George “Gap” Goody, The Sky-High Kite Guy

Goose Gizzard, Georgia, was a tiny town populated by only a few people whose country ways were a bit unusual. One character in particular was quite unusual — a boy named George Goody. The townsfolk called him “Gap” because of the wide space between his two front teeth. Girls paid the poor boy no attention, not just because of the gap that showed when he smiled but also because he was as skinny as a broom handle with long arms and legs, weighed only fifty pounds, and his hair was such a bright red that he looked like a walking torch.

Every year, Goose Gizzard held a kite-flying contest in which only kites of an original design would be accepted. It was the town’s biggest event, and the bleachers filled up when contestants met on the football field. Although the judges paid close attention to the artwork, they also required that the kites perform well in the sky. George attended the contest and was excited by the beauty of the kites, but even more excited by the fact that they could fly so perfectly.

After the event, George told his mother about it and asked if she would help him design a kite for the next contest. Mrs. Goody was an expert seamstress who could not only design gorgeous dresses, but also sew them to fit girls perfectly. When the two began discussing possible ways to make the kite, she asked George a simple question: “Son, what did you love most about kites in the last contest?” With no thought whatsoever, he answered, “They can fly. Mom, I want to fly.”

Mrs. Goody checked the contest rules and found nothing prohibiting contestants from flying in their kites. First, she created a marvelous color scheme using the American flag’s three colors. Then she and George designed a huge box kite with strong supporting rods and upper and lower squares large enough to hoist her lightweight son even in light breezes.

At first, George wondered how he would control it because contestants’ kites could not go beyond the football field’s boundaries, and he certainly wanted to keep the kite from flying off into space. So, the two kite makers designed hinges in the rods and foot pedals to tilt the giant squares up and down, left and right.

NOTE: Jimmy Reed is a retired college professor and author of several books. This story is from his latest, a children’s book entitled FROM A TO Z, TO YOU FROM ME. Each story in the book maximizes the use of an alphabetical letter, enhanced by alliteration and assonance. The book is available on Amazon, or can be purchased directly from the author. His email address is jimmycecilreedjr@gmail.com.

On the contest day, the sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, and the wind was steady but not too strong. George’s kite was the center of attention, and everyone gasped when George climbed into it while his mother held it on the ground until the judge’s whistle blew. Immediately, the glorious kite ascended straight up, and those watching thought it would fly off into space with the poor little boy inside it. Instead, George tilted the squares, swooped over the crowd, did a few loops, and landed gently.

George received every judge’s first-place vote, and the townsfolk gave him a new name: George “Gap” Goody, The Sky-High Kite Guy.

Support Canada Free Press