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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Kids
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Fairy Tale / Folk Tale
- Published: 11/12/2017
Uncle Ed and Bruno
Born 1934, M, from Flanders/NJ, United StatesUNCLE ED and BRUNO
Bruno is coming!
Danny and Gary couldn’t fall asleep.
“I have a big surprise for you boys,” Mom announced at bedtime. “Your Uncle Ed will be visiting us tomorrow.”
Wow! thought the boys. A visit from Uncle Ed was always lots of fun, but tomorrow held the promise of something special. Bruno might be coming too.
“Maybe Bruno won’t ever come,” Gary muttered. “We’ve never seen him, and Uncle Ed always laughs whenever we ask about meeting him.”
“Don’t worry, I think he’ll come this time,” Danny assured his younger brother. “It’s summertime, and Uncle Ed says that’s when Bruno always shows up. But remember . . . we can’t talk about him around Mom and Dad, because only you and I know Bruno is a fly.”
“No . . . that’s not true,” said Gary. “Mom and Dad have been around plenty of times when Uncle Ed talks about Bruno . . . and they all laugh about it.”
“Well, okay,” admitted Danny. “But, even though you’re right about that, I’m sure Mom and Dad never see Uncle Ed wink at us while they’re all laughing.”
“So!” said Gary. “What does that mean?”
“Shh . . .” whispered Danny, “don’t you get it? Uncle Ed doesn’t want anybody but us to know Bruno isn’t just any old fly. That’s why he jokes about it. He wants everyone to think he’s only kidding around with us.”
“Okay okay,” said Gary. “But I wonder how Uncle Ed can have a fly as a pet. You can’t feed a fly or play with it like we can with Toby.”
“You can’t compare our dog to a fly,” said Danny. “Anyway, how could you forget Uncle Ed told us Bruno isn’t his pet? He’s Uncle Ed’s friend, and supposedly he comes around whenever he wants to.”
“Hey!” said Gary, “do you remember Uncle Ed promised that the next time he’s here he’ll tell us how he met Bruno?”
Danny took a deep breath. Then, letting it out slowly he said, “Yes, I remember . . . But you know, sometimes I can’t help thinking Uncle Ed really is just fooling around when he talks about Bruno . . . How about you?”
“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Gary mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.
#
By mid-morning it was already hot and sticky.
“Boy oh boy . . . this is real New Jersey mosquito weather!” boomed a deep voice as a tall, husky man strode suddenly into the backyard.
“Uncle Ed! Uncle Ed!” Danny and Gary shouted as they leaped off their swings and ran to greet him.
“My word Ed . . . you just scared the wits out of me bellowing like that,” Mom called out from the porch. “We weren’t expecting you so soon.”
“I know Marion,” said Uncle Ed. “I wanted to get an early start so I could pick up some corn and tomatoes after I crossed the Delaware. You New Jerseyans have the worst mosquitos I’ve ever come across, but your corn on the cob and tomatoes are absolutely the best this time of year.”
“Did Bruno come . . . did Bruno come?” Gary shouted.
“Why sure!” said Uncle Ed as he tousled Gary’s hair.
The boys beamed. No one could say Why sure like Uncle Ed. Something in his voice whenever he uttered those two simple words conveyed a feeling of warmth and trust.
Danny and Gary idolized their Uncle Ed. He had striking deep brown eyes and a smile that never seemed to leave his broad face. Uncle Ed had been a pilot in the Air Force. After that he spent a few years doing something out west in the desert. But, no one in the family seemed to know for sure what that something was. Now, Uncle Ed taught history and coached baseball at the high school in the small Pennsylvania town where he was born and raised.
“Oh come on now Ed,” exclaimed Mom with a laugh as she turned to go into the house. “ You’ve been telling tall tales from the time you and I were the same ages as the boys. I can’t wait for you to turn up someday and tell us you’re getting married. Maybe then we can put all this funny business about a fly to rest. Anyway, thanks for the corn and tomatoes. We’ll have them for dinner tonight.”
“Is Mom getting a little upset with you Uncle Ed?” asked Danny. “We know Mom and Dad don’t believe in Bruno.”
“Of course not,” replied Uncle Ed. “Your mother is only looking out for what she thinks is in my best interest -- just as she always does for you boys.”
“Then where’s Bruno . . . can we see him now?” begged Gary jumping up and down and grabbing at Uncle Ed’s arms.
“Whoa there . . . hold your horses!” said Uncle Ed. “Bruno’s around here somewhere. But right now I think he’s visiting with some of his New Jersey friends. We’ll probably have to wait until dinnertime. I think there’s a good chance we’ll see him then. I’ve known Bruno for a long time, so by now I’ve gotten to know most of his habits.”
“If you’ve known Bruno for a long time, does that mean he was with you when you were a pilot and when you were in the desert?” Danny asked with a quizzical smile.
Uncle Ed raised his eyes and briefly gazed wistfully toward the sky. Then he looked down at Danny and replied softly, “Yes, Danny, oftentimes Bruno was there . . . But those were adventures we’ll have to talk about some other time,” he added with a laugh and a wave of his hand. “Right now let’s just enjoy the rest of the day.”
“Well . . . okay,” said Gary. “But remember, you promised you would tell us how you met Bruno.”
“Yes, I certainly did, didn’t I,” said Uncle Ed. “You know, that was a day I’ll never forget. Actually, it was a hot summer day much like this one. I was on my back porch getting ready to dive into one of my favorite meals -- fresh corn on the cob and chilled sliced tomatoes. Unfortunately, a swarm of pesky flies showed up and started buzzing around my food. I couldn’t shoo them away, so I started to move everything inside. Suddenly, they disappeared . . . all except for one little fly who was perched right on the edge of my plate.”
Gary gasped. “Why would just one little fly do that?” he asked.
“Now that’s exactly what I said to myself,” replied Uncle Ed, his face momentarily taking on a serious expression. “So . . . I waived my hand close to the fly to shoo it away. But it didn’t even twitch. That’s strange I thought. Whoever heard of a fly staying put when you waive your hand at it? All of a sudden the fly fluttered its wings and turned in a little circle two or three times. When it stopped I had the oddest feeling the fly was staring straight into my eyes.”
“You couldn’t possibly see the fly’s eyes!” exclaimed Danny . . . “Could you?”
“No I couldn’t Danny. It was just a feeling I had,” said Uncle Ed. “But, that feeling was so strong I decided right then and there to talk to this fly . . . especially since no one was around to hear me. So I said, ‘I don’t understand what’s going on here, but it seems like you got rid of all those other flies just to help me out. Are you trying to be my friend? If you are, I have to call you something. Let’s see. Tom or Joe or Bill don’t seem to fit you. I’ve got it! How about Bruno? That’s an old fashioned name I’ve always liked. It’s got a lot of get up and go to it.’”
“Did he like that name?” asked Gary .
“Well he surely seemed to like it,” said Uncle Ed. “He fluttered his wings and turned in a little circle just like he had before. When he stopped I cut off a kernal of corn, and I put it down right next to my plate.”
Gary clasped his hands to his face. “And did Bruno eat it?” he whispered.
“No, not really,” said Uncle Ed. “But, he hopped right onto that kernel of corn and moved around on it for a little while. Then he hopped off. I think he just liked the butter and the salt and pepper I always use on corn on the cob.”
“You know Uncle Ed, this is so hard to believe,” said Danny, frowning and laughing at the same time.
But, Gary wasn’t frowning . . . or laughing. He stood still as a stone and seemed to be staring into space. Suddenly Gary turned, and slowly looking up at Uncle Ed he asked in a somber voice, “Why would a fly want to be your friend, Uncle Ed?”
Uncle Ed’s eyes flew open! “Well now Gary, that’s a great question for someone your age to come up with,” he replied. “How old are you now anyway?”
“I’m six, and I’ll be in first grade this year,” said Gary proudly.
“ And I’m eight, and I’ll be in third grade,” added Danny immediately, not wanting to be overshadowed by his younger brother.
“Unbelievable!” exclaimed Uncle Ed. “You boys are growing too fast for me to keep up with you. Anyhow, let me try to answer your question, Gary. The truth is I think I know why Bruno wanted to be my friend, but I can’t be absolutely sure. One morning, a few days before the day I met Bruno on my back porch, I went to get a drink of water from my kitchen faucet. I saw something move by the window. I took a closer look, and I could see it was a little fly trapped between the window and the screen. The fly was moving around -- but very very slowly. Every so often it gave a little hop and fluttered its wings. I’ll bet you’re exhausted from being trapped in there all night I thought. Then I said out loud, ‘Be a little patient and I’ll let you out of there.’ So I opened the window, but the fly didn’t move at all. Then I opened the screen, but the fly still didn’t move. I’m sure at least a minute or so passed before the fly slowly began to inch its way toward the edge of the window sill. When the fly finally reached the edge it paused for a moment, and then . . . off it went.”
“Oh . . . that had to be Bruno!” Gary shouted. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
Danny wasn’t so sure. “Uncle Ed, I think I can see why Mom says you tell tall tales sometimes,” he said with a wry smile.
Uncle Ed laughed. “Danny,” he said, “I think you’re getting to an age where you’re going to be very careful before you accept something that doesn’t seem realistic.”
“Well, in school we learned how some animals like dogs and cats and even little pigs can be friends with people,” said Danny. “And, we learned how those animals sometimes do amazing things that really help people. But, everybody thinks insects like flies and mosquitos and ants are only pests and don’t help anybody.”
“I can’t say you’re wrong about any of that, Danny. And, it’s fair for you to want to have more information about certain things you’re told before you believe they’re actually true,” said Uncle Ed. “Remember this though, boys. There are still many mysteries in nature left to be solved. Mostly, we believe animals and insects do everything based only on their senses and instincts. And usually, we don’t give them any credit for being smart or for being brave. Here and there though we’ve made exceptions for some animals, particularly for dogs, who’ve done many smart and brave things. So, you should try to keep your minds open as to what other living creatures can do . . . maybe even what a fly can do,” he added with a grin.
“Wait a minute!” Danny exclaimed. “We learned that dogs have saved people from drowning and from fires. And, dogs have barked and done other things to warn people of danger. How can a fly do anything to help anybody?”
Uncle Ed smiled as he looked into the expectant faces of his nephews. “Well let’s see,” he said pausing for a moment. “First of all -- a fly can fly. Even better, it can fly in and out of tiny places. And, what’s most important, a fly can give little signals and warnings . . . provided you’ve learned what to look for. So, don’t you think you should try to keep those things in mind before you decide what a fly might be able to do?”
Danny grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess so,” he said.
“I feel like my mind is twirling right now,” murmured Gary.
“Hey down there,” Dad called from the porch. “Ed, Danny, Gary -- come on up here. Mom has made some snacks, and we want to get in some visiting time too.”
“We’ll be right up Dan,” said Uncle Ed. “Come on boys, let’s go on up to the house so I can visit a little bit with your Mom and Dad. And, I bet you have some great new games we can play this afternoon.”
#
Dinnertime finally arrived, and Uncle Ed smiled at the eager anticipation he could see on the faces of his nephews.
“Marion, are you planning on having dinner on the porch?” Uncle Ed asked.
“Oh good grief . . . no Ed!” exclaimed Mom. “We can’t do that on a day like this. It’s still much too hot. The mosquitos and flies will eat us alive before we’re even halfway through.”
“We want to eat on the porch . . . we want to eat on the porch with Uncle Ed!” Danny and Gary cried out in unison.
Uncle Ed laughed. “Marion,” he said, “why don’t we give it a try? I have a feeling we’ll be lucky tonight. But if I’m wrong, the boys and I will get everything back into the house in a jiffy. Won’t we boys?”
“Oh yes . . . yes we will!” shouted the boys.
Mom sighed. “Alright, alright, I don’t want to disappoint anyone,” she said. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
#
“Well everybody . . . here we are through with dinner and we haven’t seen any flies or mosquitos,” said Mom with a chuckle. “I have to say I’m really surprised.”
“Oh yes we have,” said Danny. “There was a fly near my plate a little while ago.”
“Danny’s right,” said Dad. “I saw one or two flies around while we were eating, but they didn’t seem to be bothering anybody.”
“No! There was just one fly, and it was Bruno,” Gary shouted abruptly. “And Bruno kept the mosquitos and all the other flies away. Isn’t that right Uncle Ed?”
“Why sure he did,” Uncle Ed replied with a wide smile.
“Hold on now Ed, let’s not get too carried away with this Bruno business,” said Mom playfully. “The boy’s have had a big day, and they’re probably so wound up they won’t get to sleep tonight.”
“I’m not wound up!” declared Danny defiantly. “And maybe that fly was Bruno. Only I was hoping he would do something special so I could really be sure . . . maybe like hop onto a piece of Uncle Ed’s corn,” he added with a sly grin.
Uncle Ed smiled and placed his hand on Danny’s shoulder squeezing gently. “Listen Danny,” he said, “your Mom is right. It has been a big day, and we’ve all had a lot of fun. But, I have to be on my way soon, so why don’t we help your Mom and Dad clean up. And as far as Bruno is concerned, try not to be disappointed. Bruno didn’t come here today to put on a show. He came here because he’s my friend.”
“Well then Ed,” said Dad muffling a laugh, “I’m going to have to be on the lookout for a friendly fly. If I can find one, maybe we’ll be able to eat dinner on the porch all summer long without having to worry about flies or mosquitos.”
“And maybe you can call him Bruno Junior,” replied Uncle Ed. Everyone burst into such a fit of laughter that Mom and Dad didn’t notice Uncle Ed turn ever so slightly and wink at Danny and Gary.
#
“Danny, Gary,” Mom called. “Come on outside. Uncle Ed is in his car ready to leave. I know you’ve already said your goodbyes, but Uncle Ed wants to see you for a moment.”
Danny and Gary dashed out to the car, and Uncle Ed opened his window. “Boys,” he said, “I have something to show you before I go. Look over there on the seat next to me.”
“I can’t see anything,” complained Danny as he and Gary peered into the car. “It’s getting too dark.”
“Well now . . . let’s get these inside lights turned on,” said Uncle Ed.
The boys looked again. Perched right in the middle of the seat next to Uncle Ed was a little fly.
“Bruno . . . would you like to say goodbye to Danny and Gary?” asked Uncle Ed.
Danny and Gary stared wide-eyed and speechless as they watched Bruno flutter his wings and turn in a little circle two or three times.
“So long boys . . . I’ll see you again on Thanksgiving,” said Uncle Ed as he slowly backed out of the driveway.
“Uncle Ed . . . Uncle Ed . . . will Bruno come too?” Gary managed to cry out.
“Why sure!” Uncle Ed answered with a hearty laugh, just before he and Bruno headed off for home.
Uncle Ed and Bruno(Dan Richards)
UNCLE ED and BRUNO
Bruno is coming!
Danny and Gary couldn’t fall asleep.
“I have a big surprise for you boys,” Mom announced at bedtime. “Your Uncle Ed will be visiting us tomorrow.”
Wow! thought the boys. A visit from Uncle Ed was always lots of fun, but tomorrow held the promise of something special. Bruno might be coming too.
“Maybe Bruno won’t ever come,” Gary muttered. “We’ve never seen him, and Uncle Ed always laughs whenever we ask about meeting him.”
“Don’t worry, I think he’ll come this time,” Danny assured his younger brother. “It’s summertime, and Uncle Ed says that’s when Bruno always shows up. But remember . . . we can’t talk about him around Mom and Dad, because only you and I know Bruno is a fly.”
“No . . . that’s not true,” said Gary. “Mom and Dad have been around plenty of times when Uncle Ed talks about Bruno . . . and they all laugh about it.”
“Well, okay,” admitted Danny. “But, even though you’re right about that, I’m sure Mom and Dad never see Uncle Ed wink at us while they’re all laughing.”
“So!” said Gary. “What does that mean?”
“Shh . . .” whispered Danny, “don’t you get it? Uncle Ed doesn’t want anybody but us to know Bruno isn’t just any old fly. That’s why he jokes about it. He wants everyone to think he’s only kidding around with us.”
“Okay okay,” said Gary. “But I wonder how Uncle Ed can have a fly as a pet. You can’t feed a fly or play with it like we can with Toby.”
“You can’t compare our dog to a fly,” said Danny. “Anyway, how could you forget Uncle Ed told us Bruno isn’t his pet? He’s Uncle Ed’s friend, and supposedly he comes around whenever he wants to.”
“Hey!” said Gary, “do you remember Uncle Ed promised that the next time he’s here he’ll tell us how he met Bruno?”
Danny took a deep breath. Then, letting it out slowly he said, “Yes, I remember . . . But you know, sometimes I can’t help thinking Uncle Ed really is just fooling around when he talks about Bruno . . . How about you?”
“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Gary mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.
#
By mid-morning it was already hot and sticky.
“Boy oh boy . . . this is real New Jersey mosquito weather!” boomed a deep voice as a tall, husky man strode suddenly into the backyard.
“Uncle Ed! Uncle Ed!” Danny and Gary shouted as they leaped off their swings and ran to greet him.
“My word Ed . . . you just scared the wits out of me bellowing like that,” Mom called out from the porch. “We weren’t expecting you so soon.”
“I know Marion,” said Uncle Ed. “I wanted to get an early start so I could pick up some corn and tomatoes after I crossed the Delaware. You New Jerseyans have the worst mosquitos I’ve ever come across, but your corn on the cob and tomatoes are absolutely the best this time of year.”
“Did Bruno come . . . did Bruno come?” Gary shouted.
“Why sure!” said Uncle Ed as he tousled Gary’s hair.
The boys beamed. No one could say Why sure like Uncle Ed. Something in his voice whenever he uttered those two simple words conveyed a feeling of warmth and trust.
Danny and Gary idolized their Uncle Ed. He had striking deep brown eyes and a smile that never seemed to leave his broad face. Uncle Ed had been a pilot in the Air Force. After that he spent a few years doing something out west in the desert. But, no one in the family seemed to know for sure what that something was. Now, Uncle Ed taught history and coached baseball at the high school in the small Pennsylvania town where he was born and raised.
“Oh come on now Ed,” exclaimed Mom with a laugh as she turned to go into the house. “ You’ve been telling tall tales from the time you and I were the same ages as the boys. I can’t wait for you to turn up someday and tell us you’re getting married. Maybe then we can put all this funny business about a fly to rest. Anyway, thanks for the corn and tomatoes. We’ll have them for dinner tonight.”
“Is Mom getting a little upset with you Uncle Ed?” asked Danny. “We know Mom and Dad don’t believe in Bruno.”
“Of course not,” replied Uncle Ed. “Your mother is only looking out for what she thinks is in my best interest -- just as she always does for you boys.”
“Then where’s Bruno . . . can we see him now?” begged Gary jumping up and down and grabbing at Uncle Ed’s arms.
“Whoa there . . . hold your horses!” said Uncle Ed. “Bruno’s around here somewhere. But right now I think he’s visiting with some of his New Jersey friends. We’ll probably have to wait until dinnertime. I think there’s a good chance we’ll see him then. I’ve known Bruno for a long time, so by now I’ve gotten to know most of his habits.”
“If you’ve known Bruno for a long time, does that mean he was with you when you were a pilot and when you were in the desert?” Danny asked with a quizzical smile.
Uncle Ed raised his eyes and briefly gazed wistfully toward the sky. Then he looked down at Danny and replied softly, “Yes, Danny, oftentimes Bruno was there . . . But those were adventures we’ll have to talk about some other time,” he added with a laugh and a wave of his hand. “Right now let’s just enjoy the rest of the day.”
“Well . . . okay,” said Gary. “But remember, you promised you would tell us how you met Bruno.”
“Yes, I certainly did, didn’t I,” said Uncle Ed. “You know, that was a day I’ll never forget. Actually, it was a hot summer day much like this one. I was on my back porch getting ready to dive into one of my favorite meals -- fresh corn on the cob and chilled sliced tomatoes. Unfortunately, a swarm of pesky flies showed up and started buzzing around my food. I couldn’t shoo them away, so I started to move everything inside. Suddenly, they disappeared . . . all except for one little fly who was perched right on the edge of my plate.”
Gary gasped. “Why would just one little fly do that?” he asked.
“Now that’s exactly what I said to myself,” replied Uncle Ed, his face momentarily taking on a serious expression. “So . . . I waived my hand close to the fly to shoo it away. But it didn’t even twitch. That’s strange I thought. Whoever heard of a fly staying put when you waive your hand at it? All of a sudden the fly fluttered its wings and turned in a little circle two or three times. When it stopped I had the oddest feeling the fly was staring straight into my eyes.”
“You couldn’t possibly see the fly’s eyes!” exclaimed Danny . . . “Could you?”
“No I couldn’t Danny. It was just a feeling I had,” said Uncle Ed. “But, that feeling was so strong I decided right then and there to talk to this fly . . . especially since no one was around to hear me. So I said, ‘I don’t understand what’s going on here, but it seems like you got rid of all those other flies just to help me out. Are you trying to be my friend? If you are, I have to call you something. Let’s see. Tom or Joe or Bill don’t seem to fit you. I’ve got it! How about Bruno? That’s an old fashioned name I’ve always liked. It’s got a lot of get up and go to it.’”
“Did he like that name?” asked Gary .
“Well he surely seemed to like it,” said Uncle Ed. “He fluttered his wings and turned in a little circle just like he had before. When he stopped I cut off a kernal of corn, and I put it down right next to my plate.”
Gary clasped his hands to his face. “And did Bruno eat it?” he whispered.
“No, not really,” said Uncle Ed. “But, he hopped right onto that kernel of corn and moved around on it for a little while. Then he hopped off. I think he just liked the butter and the salt and pepper I always use on corn on the cob.”
“You know Uncle Ed, this is so hard to believe,” said Danny, frowning and laughing at the same time.
But, Gary wasn’t frowning . . . or laughing. He stood still as a stone and seemed to be staring into space. Suddenly Gary turned, and slowly looking up at Uncle Ed he asked in a somber voice, “Why would a fly want to be your friend, Uncle Ed?”
Uncle Ed’s eyes flew open! “Well now Gary, that’s a great question for someone your age to come up with,” he replied. “How old are you now anyway?”
“I’m six, and I’ll be in first grade this year,” said Gary proudly.
“ And I’m eight, and I’ll be in third grade,” added Danny immediately, not wanting to be overshadowed by his younger brother.
“Unbelievable!” exclaimed Uncle Ed. “You boys are growing too fast for me to keep up with you. Anyhow, let me try to answer your question, Gary. The truth is I think I know why Bruno wanted to be my friend, but I can’t be absolutely sure. One morning, a few days before the day I met Bruno on my back porch, I went to get a drink of water from my kitchen faucet. I saw something move by the window. I took a closer look, and I could see it was a little fly trapped between the window and the screen. The fly was moving around -- but very very slowly. Every so often it gave a little hop and fluttered its wings. I’ll bet you’re exhausted from being trapped in there all night I thought. Then I said out loud, ‘Be a little patient and I’ll let you out of there.’ So I opened the window, but the fly didn’t move at all. Then I opened the screen, but the fly still didn’t move. I’m sure at least a minute or so passed before the fly slowly began to inch its way toward the edge of the window sill. When the fly finally reached the edge it paused for a moment, and then . . . off it went.”
“Oh . . . that had to be Bruno!” Gary shouted. “I can’t wait to meet him.”
Danny wasn’t so sure. “Uncle Ed, I think I can see why Mom says you tell tall tales sometimes,” he said with a wry smile.
Uncle Ed laughed. “Danny,” he said, “I think you’re getting to an age where you’re going to be very careful before you accept something that doesn’t seem realistic.”
“Well, in school we learned how some animals like dogs and cats and even little pigs can be friends with people,” said Danny. “And, we learned how those animals sometimes do amazing things that really help people. But, everybody thinks insects like flies and mosquitos and ants are only pests and don’t help anybody.”
“I can’t say you’re wrong about any of that, Danny. And, it’s fair for you to want to have more information about certain things you’re told before you believe they’re actually true,” said Uncle Ed. “Remember this though, boys. There are still many mysteries in nature left to be solved. Mostly, we believe animals and insects do everything based only on their senses and instincts. And usually, we don’t give them any credit for being smart or for being brave. Here and there though we’ve made exceptions for some animals, particularly for dogs, who’ve done many smart and brave things. So, you should try to keep your minds open as to what other living creatures can do . . . maybe even what a fly can do,” he added with a grin.
“Wait a minute!” Danny exclaimed. “We learned that dogs have saved people from drowning and from fires. And, dogs have barked and done other things to warn people of danger. How can a fly do anything to help anybody?”
Uncle Ed smiled as he looked into the expectant faces of his nephews. “Well let’s see,” he said pausing for a moment. “First of all -- a fly can fly. Even better, it can fly in and out of tiny places. And, what’s most important, a fly can give little signals and warnings . . . provided you’ve learned what to look for. So, don’t you think you should try to keep those things in mind before you decide what a fly might be able to do?”
Danny grinned and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess so,” he said.
“I feel like my mind is twirling right now,” murmured Gary.
“Hey down there,” Dad called from the porch. “Ed, Danny, Gary -- come on up here. Mom has made some snacks, and we want to get in some visiting time too.”
“We’ll be right up Dan,” said Uncle Ed. “Come on boys, let’s go on up to the house so I can visit a little bit with your Mom and Dad. And, I bet you have some great new games we can play this afternoon.”
#
Dinnertime finally arrived, and Uncle Ed smiled at the eager anticipation he could see on the faces of his nephews.
“Marion, are you planning on having dinner on the porch?” Uncle Ed asked.
“Oh good grief . . . no Ed!” exclaimed Mom. “We can’t do that on a day like this. It’s still much too hot. The mosquitos and flies will eat us alive before we’re even halfway through.”
“We want to eat on the porch . . . we want to eat on the porch with Uncle Ed!” Danny and Gary cried out in unison.
Uncle Ed laughed. “Marion,” he said, “why don’t we give it a try? I have a feeling we’ll be lucky tonight. But if I’m wrong, the boys and I will get everything back into the house in a jiffy. Won’t we boys?”
“Oh yes . . . yes we will!” shouted the boys.
Mom sighed. “Alright, alright, I don’t want to disappoint anyone,” she said. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
#
“Well everybody . . . here we are through with dinner and we haven’t seen any flies or mosquitos,” said Mom with a chuckle. “I have to say I’m really surprised.”
“Oh yes we have,” said Danny. “There was a fly near my plate a little while ago.”
“Danny’s right,” said Dad. “I saw one or two flies around while we were eating, but they didn’t seem to be bothering anybody.”
“No! There was just one fly, and it was Bruno,” Gary shouted abruptly. “And Bruno kept the mosquitos and all the other flies away. Isn’t that right Uncle Ed?”
“Why sure he did,” Uncle Ed replied with a wide smile.
“Hold on now Ed, let’s not get too carried away with this Bruno business,” said Mom playfully. “The boy’s have had a big day, and they’re probably so wound up they won’t get to sleep tonight.”
“I’m not wound up!” declared Danny defiantly. “And maybe that fly was Bruno. Only I was hoping he would do something special so I could really be sure . . . maybe like hop onto a piece of Uncle Ed’s corn,” he added with a sly grin.
Uncle Ed smiled and placed his hand on Danny’s shoulder squeezing gently. “Listen Danny,” he said, “your Mom is right. It has been a big day, and we’ve all had a lot of fun. But, I have to be on my way soon, so why don’t we help your Mom and Dad clean up. And as far as Bruno is concerned, try not to be disappointed. Bruno didn’t come here today to put on a show. He came here because he’s my friend.”
“Well then Ed,” said Dad muffling a laugh, “I’m going to have to be on the lookout for a friendly fly. If I can find one, maybe we’ll be able to eat dinner on the porch all summer long without having to worry about flies or mosquitos.”
“And maybe you can call him Bruno Junior,” replied Uncle Ed. Everyone burst into such a fit of laughter that Mom and Dad didn’t notice Uncle Ed turn ever so slightly and wink at Danny and Gary.
#
“Danny, Gary,” Mom called. “Come on outside. Uncle Ed is in his car ready to leave. I know you’ve already said your goodbyes, but Uncle Ed wants to see you for a moment.”
Danny and Gary dashed out to the car, and Uncle Ed opened his window. “Boys,” he said, “I have something to show you before I go. Look over there on the seat next to me.”
“I can’t see anything,” complained Danny as he and Gary peered into the car. “It’s getting too dark.”
“Well now . . . let’s get these inside lights turned on,” said Uncle Ed.
The boys looked again. Perched right in the middle of the seat next to Uncle Ed was a little fly.
“Bruno . . . would you like to say goodbye to Danny and Gary?” asked Uncle Ed.
Danny and Gary stared wide-eyed and speechless as they watched Bruno flutter his wings and turn in a little circle two or three times.
“So long boys . . . I’ll see you again on Thanksgiving,” said Uncle Ed as he slowly backed out of the driveway.
“Uncle Ed . . . Uncle Ed . . . will Bruno come too?” Gary managed to cry out.
“Why sure!” Uncle Ed answered with a hearty laugh, just before he and Bruno headed off for home.
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