by BobA. Troutt
*****
Jawbreakers, Bubble Gum and Stick Candy
Popcorn the Scarecrow
It was a long hot summer day in the little community of Hidden Meadow. There was only a light wind stirring about. It stirred up the dust on the old country road. Suddenly, pop, bang, chug, chug, chug, pop and bang sounded Farmer Tony’s old truck as it came down the road. Eek, eek, bang and pop it went as he came to a stop at his cornfield on the corner of Honey Run Road and Shady Lane. Carefully, he looked out across the field. He could hear the crows cawing above the field. Caw, caw, caw they sounded.
“It looks like I’m going to have a prize winning field of peaches and cream corn this year,” he said as he looked over at the scarecrow.
“Yep, Farmer Tony, I believe you have a first place crop this year for the county fair,” replied the scarecrow. “Better than that hickory can corn you had last year.”
Keep up the good work, Popcorn. Take good care of it for me,” he said. “It’s your responsibility to keep the crows away. I’m counting on you. I hope you don’t let me down.”
“I’ll do my best, sir,” replied Popcorn the scarecrow. “I won’t let you down. You’ll see.”
“You are a good man, Popcorn,” said Farmer Tony.
“Thank you, sir,” he replied. “It sure is hot today, isn’t it?”
“Yep, it’s a little warm,” replied Farmer Tony as he took his handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. “I’ll talk to you later, Popcorn.”
“Okay, see ya. Bye!” shouted Popcorn as Farmer Tony drove out of sight.
Chug, chug, chug, pop, bang, chug, chug, chug sounded Farmer Tony’s truck as it went down the road.
Popcorn was the scarecrow that watched over Farmer Tony’s cornfield. He was Farmer Tony’s right-hand man, sort of like a straw boss. He got his nickname, Popcorn, because he loved to eat popcorn. It was his favorite food. Popcorn wasn’t the only one who heard Farmer Tony talking about his prize crop. Carl and Carlene, two crows that hung out in the field, heard him as well. If there was anything those two practical jokers loved more than eating corn it was playing jokes. Caw, caw, caw went the crows. As Popcorn watched over the cornfield, Jalen came to see him. Jalen was Popcorn’s best friend. He lived on the farm next door and his dad was a good friend of Farmer Tony.
“Hey, Popcorn, what’s going on?” asked Jalen.
“Oh, nothing much, Niblet,” he replied.
Niblet was Jalen’s nickname. That’s what Popcorn called him sometimes.
“Farmer Tony left a few minutes ago. He told me to watch over the field. County fair is in a few weeks and he doesn’t want anything to happen to his prize crop,” stated Popcorn.
“Cool,” said Niblet. “Can I help?”
“Sure you can,” replied Popcorn. “What do you have in the brown sack?”
“Oh, it’s just a little snack,” said Niblet.
“Well, I think it’s about snack time now,” replied Popcorn.
“Well, I guess it is,” said Niblet. “Let’s eat.”
Niblet quickly opened the bag. They both sat down on the ground in the cornfield to have a bite to eat.
“Well, well, well, look what I have,” said Niblet, “popcorn with extra butter! What do you have, Popcorn?”
“I have an old tater and biscuit,” he replied.
“Yuck!” cried Niblet.
As the two took their little break, a few rows back Carl and Carlene were working out their plans for the joke they were going to play on Popcorn and Niblet.
“Now, here’s what we’re going to do,” said Carl. “We’ll make it look like Slick the chicken snake is eating the corn.”
“Oh, no!” said Carlene. “Not Slick. I’m afraid of what he’ll do if he finds out.”
“Oh, he won’t ever know,” laughed Carl. “Besides, he stays cooped up in that old corn crib all the time anyway.”
“I don’t know,” cried Carlene as she shook her head.
A few feet away from them, two dark eyes peered out of the tall grass and then slowly slithered away.
“Come on, chicken,” said Carl. “It will be fun.”
“Okay,” replied Carlene as they flew to the top of the cornstalks.
“Caw, caw, caw,” they screamed.
“What was that?” shouted Niblet.
“Carl and Carlene must be up to something,” replied Popcorn. “Come on; let’s see what is going on.”
Quickly, they jumped up and took off through the corn rows.
“Caw, caw, caw,” Carl and Carlene screamed.
“We’re coming,” cried Popcorn. “We’re coming.”
By the time Popcorn and Niblet got there, there was nothing left but three of four ears of corn and a few black crow’s feathers.
“What happened?” asked Niblet.
“I don’t know,” replied Popcorn. “But, I have a pretty good idea.”
“Shhh, listen. What was that?” whispered Niblet.
Carl and Carlene were hid in a nearby row. Carl was hissing like a snake.
“It sounds like…” stuttered Popcorn.
“Surely not,” replied Niblet.
“Not Slick!” they both cried as they ran away.
Carl and Carlean hissed and laughed until Popcorn and Niblet were out of sight. Popcorn and Niblet finally stopped running and were walking through the field. They were both confused.
“You know, Popcorn, “something just doesn’t seem right. I have never heard of a chicken snake shucking corn before,” Niblet said.
“Me either,” replied Popcorn. “But, what could have happened?”
“I don’t know,” replied Niblet. “It sounds like a shuck and jive move to me.”
“Look!” shouted Popcorn. “It’s a trail of corn kernels.”
“And look,” said Niblet. “It’s leading right to the corncrib. Come on and follow me,” instructed Niblet.
Hurriedly, the cornfield detectives took off down through the rows of corn toward the corn crop.
“What do you make of it, Niblet?” asked Popcorn.
“I don’t know for sure,” said Niblet, “but snakes don’t eat corn, do they?”
“I don’t think so,” replied Popcorn as he noticed something under the corner of the corncrib. “Look,” cried Popcorn. “It’s Slick.”
“Are you sure?” questioned Niblet. “Yeah, I think you’re right. I see two dark eyes looking out. Come on, let’s get out of here!”
The two turned quickly and took off toward the field. From under the corner of the crib, Carl and Carlene could be heard laughing.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” they laughed.
Little did Carl and Carlene know that right above them were two dark eyes looking down on them through a knothole in the floor.
“Oh, no!” screamed Popcorn as he ran through the field. “Look, Niblet, look at the kernels of corn.”
As Niblet ran up behind him, he quickly looked down at the ground. Several stalks of corn and corn silks were lying everywhere.
“Silks and stalks,” cried out Popcorn. “Farmer Tony is going to get me.”
“But, Popcorn, it’s not your fault,” said Niblet.
“But, it was my responsibility,” he cried.
High in the air, above the field, Carl and Carlene were circling and laughing their heads silly.
“What a sucker,” said Carl. “That Popcorn must have straw for a brain.”
“He does,” laughed Carlene, “ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, what a sap.”
As Niblet looked a little closer at the ground, he noticed some crow tracks in the dirt. Then he looked up and noticed Carl and Carlene circling and laughing above them.
“I think I might have figured out this mystery, Popcorn,” stated Niblet.
“You have,” replied Popcorn.
“Yep, I believe I have,” Niblet said. “Don’t you worry, Popcorn, everything is going to be alright. Follow me.”
The two disappeared into the field. Niblet explained to Popcorn what he thought was going on.
“I see, Niblet,” said Popcorn.
“Now, this is what we can do,” instructed Niblet as he whispered in Popcorn’s ear.
Later on that evening, Carl and Carlene flew back into the cornfield. They looked around and saw no one.
“Popcorn, Niblet,” they shouted.
There was no answer.
“Come on,” said Carl. “We’ll fly high above the field to see if we can see them.”
The two crows circled above the field. They searched and searched but didn’t see any sign of Popcorn or Niblet.
“Look,” said Carlene. “The corncrib door is open. Maybe they’re in there.”
“Come on, let’s go and see,” instructed Carl. “We’ll lock them in there and we’ll be able to have lunch in the field for the rest of the day.”
“Well, I don’t know,” said Carlene. “I’m afraid.”
“Come on,” replied Carl. “All we have to do is get close, peep in and then slam the door shut, chicken!”
“Well, alright,” she said. “But, that’s all, nothing else.”
Cautiously, the two crows moved closer and closer to the corncrib. They swooped down to get a closer look.
“Everything looks okay,” said Carl.
“Do you see them?” asked Carlene.
“No, not yet,” he replied. “I’m not close enough. Come one, let’s get a little closer.”
Quickly, the two crows swooped down and peeped in the door. About that time, Popcorn and Niblet jumped out and slammed the door shut, trapping Carl and Carlene inside the corncrib. The two crows could hear Popcorn and Niblet laughing at them from the other side of the door. Carl and Carlene looked around to see if they could find a way out. That’s when they noticed two dark eyes staring at them.
“Welcome to my crib, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,” said a deep hissing voice.
“Uh oh!” shouted Carl.
“I told you this wasn’t a good idea,” screamed Carlene.
“Hisssss,” went Slick.
