Parachuting
A young boy and his imaginary friend start a game that ends with the boy and his real friend getting into a spot of bother.
Sep 21 ● 5 min read ●
Jerry and his friend, Ross, were playing in Jerry’s sandpit.
Charlie appeared. “What are you playing?” Charlie asked Jerry.
“Planes.” Jerry held up his white toy plane. “See. Rossy is a farmer. He’s sick. I’m the flying doctor and I’m taking him to hospital.”
Ross made a funny face. “Who are you talking to?”
“Charlie.”
“Who’s Charlie?”
“He’s my friend.”
“How come I can’t see him?”
“He only lets me see him.”
“What’s he look like?”
“A gypsy.”
“What’s a gypsy?”
“I don’t know, but Charlie said he was one.”
Charlie said, “I know where there’s a bigger plane to play with.”
“Where?” Jerry asked.
“There,” said Charlie. He pointed to the grass verge outside Ross’ house.
“That’s Mr Taylor’s trailer,” said Jerry.
“Looks like a plane to me,” said Charlie. “I bet we could all parachute from that plane.”
Jerry smiled a big, wide smile. “Hey, Rossy, want to go parachuting?”
“Hey, yeah,” said Ross.
The trailer was resting on its tow-bar. The back end was open and pointing up to the sky. The wooden flap hung loose below the back end
Charlie pointed to the tow-bar. “This is the ramp. Walk up this into the plane. Then run and jump off the end. I’ll show you.”
Charlie walked up the tow-bar. Then he ran up the trailer and jumped off. When he touched the ground, he bent his knees and rolled forward along the grass.
Ross screwed up his eyes. “I still can’t see Charlie,” he said.
“I’ll show you what to do,” said Jerry.
“Wait,” said Charlie. He put a helmet on Jerry. Charlie walked to the end of the trailer. He put his finger in his mouth. Then he took it out and held it up in the air. “Okay, the wind’s right,” he said.
Jerry put a helmet on Ross.
“What are you doing?” Ross asked.
“Putting on your helmet,” said Jerry.
“I can’t see any helmet.”
“It’s one of Charlie’s helmets. You can’t see it, but it’s there.”
Jerry jumped off the trailer.
“Good landing, Private Jerry,” said Charlie.
Jerry laughed. “That’s fun!”
As soon as Ross landed, Jerry ran around to jump again. Jerry jumped. Ross jumped. Their running and jumping made the trailer rock up and down. Both boys were so excited that they didn’t notice the rocking.
Jerry jumped.
The trailer bounced so hard that the wooden flap swung up. The flap hit Jerry’s shin. Jerry twisted in the air. He landed the wrong way. Then he fell over.
Jerry cried.
Charlie and Ross ran over to Jerry. “What’s wrong?” Ross asked.
Jerry said, “My leg hurts. I can’t get up.”
Ross looked scared. “I’ll go get your Mum,” he said.
Later, at the hospital, a nurse put a plaster cast around Jerry’s leg.
The doctor showed Jerry the X-ray of his broken leg. “You’re a lucky boy,” said the doctor. “Your bone stayed in the same place when it broke. We call that a greenstick break.”
When Jerry got home, his Mum gave him a bowl of ice cream to cheer him up.
All the children in the neighbourhood came to see him. They wanted to write their names on his plaster cast.
When Jerry was alone, Charlie came into his room. “I’m sorry you broke your leg. Maybe I shouldn’t have thought up that game,” said Charlie
“That’s okay, Charlie. I’m glad it was me and not Rossy who broke his leg”
“Are we still friends?” Charlie asked.
Jerry smiled. “You’ll always be my friend, Charlie.”
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