Here and Now

Here and now lives a poor toy maker. He has two sons. He has a clever son. And he has a never son.

His younger son, Quyan has learned from his dad. He is as good a toy maker as his father. Quyan works

every day making new toys.

Sly, his brother is lazy. He's never made toys. He never does anything but eat and sleep.

Quyan makes tennis shoes, and sneakers for basketball. He makes sneakers that help you run as fast as

a jet, and jump as high as a rocket. Sly goes barefooted. He's too lazy to make shoes. Not even for

himself.

One day Quyan made a special pair of sneakers. Whoever wears these sneakers can go anyplace

they wish, Quyan thought. At that, he put them on and tied them tight.

Suddenly Quyan began to run. Up he ran. In a flash the sky was beneath his feet.

Streets and roads below looked like ribbons netted upon green fields. Buildings of a large city looked like

the toy buildings in his father"s toy shop. Quyan saw crowds of people scurrying about like ants.

Trucks and cars looked like little speeding bugs.

"WOW!" Quyan exclaimed, "I'll have to make everybody a pair of sneakers like these."

Before Quyan could catch his breath he was darting toward a place that looked like Disney Land.

But it was much shinier. It sparkled like stars.

Quyan saw a highlighted footpath that led up a grass hill and right into the glittering place.

He jetted so swiftly along the daring footpath that his sneakers left puffy balls of smoke behind him.

Soon he came upon a little house. It was colored green. It's cherry-red roof was shaped like the letter, A.

A pretty lady opened the door and stepped out in front of Quyan. Screeech! Quyan came to a stop.

He stopped close enough to her to see his mother's sparkle in her smile. She smells like Mom's flower

garden, Quyan thought. She's got Mom's twinkle in her eyes. Wait! Wow! She looks like Mom.

"Hi," Quyan chimed, "you look like...like, Mom."

"Hi there," she replied, "I'm Mother Maiden. Your name is, Quyan. I've read about you in a good book.

You're a fine little boy. Welcome to my home. Please, stay for a while. Here, we can share sweet treats."

Quyan saw cookies and cakes. He saw all flavored shakes. There were chocolate bars, and

marshmallow stars. There were sodas to drink, and candy cotton pink. She had fresh milk, bread and

jelly. She's got all sorts of yummies for my belly, thought Quyan. No two were the same. Quyan tasted so

many, too many to name.

"I like your little house," Quyan said, "and all that's in it. YES! Mother Maiden, I'll stay for a minute."

"You may stay as my helper," she said, "and if you are a good worker, here and now, you can earn

blessings to take home and share with your family."

Quyan promised to be a good helper. And a hard worker too, like he was at home. And he kept his

promise.

"You must rake our leaves. When I ask you to. You must water the flowers," said Mother Maiden.

"When you water our flowers up here, rain will fall on earth and water the flowers there."

Quyan listened to Mother Maiden. He raked their leaves. He helped her paint their little blue fence.

Then he turned their lawn sprinklers on and taught their puppy how to wrestle in the grass while tumbling

in the spray. He fed the puppy and the kitten. And he watered their flowers when Mother Maiden asked

him to. This made rain fall on earth and water our flowers here. Quyan helped every day, at home and

while he was away. Mother Maiden loved Quyan. She treated him like he was her son. This made him

obey her even more. Then one day while they were on a picnic, Quyan said....

"Mother Maiden I love you. You're my friend. You've been kind to me. Thank you. I've had a wonderful

time living with you. But I miss Mom, Dad, and Sly. Would you mind if I go home to them?"

"Not at all, Quyan, I was about to suggest that you do just that. But before you go, dear boy,

She led Quyan to a great door. When it opened he saw a light that was as bright as the sun.

The light was warm. It led to the place where Quyan lived. When Quyan walked through the

doorway coins of pure gold rained upon him like April showers. They stuck to his clothes until he was

completely covered with gold.

"You've been a faithful helper," said Mother Maiden. This is your reward for working to help your family,

and for helping me. Thank you, Quyan."

"You're welcome, I'm sure," Quyan, replied. After they hugged and said good-by Quyan darted home

quicker and happier than I can say. There he met his father, mother, and his brother walking to meet him.

When they saw Quyan covered with gold they couldn't believe their eyes.

"Mother Maiden rewarded me for working, and helping," Quyan said. "Here and now, we never have to

be poor again. You take the gold, Dad and Mom. You may have some too, Sly." The light in Quyan's smile

was shinning like the sun.

Sly became so jealous of Quyan that didn't join in on his family's group hug. His face frown was uglier

than it had ever looked.

"Phew!," said Sly, "I'll get my own golden coins. I'll get a bunch more than Quyan got. Just wait.

You'll see. And I ain't sharing my gold with nobody but me."

"THE NEVER SON."

Here and now Sly decides to steal Quyan's sneakers. One day while no one was around that's exactly

what Sly did. He put them on and tied them tight. The same thing that happened to Quyan, happened to

Sly. He found himself outside the little red house. Sly banged on the door.

"YO! Where are you, Mother Muck or what ever your stupid name is? How about some gold for me?

An ugly old lady appeared in the window. "Come on in," she laughed with a cackle, "you'll get yours."

Sly was uglier than the witch, so he wasn't afraid of her. He hurried inside. Sly didn't see any sweet treats.

He saw black cats, and red-eyed vampire bats. They buzzed around his head. Fanning his hands to shoo

them away he asked....

"Where's my gold, you ugly lady old?"

"First...you must work."

"Phooey. I ain't doing no work."

"Then you're not getting any gold."

"No? Why not? You gave Quyan gold."

"I gave Quyan an opportunity to earn gold. He chose to take advantage of the opportunity, and that's

what he did'"

Sly's voice sounded like he was sucking a lemon. "And that's what he did," he mocked wrinkling his

face. "Well what so special did he do?"

"Quyan worked for his gold."

"That half witted little moron, that's all he ever does. Work, work, work, he works my nerves.

What kind of stupid work has Silly Willy done this time?" What do you want from me?'

"First of all, my dear child, you stole Quyan's sneakers. You must return them to him with your apology.

Here and now promise you'll never steal again, Sly. You said that you ain't doing no work. You must

promise to work to help people help people. And you must never ever say ain't again."

"Bah, you sound like Mom. I get loads of that kind of mushy-mess at home, and from my teacher at

school. Don't give me that. Give me gold, gold I say. Give me gold."

"I'm your teacher too, telling you things like that, my dear."

Sly threw his hands in the air and kicked up a cloud of dust.

"Okay. Okay. What do I have to do so you'll give me some of your dumb gold?"

The lady pointed to the water hose in the garden.

"First, you must water the flowers."

Sly mumbled and grumbled. He pretended to water the flowers. But as soon as the lady went in the

house, he quit. He curled up in the grass and fell into a deep lazy sleep. His snoring pierced the lady's

ears. When Sly woke up and went inside the lady asked....

"Did you water the flowers?"

"Of course. I watered the flowers. Now where's my gold, prune face?" Make that loads of your gold.

Give it to me, now, Mother Mud. Let me have it."

"Coming right up," she laughed through her long pointed green nose. Her nose grew longer.

It grew sharper. And the big wart on it grew bigger.

She led Sly to the great door. When it opened the night was as black as pitch out side.

Sly remembered what Quyan said happened when he walked through the doorway. He hurried to pass

through.

YES! lazy Sly got his reward. Black mud poured down on his head. The sticky gooey mess spread out

over him from his head to his toes.

"They don't call me Mother Muck for nothing," the old lady laughed.

HERE and NOW, thick gooey black mud still covers Sly's lazy body. And it will never come off as long

as he lies and steals, as long as he's mean. and as long as he says, ain't.