be in town the next weekend.  All the kids in town were looking forward to that.  Mr. Harvey, the shoe store man, had nicknamed the town kids the Munchkin Team and he liked all of them.

A couple of the Munchkins decided to ride their scooters down to   the fair ground and watch the rides being set up.  When the guys got to the fair grounds the big rig trucks were just pulling in to the fair grounds, loaded with huge rides.  Some were in peaces and would have to be put together.  Another friend, David, came riding up on his bike to watch.  The kids were all very excited about the fair coming to town.

Meanwhile back in town, Fred was putting the finishing   touches on his soapbox car.  When Jamal was in town, he and Fred always had a soapbox race.  As Fred was working, Danny the neighborhood paper boy went by dropping off the newspapers.  Inside was a big ad reminding people that the fair would be that weekend.  Fred thought, everyone in town would probably go.

The race was on!  Down the hill went Fred and Jamal.  At the bottom Jamal was all alone.  He looked back and saw that Fred had a wheel come loose and had an accident.  Jamal ran back up to see if Fred was alright.  Fred was a little light headed but wasn't really hurt.  Jamal was so glad, Fred was a real special friend of his.  Jamal walked Fred home just to make sure he was OK.

Bobbie's trampoline was something Jamal always had fun on.  He was   getting more and more excited about the fair.  Tomorrow was the first day and he could hardly wait.  Bobbie's mom was reading an old book called "Alice in Wonderland" to Susan, Bobbie's sister.  Their mom hoped it would keep Susan's mind off the fair also.

Tamara was sitting by them also listening to the story.  With   her was Bun Bun, her rabbit, who went with her everywhere she went.  Tamara liked the part where Alice stepped through the looking glass and chased a rabbit until she fell right down the rabbit's hole.  At the bottom she met all kinds of strange and different characters.

Susan could picture in her mind Alice coming through the mirror and chasing the rabbit.  Her favorite part though was when Alice was falling down the rabbit hole.  Unfortunately, it make her think of some of the great rides she was going to be on at the fair the next day.  Her poor mother had been hoping to keep her mind off the fair and the story just made her think about it more!

Oh well, she tried and after all "Alice in Wonderland" is by far one of the   greatest children's stories ever told.  Tamara had not heard it before and was just amazed by the story.  She wanted her mom to get the book as soon as she got back home.  Susan and Tamara had lots of fun learning how to curtsy like Alice.  They were so cute, Susan's mom wished little girls still curtsied like they used to.

Mr. Harvey was selling more shoes than ever.  It      seemed everyone wanted them for the fair.  Whatever it was, it was making Mr. Harvey a happy man.  Besides, he loved seeing all his Munchkin Team.  He knew he would see them all at the fair!  The first thing you saw coming into the fair was the pretty ferris wheel, loaded with people who could see the whole fair grounds from the top.

You could even see the roller coaster from the top of    the ferris wheel.  Almost everyone wanted to ride the roller coaster.  Many people rode it over and over again.  The next big hit for people who could keep their lunch down was the swing around.  It literally swung people upside down.  Only the bravest people rode this one!

Lisa had not gone to the fair yet.  She had done a great job   cleaning her room though.  Her mother called her to the kitchen and handed her a present.  It was her pink shoes, that she wanted so bad.  She was so happy, now she would have them to wear to the fair.  Lisa's favorite ride was the roller coaster.  She loved speeding down the tracks.  She thanked her mother and told her she was the best mom in the world!

   The beautiful carousal was the perfect ride for young and old.   Tamara loved to ride the horses as they moved up and down.  Then there was the strong man game where all the show off guys tried to look tough in front of their girlfriends.  Not to many got that bell to ring.  Most walked away a little red in the face.

The bumper cars are always a big hit.  Who wouldn't love to ride   around and around bumping into other cars all in fun and no one ever gets hurt.  They are lots of fun!  It seems everyone likes bumper cars.  There were teenagers, grandmas and grandpas all riding the bumper cars.  Mr. Harvey had stopped by the fair and took a ride in the bumper cars too.

   A terrific jazz band was playing and hundreds of people were   dancing and listening.  Mr. Harvey did a little jig himself. Lisa and Susan saw him and thought he was very good.  While Mr. Harvey was at the fair he saw almost all of his Munchkin Team.  Every time he turned around someone, a parent or child was saying hi to him.  It was a wonderful feeling to have so many friends!

A favorite with most of the kids are the inflatable jumping castle and slide.  Unless someone lands on top of someone else, it's almost impossible to get hurt and lots of fun!  Parents love them too.  They can sit on the benches and have a cool drink and rest up while the children play.  Now Angela is a very smart girl.  She chose a site right by the inflatable toys to set up her lemonade stand.

Angela was making a bundle of money off those tired,   thirsty parents resting and watching their kids.  Mr. Harvey even had some and sat down to talk to some folks he knew.  He said he was going to offer Angela a job at his store as soon as she was old enough.  She certainly was smart and a hard worker.

One thing that is always wonderful at a fair is the food.  For   some reason the food never tastes better anywhere else.  From burgers, cotton candy and huge suckers everything tastes great. This was the final day of the fair and the fair grounds were packed with people.  No one seemed to want it to end.  Finally the time came and the Munchkin Team and their parents filed out and headed for home.  They had all had a wonderful time.

The next day Jamal, Tamara and their parents had to leave   for home.  Jamal's school would be starting the next week.  They had such a wonderful time with Bobbie's family that they decided to come back next year when the fair was on again.  At closing last night they gave all the kids sparklers and shot off some really pretty fireworks.  Jamal told Bobbie "he sure could see why the town had been named Pleasantville."

         

YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND YOUR HEART WHERE YOU FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE!