Slippery shapes

"Mam, can I have a pet?" Tommy's voice echoed round the
kitchen.
"No. You've had a pet before and didn't look after it. It was your dad
and I who had to feed and clean it."
"But, Mam. Jamie Jones has just got a hamster and the teacher says that
we should learn to be kind to animals. Please, Mam. I promise to look
after it."
Tommy's Mam thought that she was being a little unkind so she gave
in.
"Very well, you can have a pet. What do you want to get?"
"Weeell, I fancied a snake."
"A snaaaake! No chance. I'm not having one of them in the house. You
can have a pet but do not come back with a snake and that is my last
word."
Tommy walked into the pet shop. There were parrots and cockatoos,
gerbils and hamsters, cats and rats, rabbits and hares.
"Yes, young man and what can we do for you?" The pet shop owner peered
over his half-moon glasses. "A crocodile, perhaps. Or an
alligator."
"It's not very funny," said Tommy. "I would like a snake but my Mam
says I can't have one."
I've got just the thing for you, young man," the old man said, holding
up a snake.
"But I've just said that I can't have a snake."
"This is no ordinary snake, young man. It is a magic snake and a master
of disguise. Your mother will never know that you have a snake.
All you have to remember is to say 'Look out!' in snake's
language.
That is 'Shhhhhhhh'."

Tommy walked proudly from the shop with his sanke on a brand new
leather lead which the shopkeeper had thrown in with the price.
"Come along, Slithery," for that is what the shopkeeper had said was
its name.
Tommy was thrilled as people kept looking at his snake. But, suddenly,
his heart sank. Hos mother was comong along the street - she was sure
to see the snake.
Now what was the magic word, he thought,
That's it - shhhhhh. And that is what he said and Slithery changer
itself into a walking stick.
"What's that?" his Mother asked.
"It's just a walking stick that the pet shop man asked me to take to an
old man who had left it in the shop." Tommy crossed his fingers and
hoped he wouldn't go to hell for telling lies.
"What about the pet?"
"They didn't have anything I fancied." Tommy crossed his fingers
again.
"I'm just going to the shops, I'll not be long."
"Okay, Mam."
"Hi, Tommy, can I come in for a game of snooker on your table? Hey,
what's that you've got? It looks like a snake." Jamie's eyes opened
wide.
"It is a snake. Come in and keep an eye open for my Mam."
Tommy and Jamie were just enjoying a game of snooker with Slithery
curled up on the corner of the snooker table when they heard steps
coming to the door.
"Watch this," said Tommy. "Shhhhhhhhh," and Slithery turned into a
snooker cue.
Tommy picked him up and lined up to pot a red.
"I think it is time for you to be going, Jamie, Tommy has to get ready
for the Cubs," said Tommy's Mam.
"Okay, Mrs Allen," Jamie called from the door. "See ya, Tommy."

Tommy was just getting his Cub jersey on with Slithery lying
comfortably on the bed when he heard his Mam at the doo. "Here is your
necker. I've just ironed it."
"Shhhhhh!" hissed Tommy.
"Don't you shush me, young man. What are you up to?"
"Just practising my reef knot for tonight."
Tommy's mother did not see the end of the rope wink at Tommy. "Very
well, but hurry up."

The next day, Tommy was letting Slithery enjoy itself among some dead
leaves in the garden.
"What are you doing." Tommy's Mam was just looking out of the kitchen
window.
Magic word quick, thought Tommy. "Shhhhhhhhh."
"Oh, I see, you are doing a good turn and sweeping up the leaves. Good
boy."
Slithery had turned into a brush handle and grabbed a mouthful of twigs
to make a brush.

The next morning Tommy was frantic. He couldn't find Slithery anywhere
and he daren't ask his Mam.
"Mam, have you seen anything around that you shouldn't?" Tommy rosked
asking.

The only thing I have seen that i shouldn't was your clothes on the
floor. Mind you, I think that my eyes must be going funny because I
could have sworn that I saw a snake in the clothes cupboard. I just
went "Shhhhhhh" to shoo it away when I realise that it was an old tie
so I put it with the stuff for the Scout Jumble sale."
"Bye, Mam."
"Where are you off to in such a rush?" Tommy's Mam asked.
"I've just realised. I was supposed to help at the jumble sale." Tommy
hoped that God would fogive his lies and let him find Slithery
again.
"Mrs Jennings," Tommy dashe dinto the hall, panting. "Have you seen a
tie?"
"Have I seen a tie, young man?" Mrs Jennings pointed to her stall.
"What do you think all these are?"
Hanging on a line at the back of her stall were about fifty ties.

Tommy's heart sank. He had no chance of finding Slithery among all
those. He walked away from Mrs Jennings' stall with his head hanging.
I'll never see Slithery again, he thought miserably

"What's up with you?" Mrs Evans, on the bric-a-brac stall said. "You
look as if you've lost a friend."
"I have," said Tommy.
"Shhhh," said Mrs Evans. "Never mind, you'll find another.
Just then Tommy noticed a snake belt on Mrs Evans' stall. He looked
again and the belt winked at him.
"Mrs Evans, how much is that belt?"
"You can have it for five pence," she said.
Tommy felt in his pocket - it was empty.
"Can you keep it until I get some money? Tommy gasped and ran
out.
A few minutes later, Tommy dashed back into the hall, out of breath. He
was puffed from his run home and back.
"Here's the 5p," Tommy panted.
"Thank you , son," Mrs Evans handed over the belt. "I hope it gives you
good service."
"It will." Tommy smiled as he fastened Slithery round his waist.
We'll not be parted again, he thought.