Country Bear, City Pup – Free Children’s Story PDF

Cletus was a country bear
who loved fresh and open country air,
and sky that reached so wide and far
he could sit and gaze on every star.

Cletus loved his life.  He praised the pace;
Preferred to stroll instead of race.
Quite content in his cozy town.
Comfort was his favorite noun.

His puppy pal Preston, from long before,
had always longed for something more.
One day he split – no glance behind -
in search of something new to find.

Preston was cheery, living deep in the city,
in a three room pad, both petite but pretty.
But the only glow that lit Preston’s sky
were the helicopters THWAP- THWAPPING by.

They stayed in touch, our dog and bear.
Of each other’s lives they stayed aware.
Cletus smiled and scratched his fleas
as he wrote about his life of ease.

One sunny day, Cletus went to the post.
and found a letter from Preston, who’d left his coast.
He was coming to visit and would be there real soon.
The following Tuesday, at a quarter to noon.

Cletus was beaming.  He loved his old friend
and all of the time that they used to spend,
just talking of nothing, then doing it all day,
until the last of the sun simply faded away.

Cletus cut some fresh flowers, made a big roast.
Then waited for Preston so he could play host.
The next Tuesday arrived and true to his word,
Preston flew in to town like a flurrying bird.

Cletus jumped up and down, then hugged his old friend.
He was super excited about the time they would spend.
Preston started to prattle, but his words flew too fast.
Like they were shoved in a cannon, ready to blast.

“Let’s go to a restaurant or take in a show.
The ball’s in your court, Cletus.  Where should we go?”
“Well, I don’t know, Preston,” Cletus said kind of slow.
“I was not thinking of any place we should go.

I was thinking that maybe we would just watch the sky,
so we could see the next hundred clouds that pass by.
Then when we’re done, we can sit on my stoop
as the sun goes away and the sunflowers droop.”

Preston just frowned.  He didn’t like this at all.
He wanted big and this sounded small.
“You should come to the city,” he told his old friend.
“Where the days go on long and the nights never end.

There’s so much to do and so much to see.
Let’s go to the city, Cletus.  Go there with me.”
An amiable bear, Cletus grinned and agreed,
and they headed for the city with immediate speed.

But Preston kept racing, and racing so fast,
that Cletus saw nothing of all the something they passed.
Preston laughed loudly.  “You’re not missing much.
Just ginormous fields of big blossoms and such.”

Cletus just sighed.  He really loved flowers.
He had been known to start sniffing, and lose track of his hours.
What kind of life must his old buddy lead?
Did he ever slow down; take some time just to read?

Had he ever spent one day preparing one meal,
reminding his taste buds just how they should feel?
Had he gone to bed early and rose before dawn,
so he could watch the first sunlight washing his lawn?

There were too many things you could easily miss
if you gave life a hug instead of a kiss.
Soon the country was gone, the sky shrank in size,
And buildings touched clouds in front of their eyes.

The sounds of the city were seriously splitting
to the ears of an old bear used to just sitting.
Cletus was large, but right then he felt small,
standing in the overshadowing shade of it all.

Preston was thrilled and he started to bark.
Cletus said, “We should get started before it gets dark.”
Preston placed a thrilled paw on his friend and then said,
“Don’t worry old bear, it’s a long time until bed.

About the time of the day, well buddy, you’re right,
but most of these places stay open all night.
We can start with some shopping, then sit down to eat.
I know this place that just opened.  We’ll go there – my treat.”

“Okay,” Cletus said as he followed along.
Everybody wants to feel as though they belong.
The two critters did everything Preston put on their list.
There was not even one thing that either had missed.

“Wasn’t that great!” Preston Pup said.
“Not really,” said Cletus, shaking his head.
“People are different.  No two are alike.
You love your car, but I love my bike.

I go to bed early and you stay out late.
You are impulsive.  I’m willing to wait.
You like excitement and I like things still.
I hike up mountains while you race down hill.

You love loud movies.  I’d rather read.
We are two different flowers from two different seeds.”
“What makes this world special is the difference we find,
in the way in which each of us works our own mind.

Some people like black, for others it’s white.
Neither are wrong and neither are right.
Some drink only coffee while others sip tea.
Life would be boring if we all agreed.

I’ll go back to the country and you can stay here.
But you’re welcome to visit whenever you’re near.”
Preston was quiet, and a little surprised.
What Cletus was saying, he hadn’t realized.

Just because two amigos liked two different songs,
did not mean that one of them had to be wrong.
“I get it, old buddy.  This burg’s not your thing.
You’d rather sit down and count minutes till spring.

I’m sorry we left early.  I was so impolite.
I’m probably wrong.  You’re probably right.”
I can learn too.  Perhaps I can unwind.
And grab a much needed break from this regular grind.”

“But even if later, I prefer things my way,
It is not even close to a cause for dismay.
I love you Cletus, because you are my friend.
If you don’t like what I do, you don’t have to pretend.

People are different and different is great,
But about you and me, buddy, there is no debate.”
They walked into sunset, puppy and bear.
Joyful and Jolly and without despair.

Life is made up of contrast and contrast is key
To living our lives to their fullest degree.

Writer Dad

Click here to get your own free copy of Country Bear, City Pup. Written by Writer Dad and illustrated by Lucy Huang.

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