“So we aren’t in Greenwich?” Clarence asked.
“Dottie! Who’s your new friend?” a little boy asked.
“What’s your name?” Dottie asked.
“Clarence.”
“I’m Dot and this is my brother, Dave. Double Dutch!” She jumped into the swinging rope and began to recite the rhyme again.
“Henry’s turn!” Dottie shouted. “Put a smile, on your face. What’s this place? Bambooberspace!”
Several children sat on the ground calling the rhyme while they kept their fingers busy with pieces of bamboo. Some were twisting the narrow stems and making spiral designs. Others had pieces in their mouths and they were chewing on them.
“Henry missed! Mari! You’re next!” Dave called.
Clarence watched a woman loading a big gingerbread house into a small car. He read the sign in front of the store, “Gingerbread Bakery”.
“…9 – 10, Say it again!
“Ba-am-boo,
strong and true,
helps reduce the CO2.
What can you do
With bamboo?
Put a smile,
On your face.
What’s this place?
Bambooberspace!”
“Henry, there are clouds coming over the mountain. We’d better get back home before the storm gets here,” Mari said. “It already looks dark.” Henry and Mari said their good-byes and began to climb over a natural bridge of large rocks and stepping stones to get across the river.
A bolt of lightning split the sky and thunder rattled the ground. In the next minute, clouds shifted in the sky. Yellows and grays turned to black. As Clarence thought about the fact that he didn’t know any of the people he saw on this street, he said to himself, “This is a bad time to be lost….Harley!” Clarence climbed up on a park bench for a better view.