Happy Birthday Josh!

Joshua and the Pepperoni Pizza

by

Janene Baadsgaard

alias Granny B

(this is a story written for my grandson Joshua on his 11^th birthday)

“Eat your vegetables,” Josh’s mother said.  “They are good for you.”

“I’d rather have pizza,” Joshua answered.

“I know pizza is your favorite food,” Josh’s mother said.  “But if you ate pizza every day you’d soon get tired of it.”

“No I wouldn’t,” Josh answered.

Josh was a connoisseur magnificent of scrumptious, steaming hot, delectable pizza.  He dreamed about eating pizza every night.  His favorite activity when he was awake was making his own pizza.  That way he could stack the pepperoni two inches high.

“If I could eat pizza for every meal,” Josh said, “I would be the happiest boy alive.”

“I don’t think so,” his mother said arching her eyebrows and smiling

The next morning at breakfast Josh was expecting the usual orange juice, oatmeal or toast.  Instead he found a steaming hot pepperoni pizza with a tall glass of pepperoni juice at the side.

“Wow!” Josh said.  “Thanks Mom.  This is great!”

At school, the rest of the kids got roast beef, potatoes and gravy for lunch but when Josh went to reach for his food, the woman on the other side of the counter took his plate and handed him another one stacked high with pepperoni pizza. 

“Wow!” Josh said.  “Thanks.  This is great!”

At supper that night Josh’s mom served up pepperoni pizza with an impromptu song, tap dance and a very gregarious hug.

“I live only to serve you so please accept this squeeze,” Josh’s mom said in her best fat- lady-at-the-opera voice right before she hugged him, “then take this pepperoni but please oh please don’t sneeze!”

“AHHH CHOOO!” Josh answered peppering his pepperoni pizza with a little more than pepperoni.

The next morning the same thing happened all over again . . . breakfast . . . lunch and dinner was all pepperoni pizza.  The first week was great but by the second week Josh was getting tired of all that pepperoni.  He even offered the kid next to him at school lunch all his pepperoni pizza for a single French fry.  But the kid said no. 

“Are we having pepperoni pizza for supper again?” Josh asked as he dragged through the door after school.  “We’ve been eating pepperoni pizza for a month now.  Don’t you think I need a little variety in my diet?  I’m a growing boy you know.”

“I’m only here to please,” his mother answered.

“I know.  I know,” Josh answered.  “You know Mom this pizza thing is getting pretty old now.  You can stop.”

“But you said if you could eat pizza every day you’d be the happiest boy alive.”

“I know.  I know.  But I changed my mind.”

That night Josh’s mom served turkey, stuffing and a fresh green salad.

“Oh boy does this ever taste good,” Josh said.  “Thanks Mom.

After supper Josh’s mom looked out the window at their back yard.

“I’m so sick of winter,” Josh’s mom said.  “I’d be the happiest woman alive if all this snow disappeared. I wish it was summer all year long.”

“Mom,” Josh said.  “Don’t say that!  Be careful what you wish for.”