Emmett was up in his room, playing with his monster trucks on the floor. It was Saturday and there was no school today.
Emmett loved playing with his monster trucks. Every truck was different and he liked them all. He didn’t have a favorite.
He was just about to start a race between his two fastest trucks when his Mom called out from downstairs.
“Emmett!” she called. “How about some cookies and milk?”
“I’ll be right down, Mom,” called Emmett.
Emmett bounded down the steps to the kitchen. Mom had been baking all morning and the delicious smells coming from the kitchen had made Emmett very hungry.
Mom had placed a dish in the center of the table that was piled high with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
“Wow!” said Emmett. “These smell delicious, Mom!”
“Well, you’d better enjoy a few cookies before your Dad gets home from the store,” said Mom. “When your Dad is around, cookies tend to disappear quickly!”
They both laughed at that.
Mom brought Emmett a plate, a napkin and a cold glass of milk. Emmett took a cookie off the top of the pile. It was still warm from the oven and he could smell the chocolate chips.
He took his first bite and the cookie seemed to just melt in his mouth. It was so good!
“Thanks, Mom,” said Emmett. “These are the best cookies I’ve ever tasted!”
“Sweetheart,” she said, “you say that every time. But I never get tired of hearing it.”
They both laughed and Mom sat down at the table to enjoy a cookie with Emmett.
Emmett was on his third and final cookie when he heard the sounds from a big truck pulling up outside.
“Hmmm… it’s not trash collection day,” said Mom. “I wonder what that is?”
Mom went to the front window, pulled aside the curtain and looked outside.
“Em!” she cried. “It’s a moving van! Someone must be moving into the Baxters’ old house across the street!”
The Baxters were a nice older couple that had lived directly across the street from Emmett’s house until last year.
Mr. Baxter had retired and they had decided to move to a warmer climate. Emmett had missed them after they moved.
They were always out in their yard in the summer, tending to the flowers or mowing the yard. And they always waved and greeted Emmett whenever they saw him.
Mr. Baxter used to call him “Sport” all the time and Emmett liked that. They were nice people.
Emmett finished his cookie and the last of his milk. “I’m going to go outside and check it out!” said Emmett.
“OK,” said Mom, “but don’t get in the way.”
“OK, Mom,” said Emmett.
Emmett took his plate and glass to the sink and then headed for the front door.
“Shoes!” reminded Mom.
“Oh, I almost forgot! Thanks, Mom!” said Emmett.
Emmett’s favorite red sneakers were on the mat by the front door. He sat down on the floor, pulled on his shoes and carefully laced them up.
When he stepped out onto the front porch, Emmett could see the big semi across the street.
The driver had parked so that the back end of the trailer was right in front of the driveway.
Four men, all in matching orange jumpsuits were at the back of the trailer. They opened the trailer doors, attached a big ramp and started moving boxes out of the trailer and into the garage.
“Someone’s moving in for sure,” thought Emmett.
A few minutes later, a car pulled up alongside the curb in front of the house.
A man, woman and little boy got out of the car and stood in the front yard talking and looking at the house.
Then the man went to talk to the men unloading the trailer and the woman and little boy went into the house.
Emmett was excited and ran back into the house.
“Mom! Mom!” he called. “I think we have new neighbors! And they have a little boy!”
Mom smiled. “Well, how about that!” said Mom. “Maybe you’ll have a new playmate.”
“I sure hope so!” said Emmett.
Emmett went back upstairs to his room and continued playing with his monster trucks.
Every so often, he would stop and go to his window to see if the big truck was still there.
When Mom called him for supper, he decided to check one more time and the big truck was GONE!
When Emmett got to the dining room, Dad was helping Mom put supper on the table.
“Dad! Guess what?” cried Emmett. “We’ve got new neighbors!”
“I could tell,” said Dad. “When I got home tonight, I saw that there was a car in the driveway and the lights were on in the house. We’ll have to go over there and introduce ourselves,” said Dad.
“Em,” said Mom, “let’s take them a plate of cookies after we finish up with the supper dishes.”
“What?” said Dad. “We have cookies?” And everyone laughed.
After the dishes were washed and put away, Mom fixed a plate with a dozen chocolate chip cookies.
Mom, Dad and Emmett walked across the street and knocked on the door of the Baxter’s old house.
A moment later, the door opened and their new neighbors greeted them warmly and introductions were made all around.
The little boy’s name was Teddy.
“We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood,” said Dad. “Please let us know if we can do anything to help you.”
Mom handed the plate of cookies to Teddy’s mom and the parents talked for a few minutes while the boys eyed each other, not saying a word.
When Mom and Dad turned to leave, Emmett finally spoke up and said, “Teddy, if you’d like, tomorrow I can show you where the school is and the big playground.”
Teddy smiled at that and said, “I’d really like that!”
“I’ll meet you outside in the morning after breakfast,” said Emmett.
Then he looked at his mom and said, “If that’s OK?”
“That will be fine, Em,” said his mom.
The new neighbors all said goodbye and promised to get together for a cookout soon.
As they walked back to their house, Emmett was all smiles.
“He’s the same size as me,” said Emmett, “so maybe he’s the same age. Maybe he’ll be in my class at school!”
“I’m sure you’ll find out all about him tomorrow, when you show him around,” said Mom.
The next morning, Emmett ate his breakfast in a rush.
He couldn’t wait to meet up with his new friend Teddy and show him around the neighborhood.
Emmett had just taken his breakfast dishes to the sink when there was a knock on the door.
It was Teddy, returning the cookie plate from the evening before.
“Thanks very much for the cookies,” said Teddy when Emmett’s Mom answered the door.
“They were so good, we ate them all last night. They were delicious!”
“You are most welcome,” said Emmett’s Mom. “Now, you boys have fun today and be home in time for lunch!”
“We will, Mom,” replied Emmett, and out the door they went.
They hadn’t gone three steps when Mom cried, “Emmett! Shoes!”
Emmett, a bit embarrassed, went back into the house and put on his favorite red sneakers.
Emmett showed Teddy all around the neighborhood that morning.
They went to the school.
They went to the big community playground.
They went to the football field.
Before they knew it, it was time to go home for lunch.
On the way home, Teddy asked, “After lunch, would you like to come and play over at my house?”
“Sure,” said Emmett. “But maybe you should come to play at my house this time. I know your parents are busy unpacking everything today and we might get in the way.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Teddy. “I’ll be over after lunch!”
When Emmett sat down at the table for lunch, Dad asked, “So, how are things going with Teddy?”
“He’s the same age as me,” replied Emmett. “Well, almost. He’s two months older. But I think he’s going to be in my class at school.”
“That’s great news!” said Mom. “You can introduce him to all your classmates.”
“I like him,” said Emmett. “And I think everyone else will too.”
“It’s not easy coming to a new town and a new school,” said Dad. “It’s nice that he has someone like you to show him around and introduce him to everyone.”
After lunch, Emmett headed straight for the front door.
“Em!” cried Mom.
“I know! I know! Shoes!” said Emmett.
When Emmett opened the front door, he could see Teddy across the street.
Teddy was sitting on his front steps with a box in his lap. He waved when he saw Emmett.
Emmett waved back and called out, “Come on over!”
Teddy walked up the sidewalk to Emmett’s house with the box under his arm.
“My dad unpacked some of my toys this morning,” he said. “I thought it might be cool to play with some trucks.”
The boys sat down on Emmett’s front porch and Teddy took the lid off the box. Emmett looked inside and couldn’t believe his eyes. Teddy had a monster truck collection!
“No way!” cried Emmett. “Wait just a minute and I’ll be right back!”
Emmett flew up to his room to get his monster trucks and was back in a flash!
“Too cool!” said Teddy when he saw Emmett’s monster trucks.
The boys spent the rest of the afternoon playing with their monster trucks.
They had monster truck races.
They had monster truck crashes.
They built roads in Emmett’s sandbox for their monster trucks to drive on.
Before they knew it, the sun was getting low in the sky and Teddy’s Mom was calling him home to dinner.
“Wow! I had a blast today,” said Teddy. “Thanks for having me over!”
“I had a great time too!” said Emmett. “I’m glad that you’re living right across the street from me. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to everyone at school. It’ll be great!”
“Thanks!” said Teddy. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“See you then!” replied Emmett.
The boys bumped fists and Teddy headed home.
Emmett took his monster trucks up to his room and put them away. Then he washed his face and hands for dinner.
When he sat down at the dinner table, his mom asked him, “So, how did it go today, Em?”
“Great!” said Emmett. “Teddy’s a pretty cool guy and we like a lot of the same things. I can’t wait to introduce him to everyone tomorrow at school!”
“Tomorrow will be a fun day for both or you,” said Dad.
“I know,” said Emmett. “I can’t wait!”