A Chuckle, A Laugh, and A Lie

With a chuckle, a laugh and a lie, Lenny was always able to get whatever he wanted. The more he did it, the easier it became.

With a chuckle, Lenny could always convince his mother that his homework was done, even when it wasn’t. Lenny got to watch a lot of TV.

With a laugh, Lenny could persuade his best friends to make trades that he knew weren’t fair to them. Lenny had a lot of valuable baseball cards.

With a lie, Lenny could always convince his teacher that he hadn’t been feeling well the night before his assignments were due, even when he felt fine. Lenny handed in a lot of assignments late.

With a chuckle, a laugh and a lie, Lenny was always able to get whatever he wanted. There was no reason for him to stop his chuckling, laughing and lying.

Then one day a new boy moved in next door. When Lenny met him he noticed that there was something very familiar about him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. “Hmmm” Lenny wondered, “I have red hair and the new boy has black hair. I have green eyes and the new boy has brown eyes. I have lots of freckles and the new boy has none.”

Lenny thought again, “maybe I’ll just have to get to know him better.” So, Lenny invited the new boy to take a bike ride to the playground and toss a baseball.

Before they left, the new boy began boasting that his bicycle was the fastest bike around. He looked at Lenny’s new bike and chuckled... Then he offered to switch bikes for the ride to the playground. Lenny agreed.

Right away Lenny noticed that the new boy’s bike didn’t steer straight and the handlebars were loose. And boy did those bumps hurt! Lenny was happy to get off that bike at the playground and toss a baseball.

“Is that your glove?” laughed  the new boy. “Yes” replied Lenny. “You see this glove” the new boy went on, “It’s a one of a kind given to me by a real major leaguer. Here try it.” Lenny took the glove and handed the new boy his baseball glove, one that his father had just oiled... The new boy’s glove was stiff and Lenny was missing almost all of his catches.

When the ice cream truck arrived the two boys went running over to it. “I forgot my money.” the new boy said “Can you lend me some Lenny?” The new boy chose the biggest and most expensive ice cream. Lenny could barely afford a Popsicle for himself.

When the two boys arrived home, the new boy reached into his pocket for his house key and when he pulled out his hand not only was there a shiny key, but there were several crinkled up dollar bills. This made Lenny uncomfortable, so he pretended not to notice.

When he got inside his house, Lenny began to think. “Hmmm, the new boy had chuckled  about my bike, laughed  about my glove and lied  about the money…”

For the first time it had become clear to Lenny why the new boy had looked so familiar...Lenny finally had a reason to stop his chuckling, laughing and lying. And he did.