Copyright 2000 --  Robert Baer Jr

All of the characters and/or background in this story are the sole
property of Robert Baer Jr.

Wayside Charlie -- "The Best Things In Life....."

It was a cloudy Tuesday afternoon and Wayside Charlie, Juanita Bunny,
Jimmy Fox and Sasha Bear were heading home after school.  This particular
day the foursome took a short cut so they could visit the Public Library
along the way.  They pass Miss McGregor's Candy Store, her store front has
many delicious looking things on display such as huge lollipops, oversized
chocolate chip cookies, large candy canes, and so forth.

"Wow, would you look at all of that candy!" Charlie said as he stared
through the front window.

"I'd love to have one of those big cookies!"  Juanita added.

"One large candy cane for me!"  Sasha squealed in delight.

"Bet I could make one of those lollipops last for a whole week!"  Jimmy
said, almost drooling.

"Too bad I haven't got any money,"  Charlie lamented.

"Me too," Sasha said sadly.

"I'm broke also," Juanita moaned.

"I even owe my little brother a quarter!"  Jimmy giggled.

"Oh well, maybe we can buy some candy there some other time," Charlie
said,"we better be heading for the library now."

As the four were walking to the next street corner, a familiar figure
jumped out at them through the bushes.

"You guys are really pathetic!" Spike shouted with a snear,"I heard you
losers talking, don't you want any candy?"

"We would like some candy," Jimmy said sadly,"but none of us has any money
and ..."

"Who says you need MONEY?"  Spike bragged,"when I want something in a
store, I just TAKE IT!"

"You mean steal it?"  Juanita asked.

"Yeah, brainy girl!" Spike answered,"who needs cash, like they always say,
the best things in life are FREE!"

"I don't think they were refering to shoplifting though, Spike,"  Charlie
said sternly.

"Awwwww!   You guys are just a bunch of chickens!" Spike shouted,"let this
old pro show you how it's done!  I'll swipe a big pile of candy before old
lady McGregor knows what hit her!"

The four friends can only look on as Spike runs into the front door of
McGregor's Store.  A minute later they hear Miss McGregor screaming at the
top of her lungs as she chases Spike out the front door swinging a broom
at him.

"THIEF!!!!   THIEF!!!!   DROP THOSE CANDY CANES SPIKE BULLDOG!"  she
shouts as her broom 'connects' several times on top of Spike's head.

"LEAVE ME ALONE, LADY!   HELP!!!!!"  Spike shouts as he runs past Charlie
and his startled friends with Miss McGregor in 'hot pursuit.'  They all
can still hear her shouting as continues to follow Spike down the street.

"HEY SPIKE!   IS THAT HOW'S IT'S DONE?"  laughs Jimmy as he points and
shouts.

"Do you think we should go and help her?"  Sasha asked.

"Trust me on this one, Miss McGregor can handle this one all by herself!" 
Charlie said with a smile,"see, here they comes now!"

Miss McGregor is now walking back to her store, she had found Officer
Nancy Collie who happened to be on foot patrol duty.  Officer Collie was
now 'escorting' Spike back to the store so she could phone his parents.

"Well, so much for Spike's idea!"  Juanita said with a laugh.

"He'll never learn, will he Charlie?"  Jimmy asked.

"I don't know,"  Charlie said with a smile,"maybe someday he will."

Running down the street is Charlie's Uncle Phillip, who had heard the
commotion as he was stepping off the bus.

"Hey Charlie!"  Uncle Phillip said while trying to catch his
breath,"what's all the excitement about?"

"Well, Spike was caught shoplifting...again,"  Charlie said sadly as he
looked up as his uncle.

"Bet Miss McGregor gave him the end of her broom!"  Uncle Phillip
giggled,"y'know, I used to walk these same streets when I was your age. 
I'd pass McGregor's Store, look at all the goodies in the front window..."

"We know the feeling, Uncle,"  Charlie said sadly.

"Say, there's an idea!" Uncle Phillip said with a smile,"would you kids
like some candy?"

"WOW!  SURE!"  Jimmy said excitely.

"We sure would, sir!"  Sasha shouted.

"Really Uncle Phillip?"  Charlie said with a huge grin on his face.

"Yes, really nephew!"  Uncle Phillip said with a smile,"but not too much,
don't want to spoil all of your appettities before supper,  OK?"

"Ok with me!" Juanita said cheerfully.   Wayside Charlie and all of his
friends entered the store with Uncle Phillip.  Minutes later, they were
all thanking him as they left the store.

"I got some fruit chews!"  Jimmy said as he stuffed some of them in his
mouth.

"Sugarless bubble gum is my favorite!"  Juanita shouted just before she
blew a huge bubble.

"What a treat!   Malted milk balls!"  Sasha said with glee as she tossed
two of them in the air and 'caught them' in her mouth.

"I gotta have my granola bar!"  Charlie said as he took another bite.

"Your uncle's a real nice man!"  Juanita said as she blew another bubble.

"Yes, he's one of a kind!"  Charlie nodded as the foursome walked down the
street towards the library.  

Sometimes we don't get everything we want in life.  But as Wayside Charlie
and his friends learned today, there's a right way and a wrong way to
achieve your goals.  Choose the 'right' way, or you could (like Spike) be
learning quite a different 'lesson' someday.