Bedtime Stories for Children: The Summer I Met Nigel by Bernadette Smallwood

It was last summer that I first met and fell in love with Nigel.

Nigel is everything you could wish for in a pet. He is fun to be around, loves car trips and going to the beach, is a good listener and loves spending time with me.

Nigel and I met at a market… he was for sale and needed a home. At first, I just glanced over in his direction. He just sat there looking up at me with his big eyes. I wasn’t sure whether I was ready for a new pet.

After a few minutes of pretending that I wasn’t interested in him, I looked back towards him. My heart pounded and told me that I had to find out more about him. So that is what I did.

I asked the sales lady lots of questions, and then I picked him up and cuddled him in my hand. It was at that point that I knew I had to buy him. Nigel was coming home with me.

Since that bright, sunny summer’s day, Nigel and I have spent most of our time together… we are rarely apart. At the beach we sit together and watch the waves roll in. When we build a sandcastle, Nigel always likes to help decorate it. Unfortunately, Nigel can’t swim and in fact doesn’t like going in the water at all. Instead, he prefers to play it safe and likes to just sit on the beach towel to watch me splash in the waves.

I think the summer’s day I met Nigel was the best day of my life. He is the best pet I have ever owned. He is my friend… he is my BFF… He is my BFF for life.

I love Nigel. I love my pet rock.

©Bernadette Smallwood 2011, image credit

Bedtime Stories downloadable tales for children are an AWO initiative, run in support of the National Year of Reading 2012. We encourage you to print and read these stories with your kids, and revel in the joy a wonderful story can bring. All stories are original and have been penned by established and emerging Australian authors. Every month, we will publish four stories running to a central theme, each on a Monday morning. See here for more.