Surviving A Night At Claude's

Here is an excerpt from my book which will be available soon!!!

As I drifted off to sleep, I was suddenly awakened by an old loud pick-up truck rolling down the old dusty dirt road by the house.

“I guess that’s something you’re going to hear when you have the windows up,” I thought to myself. “I’m used to hearing the hum of the window unit air conditioners at my house.” I lay there for a while, thinking that I would never be able to sleep. An occasional car or truck would drive by. Claude would snore and snort. But before I knew it, I drifted into a deep sleep. I was so comfortable, wrapped in the soft sheets and blankets on the sofa.

That is, until I was suddenly awakened by the monsters.

You know, the monsters whose heads stick through the walls of the old board house? They were evil looking. They had horns and beards and there were several of them. They kept poking their heads in and out of the cracks of the boards. I was trying to tell Claude, but I couldn’t say anything. They were getting closer and closer. I tried to scream and yell, “Help me, Claude!”

Then I suddenly woke up. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the wall. There were no monster heads. There were no evil looking creatures poking their heads through the boards. Thank goodness, it was all a dream. I hoped I could get back to sleep and make it through this night.

“I’ll just snuggle back in the covers, maybe cover my head in case of monsters and get back to sleep,” I said to myself.

Do I really have to pee suddenly? Claude has no bathrooms. What do I do? Do I actually have to use the slop jar by Claude’s bed?

Then I remembered Claude placed another slop jar just outside the bedroom for me. So, I had my privacy. I sure did miss the modern conveniences of our powder blue tile bathroom with the matching toilet, sink and tub, at our bathroom at home.

Soon the sun started coming up. I had made it through the night! I could hear Claude in the kitchen. She was boiling water for coffee.

Sanka coffee.

She drank dark, strong, instant, freeze dried Sanka coffee. She said that I could have a little. Of course, it was mostly Pet brand evaporated milk. She kept cans of Pet milk everywhere. There was Pet milk in the refrigerator. There was Pet milk in the kitchen cabinet. There were cans of Pet milk everywhere! Claude must’ve really liked it.

I had a cup of Pet milk with a splash of coffee and a lot of sugar. And a Stage Plank. A Stage Plank cookie with pink icing. It was the best breakfast ever!

Soon, it was time for mom and dad to come pick me up. They made the trip back to Barlow Bend. Mom was glad to see me because it was the first time I had ever spent the night that far away from home.

I had survived my first night at Claude’s house! And I think I might go back again sometime!