Breathless and excitable, Henry and Alyssa spent the better half of the morning chasing one another. Nothing was off limits but they knew better to go near roads. Both sets of parents warned them about the hazards of roads.
Alyssa squealed with delight on the rare times she outran Henry over a long period of time. They both used caution climbing the tree and they didn’t go too far off the end of a branch before a warning came from the other.
“Henry, you know the rules. What would your father think of you out there like that? You come back here right this instant. You’re asking for trouble.”
“Trouble shmubble. There are no rules in my game, Alyssa. In fact, I make the rules.”
“Oh you do, do you?” a booming voice at the base of the tree asked.
Henry knew exactly who it was.
“Uh, yeah, Dad. No, I mean, no sir. You make the rules,” Henry said.
“Get down here right now,” said the father.
Henry scrambled down the tree.
“Son, it’s okay to take risks in life, but not stupid risks.”
“What’s the difference?” Henry asked, as he scurried down the tree.
“A stupid risk is playing game of tag from a flimsy branch. You are not only endangering yourself but Alyssa too. If that branch breaks when both of you are on it, you’ll tumble to the ground. Climb all you want but be careful where you stay for more than a few seconds. It’s one thing to endanger yourself but other squirrels? No, son, That’s what I mean by unnecessary risks.
“Don’t ask me how I know, Son,” said the father squirrel with only three feet. “Don’t ask me how I know.”
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