Tom Thumb - The Modern Days

It was a beautiful autumn day. Mr. Thumb was getting ready for work when he remembered that his son Tom had to be up so that in the afternoon one of the kids from the high school could come to the house and tutor him. You see, Tom was only 2 inches tall and his father didn't want him going to school where he could get stepped on by other kids.

Tom's father went into his room and said, "Time to get up champ." Tom opened one eye and looked at the watch he used for a clock, sprung out of bed and shouted, "I overslept!!!" He sprung out of bed and got dressed, then Tom's father picked him up and carried him to the kitchen.

Tom didn't use the same kind of bowls you and I use to eat with; he instead used a nut shell to eat his cereal which his father had to break into tiny little pieces. Tom ate his breakfast faster than his father could put it in front of him. Once he had eaten, Tom's father took him to the living room and went to work.

Before he went out the door, his father said, "Now remember, Tom, at 2:30 today a guy named John from the high school is going to bring home your school work and help you with it; please be on your best behavior."

Tom replied, "No problem, Dad; I just hope he doesn't walk right past me when he comes in because of how small I am."

Tom's father laughed and said, "I'm sure he won't, son; have a good day and please stay in the house."
Tom with a sly grin replied, "Ok dad, I will.", even though he knew Tom would be his adventurous self and be out the door as soon as his father left.

As soon as his father left, Tom jumped off the book his father had placed him on, climbed down the piece of string down to the floor and ran to the door; he slid underneath the door and was soon outside. Once outside he was going for a walk when his dog Sparky ran up to him.

Sparky was very gentle with Tom.He ever so carefully picked him up with his teeth and was going to walk with him but he had a sudden urge to shake. He shook and threw Tom clear into the neighbor's bushes! Tom wasn't hurt, thankfully, and climbed down out of the bushes.

After several hours of walking home, he went back in the house and clmbed back up on the coffee table to wait on John to bring him his school work. Tom's father gave John a key so he could get in the house. At exactly 2:30 the door opened and John walked in.

John was a huge guy-- he was 6'3" and close to 300 pounds. To Tom however he seemed to be 200 feet tall or more! John looked around and said, "Tom, are you here? I brought you your school work." Tom looked way up at John and said, "I'm down here on the coffee table!"

John looked down and when he saw Tom he was amazed, he said, "Your dad told me you were small but I didn't know you were THIS small."
Tom replied, "You mean he didn't tell you?"
John said, "Nope, he never said a word; he just said you were a little kid and I figured he meant you were very short."

Tom said, "I suppose you want to make jokes now about how small I am?"

John responded, "Why would I do that?. You're a pretty cool kid even though you're no more than 2 inches tall."

Tom said, "Well, at least you're the first person who hasn't made fun of me being small."

John said, "I wouldn't worry too much about it,Tom. Don't let what others say bother you. Now we better get your work started before your father comes in, I don't want him to get mad at you for not having your work done." Tom and John sat together and Tom would give John the answers to all his work and John would write it all down.

Tom wanted to watch TV but he wanted to sit on his book so he could see better. He asked John, "Could you pick me up and put me on that book right there?"
John replied, "I'm afraid I'll hurt you if I pick you up; I don't want to do that."
Tom said, You won't hurt me, I've had much worse things happen to me."

John said, "Are you sure I won't hurt you if I pick you up?"

Tom said, "Naw, my dog threw me into the neighbor's yard this morning; I think I can survive you picking me up." John picked up Tom between his thumb and pointer finger as gently as he could and placed Tom on top of the book so he could watch TV.

John said, "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Not at all--you were much more careful than my aunt Lynette--she picks me up and flings me everywhere. My dad banned her from picking me up."

John laughed and said, "Is she that rough?"

"I thought she was gonna throw me into the next county one day!"

John laughed and said, "Well, I won't do that to ya buddy; I promise I'll be really careful with ya." About 5 minutes later Tom's father came in the house. He was a big man himself, only a couple inches taller than John at 6'5". He worked for a construction company so his size came in really handy in his line of work.

Tom's father said, "Well, you two seem to be enjoying yourselves, did Tom get his work finished?"

John replied, "Yes sir, he did very well."

"You don't have to call me sir; my name is Kevin." John and Tom's father shook hands and talked for a few minutes, then John turned to Tom and said, "I gotta go now champ, I'll see ya tomorrow, ok buddy?"

Tom said, "You got it dude!".

Tom's father said, "Well son, it's because I wouldn't want the other kids to try to step on you; you know how kids can be very cruel."

Tom was disappointed and said, "It's not fair; John gets to go to school like everyone else; he has friends and everything; John's the only friend I have."
Tom's father felt bad for him but said, "John is also 100 times bigger than you are; he can handle himself better than you would be able to; I am only looking out for you, son."

Tom understood even though he was still disappointed. At 2:30 as always, John came in and brought Tom his schoolwork. While they were working one day, Tom asked, "John? What's regular school like?"

"Well, Tom it's definitely a place I know you wouldn't be safe in; a lot of people going in all directions; it would be dangerous for a kid as small as you to go."

"But it's been my dream to go to a real school; not that you teaching me hasn't been cool and all....I just want to have more friends, is all."

John said, "I'll tell ya what I'll do; I'll talk to your father and see if I can take you with me tomorrow; but you have to stay with me at all times, ok?"

Tom agreed and as soon as Tom's father came home John spoke to Tom's father about him going with John to school. Tom's father was a bit nervous about him going but since he didn't want to disappoint his son, he let him go. The next day Tom and John were off to school together.

The bus ride was quite an experience for Tom. If the regular size kids thought it was bumpy, it was like going through an earthquake that was a 10 on the Richter scale to Tom. Tom was bouncing around inside John's shirt pocket, occasionally getting bopped on the head by the loose change John carried with him.

When they finally got to school, John went to his classes as he always did and some of the kids noticed he had something in his pocket. One kid who sat in front of John asked, "What's that in your pocket?"
John said, "Oh darn; I forgot to give my brother his action figure back."

Just as he said that however, Tom sneezed. The boy in front of John said, "I just saw the toy move!" John laughed nervously and said, "Don't be ridiculous; toys don't move."

To which the boy replied, "He did! I'm not joking!" John knew that Jordan (the boy in the seat in front of him) knew about Tom now and said, "OK, you caught me; but if I show Tom to you; you have to promise me you will keep him a secret."

Jordan wasn't the kind of person to spread rumors; he promised to keep Tom a secret and John said, "I'll let you meet Tom at lunch so we don't get in trouble." Jordan agreed and they waited until lunch time so John could introduce Jordan to Tom.

At lunch, Jordan and John were at the lunch table when he opened up his shirt pocket and told Tom he was going to bring him out because someone wanted to meet him; Tom was nervous but agreed. John carefully brought Tom out of his shirt pocket and placed him on the table.

Jordan, who was no small guy himself; looked at Tom in amazement. He asked John, "How small is this little guy?"

John said, "He's only 2 inches tall; if you go to pick him up, be very careful; if you aren't careful you could hurt him." Jordan went to reach for Tom but Tom ran as fast as he could toward John.

Jordan said, "It's ok, little guy; I won't hurt ya....I promise." Knowing that his reaching for Tom scared him, Jordan placed his hand palm up on the table. Tom reluctantly approached Jordan's monsterous hand and hesitantly climbed in. Jordan ever so carefully lifted him up and got a closer look at Tom.

Tom could see a pair of huge green eyes looking at him curiously. He was certain by now that Jordan wouldn't hurt him and was soon quite used to Jordan holding him. Jordan never picked him up unless Tom said it was ok. After a few minutes; Jordan placed Tom back on the table.

After he placed Tom on the table he accidentally knocked the salt shaker over and it started rolling toward Tom. Tom began to run but the salt shaker was rapidly gaining on him. Jordan saw this and stopped the salt shaker just in the knick of time. He asked Tom, "Are you ok, buddy?"
Tom, who was out of breath said, "Yeah, I'm fine."

That evening John brought Tom home and John told Tom's father about his rather successful day at school. However Tom said, "School was a nice place to visit but I don't think I'd want to go there all the time; a kid my size could get killed!"

Tom's father laughed and said, "Well at least you got to experience it."

Tom said, "Yeah and I even made another friend; I do want to go back sometime." Tom's father said, "You will soon enough, son."

John who was still at Tom's house said, "Now you know why I said to stay with me today, remember the salt shaker incident?"

Tom said, "Yeah, I almost got flattened the hard way!"

John said, "You just need to be a little more careful is all."

"I'm always careful; careful is my middle name." And just as he said that he tripped over a pencil that was lying on the table next to him.

All three got a good laugh out of the whole thing. John said, "Ok Tom, I gotta get goin' little buddy, I'll see you tomorrow; I promise I'll take you to school with me again one day before the year is over." Tom was glad he would get to go again but agreed he should wait a while so he could recover from his last visit.

That night, Tom asked his father, "Dad? will I get to be as big as all the other kids?....or will I be 2 inches tall all my life?"

Tom's father said, "I'm afraid this is as big as you'll get son; but don't let it disappoint you. You have two new friends now who think you're a good kid."

Tom was happy that he had at least two friends that didn't care what he was like on the outside. He wondered one day if he would meet more people; but knowing Tom, he would meet more people, see different things, and like all kids his age...get into a lot of trouble.

THE END