March 2009 Chester's Perfect Day

Chester’s Perfect Day


“Gotcha Dart!” giggled Chester as he climbed up a nearby tree.
“It’s your turn to hide.” replied Dart as he tucked his head under his wing and started counting.
Chester the chipmunk and Dart the bluebird had been playing hide and seek all morning. Chester had a plan, this time he would go further away to hide, he would go where Dart would never find him. Since the wind was blowing through the trees and brush today, it helped disguise any sounds Chester was making as he headed toward the hollow tree around the corner.
“Ready or not, here I come!” Dart shouted.
Chester laughed, and stayed right where he was. While he waited for Dart to find him, he heard the sound of children playing. Peeking out from behind some leaves, Chester settled in to watch.
Dart checked the bushes by Chester’s tree first. Nope, no Chester! He then looked down towards the berry bushes where he hid last time. No, not there either! He looked behind rocks, under bushes and benches along the trail, but no Chester. He finally decided to take to the air. Dart loved to fly, a couple flaps of his little wings and he was high above the tree tops. Dart was about ready to give up when he spotted Chester dart behind some leaves.
“Tag, you’re it!” shouted Dart breathlessly as he landed next to Chester. Chester wasn’t paying attention to Dart; he was too busy wondering what those children were doing. After several minutes went by, Chester asked, “What is that?”
“What is what?” asked Dart, who by now had begun chasing a beetle across the path. “Yum, crunchy.” mumbled Dart as he swallowed his snack.
“What is that thing in the air?” Chester asked.
Dart hopped around the tree and looked to see what Chester was talking about. He could see some kids riding bicycles, some running and jumping, and a girl flying a kite.
“That’s a kite, Chester.” Dart said cocking his head from side to side.
“I want to try!” Chester said as he watched the kite bouncing around in the sky.
“You wouldn’t be able to hold it!” laughed Dart. “You would be tossed about and fly away to who knows where!”
Chester stretched his legs out behind him and his paws out in front of him until he was flat on the ground. He rolled over on his back and looked up at the clouds. The sun was shining so brightly he almost missed seeing something else in the sky.
“Look Dart! That’s the biggest bird I’ve ever seen!” Chester said sitting up straight.
“I don’t see anything!” said Dart, looking aat the ground for more bugs.
Chester stretched himself as high as he could and pointed. “There, see it’s scratching the sky!” Dart looked up just in time to see an airplane streaking across the sky.
“That’s an airplane Chester, it takes people places.” said Dart.
“So, people can fly too?”
“When they get into a plane” Dart replied.
“I want to try!” Chester said as he watched the plane slowly disappear into the clouds.

Chester was quiet as he watched the children play. He had learned two new things today. That gave him a lot to think about. Dart looked at Chester and said, “Do you want me to show you how to make your own kite?”
“Really?” asked Chester, his eyes sparkling.
“Sure! Do you have any paper and string in your treasure room?” asked Dart.
“I do! I’ll go get a piece of each and meet you in front of my tree” Chester called over his shoulder as he ran home.
“Make sure it is a long piece of string!” Dart called out after him.
A few minutes later Chester re-appeared with a green piece of paper and a long string.
Dart pointed to the ground. “Okay, first lay your paper down here. Make sure the long sides of the paper are on the top and the bottom.”
Chester was so excited. He neatly piled the string on the ground next to the paper. He made sure the paper laid right and then said, “Now what?”
“Fold the paper in half, and leave it folded” continued Dart.
The friends were so busy working on making a kite that neither of them heard Boomer creep up to them. Boomer is Chester’s little brother, who sometimes follows Chester and Dart on their adventures.
“Boo!” yelled Boomer. Chester and Dart both jumped.
“Hi guys, whatcha doing?” he squeaked.
“Dart is showing me how to make a kite!” explained Chester.
“What’s a kite?” Boomer asked.
“Watch and see!” replied Dart.
Boomer leaned against the tree trunk where he could see what was going on. It wasn’t long until Dart and Chester were finished. Boomer watched as Dart poked a hole in the kite for the string to attach to it. Chester tied a knot so the string would stay and not come off the kite. Next, Chester tied the other end of the string to a small stick. Then he wrapped the string around the stick, all the way up to the kite.
“Now, I will take the kite and you slowly let out the string. I will take it up high so that the wind will carry it for you.” Dart said to Chester as he put the kite in his beak. Dart flew up to the lowest branch in the tree with the kite in his mouth. Dart let go of the kite just as another gust of wind blew through the trees. The kite was flying!
“Yay!” squealed Boomer.
Chester was too excited to say anything as he felt the tugging of the little kite. He was scared if he talked he might drop it.
“Wow! Look at you! You are flying a kite!” laughed Dart as he landed on the ground next to Boomer.
“Am I doing this right?” Chester asked.
“Yes!” Dart said.
After Chester had flown the kite for awhile, he let Boomer try. When Boomer was done, it was Dart’s turn. The afternoon went by quickly, and before they knew it the sun was getting low in the sky.
“I’d better get going – see you tomorrow!” called Dart as he flew up to his home in the top of Chester’s tree.
Chester and Boomer rolled up the rest of the string and got the kite and put it behind the entrance to Chester’s tunnel. “Come on, I’ll take you home” Chester said to Boomer as they turned to walk toward their parents tree. Dad chipmunk met them just as they rounded the corner.
“Hey guys! Boomer, I was on my way to get you! Did you have fun today?”
“Guess what we did today!” giggled Boomer.
“Dart and I made a kite!” Chester chimed in.
“I got to fly it!” squealed Boomer.
“Sounds like you both had a really great day. Chester, your mom has made your favorite for dinner tonight. Would you like to stay?” Chester’s dad asked as he put an arm around Chester and the other around Boomer.
“I’ll let you have top bunk Chester!” Boomer said.
Chester smiled. “Sure Dad Thanks!”
“After supper will you read to me Chester, will you please?” Boomer asked.
“Sure! Let’s see maybe a story about pirates and a chest full of treasure.” Chester said.
“Hooray! I can’t wait!” replied Boomer as he ran ahead.
As they entered the kitchen, Chester’s whiskers twitched. The smell of roasted acorns was hanging in the air. Chester took a deep breath and sighed. This was the perfect ending to a perfect day.