Another story written for 3rd grade (8 years) US schools.
Caleb’s dad is so good at being a spy that no one knows.
Caleb knows, of course. He has decided to keep the whole
story to himself, not even telling his best friend just in case he lets the
story slip.
Caleb didn’t really notice that his Dad was a spy at
first then his friend, Joshua had given him a book for his last birthday. It
was called ‘How to Tell If You Have a Spy
in Your Family’. He’d thought the book a bit far-fetched at first until he
started studying it. If you look carefully there are signs everywhere.
For instance, his dad will go to an ATM and when he
punches in a special code, instructions will come out. His dad will read those
instructions, then fold up the paper and put it in his wallet. This is a very
obvious indication of spying as mentioned in chapter fifteen of his book.
Caleb thinks that type of spying is dangerous, as the
wallet might fall into the wrong hands but he also reckons his dad knows what
he was doing.
Caleb’s dad is very clever with disguises. He makes
people think that he works in a bank. It is a great cover because everyone
believes it, not Caleb, obviously, but everyone else including Caleb’s mom.
He’d thought for a while that his mom was also a spy but
her cover is just being a mom and that doesn’t seem very good. So he has scored
her off the ‘possible spies’ list.
Caleb’s sister is only three, so she too has been taken
off the list. That just leaves his aunt Patricia; she is his dad’s sister and
probably comes from a long line of spies. Maybe his grandparents are spies as
well? He will leave that investigation for another time.
Last week, Caleb’s teacher had spent an hour discussing with
the class what their parents or guardians did outside the home or whether they
stayed in the house. Caleb had to say that his dad was a banker but he was so
wanted to say super spy.
“Is there something else you want to add?” asked his
teacher.
“He’s not just a banker” said Caleb.
“This sounds interesting, Caleb” said his teacher
“please tell us.”
“He’s a” but the word ‘spy’ wouldn’t come out. He knew
it was a secret and that was that.
“He’s a great Dad, too” added Caleb but annoyed at
himself.
On the bus home Robert, his best friend, asked him why
he was so quiet. Caleb wanted to talk to Robert about his dad but he just said
he was tired, that was all. Really Caleb was thinking through what would happen
if the world knew his dad was a spy. Well it wouldn’t be much of a secret, so
that was a good reason not to tell. Also his dad and family might be put in
jail if he did things he wasn’t supposed to do because he was a spy. Caleb couldn’t
think of any particular thing that his dad might have done, but he was sure
that there must be something.
Everything comes to those who wait, that’s what Caleb’s
auntie is always telling him and one day, in the week before New Years, the
thing he had wanted more than anything happened.
Robert and Zoe, their other best friend and her dog,
Toto were walking through the park. Zoe felt it was safe enough to let Toto run
free for a time, she had seen her dad do the same but for whatever reason Toto
was really jumpy that day and was rushing all over the place. Suddenly, as Zoe
tried to get him back, he slipped down an embankment and slid onto the ice that
covered the Whistledown Pond. No matter how much they called on Toto, she
wouldn’t come back in and she just sat on the ice shivering and barking.
Caleb’s dad had always told him to stay off the ice because the ice can crack
and you can fall through. So Caleb called his dad on his phone hoping that he
was nearby and not in Japan or some other country being a super spy. Luckily
Caleb’s dad was standing at the pond within five minutes.
Caleb’s dad had brought a rope with him. One end, he
tied around a tree and the other around his own waist. He handed his phone to
Caleb and told him that if the ice should break that he was to call the fire
station and let them know. Caleb took the ‘phone and stood proudly, ready to
make the call. His dad, the super spy, had trusted him and no one else. One day
I will be a spy too, thought Caleb.
Caleb’s dad then crawled onto the ice keeping his body very
flat. Caleb thought that they must have taught his dad that at spy school
although it didn’t mention it in his book. When Caleb’s dad reached Toto, she
was shivering with the cold. Caleb’s dad gave her a hug and managed to get his
arms around the dog and get her back on shore.
Caleb felt really proud of his dad that day and when
Robert asked him where his dad had learned to go onto the ice like that, Caleb
told him spy school.
Robert just laughed and Caleb smiled, happily.
bobby stevenson 2012
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