By Jenna Bettendorf

Today, Bob will take his family camping in the woods. Jane and Bill and Jill have never been camping before. Bob will have to help them pack.

“Bill, you won’t need your skates,” he says. “Jill, you won’t want your toys. Everyone bring tough clothes.”

It takes one whole day to get packed. Finally, everything is packed in the car and ready to go.

“Wait!” Bob says. “I need to shave!”

Everyone must wait for Bob to shave.

Bob is done shaving. Everyone starts to get in the car when Bob says, “Wait! I can’t drive all the way to the woods on an empty stomach! I need to eat something!”

Everyone must wait for Bob to get something to eat.

“I’ll make myself some toast,” Bob says. “It is fast to make and to eat.”

But Bob’s toast is not fast. It gets burnt. Bob is mad now. Now he must make some more food. 

“Nevermind the toast!” Bob says. “I will have a quick cup of coffee instead.”

Now everyone must wait for Bob to make himself some coffee. When it is done, Bob finds the sugar.

“I must have sugar in my coffee.” He says. He puts in a big spoonful and takes a drink.

“Eewwww!!!!” Bob says. “YUCK!” Bob looks at the label on the sugar jar.

“SALT? I put SALT in my coffee!? YUCK!” Bob dumps his salty coffee in the sink.

“Forget the coffee! I will go hungry! We will stop at the gas station later and get something to eat.

“Yay!” Jane and Jill and Bill say.

Bob says, “It is getting late. Maybe we should wait and leave tomorrow. I don’t like driving in the dark.”

“I’ll drive for you, Dad!” Bill says.

“No,” Bob says. “you are too young. I will drive.”

“Yay!” Jane and Jill and Bill say.

“You will have to bring the car around, Dear,” Jane says to Bob.

“Yes,” Bob says. “I must bring the car around.” 

Beep, beep!

“All aboard!” Bob calls. “All aboard the little car going to the woods!”

Bill and Jill giggle and get in the car.

“You are so funny, Bob,” Jane says.

“I try to be,” Bob answers.

“Hey, Dad, where are we going to stay in the woods?” Bill asks. “We didn’t pack our tent.”

“We will stay in a cabin. I rented one on the lake.”

“Cool!” Bill and Jill say.

It takes all day to get to the cabin on the lake in the woods. Everyone except Jill gets out to stretch their legs. Jill is asleep.

Rex barks at the cat and the cat jumps up in a tree.

“Come back!” Bill yells.

“Stop,” Bob tells Bill. “They will come back on their own.”

Jill gets out of the car.

“I’m hungry,” she says. “What will we eat?”

“I will cook for us,” Bob says. “I will cook burgers for dinner. I brought food and my grill.”

After dinner Bob and Jane and Bill and Jill unpack the car.

“I’m tired,” Bill says. “I want to go to sleep.”

“Yes,” Bob says. “Me too. We will sleep soon. But first, we must eat marshmallows.”

Jane and Jill and Bill do not know how to cook marshmallows over a fire. Bob must show them how.

They eat lots of marshmallows. Then it is time for bed.

They get in bed and lay down. Then there is a noise in the woods.

“Hoo, hoo. Hoo.”

Everyone sits up in bed. Bob turns the light on.

“Hoo, hoo. Hoooo!”

“Ghosts!” Bob yells and everyone runs out to the car in their pajamas. The dog and cat jump in, too. Bob starts the car they drive fast through the woods and through the night. They do not stop for the lights.

When they get to the house Bob says, “Whew! It’s good to be home.”

“Bob, what about our stuff?” Jane asks. “We left it in the cabin.”

“We will go to get it… someday.”

Everyone stares at Bob.

“Don’t look at me!” Bob says. “I’m not going back there in a hundred years!”

Bob gets in his bed.

“Ahh… It sure is good to be home! Maybe we will go somewhere nice next time. I have lots of money. We can afford it…” Then he fell asleep.

Bob does not know that there is no such thing as ghosts. Not even on Halloween. Some owls make a sound like, “Hoo hoo”. But we know that there is no such thing as ghosts. Not even on Halloween.

Bob in the Woods

 Is

Written Especially For

Jason Bettendorf

With

Special Thanks To

Mom and Dad