Back to Room 108.
Don't Count Rhinoceroses
Text and music: John Rickey
Animation: Amanda Penrose
Emma was a doddler. 'Slow and puddly' people called her. It just seemed
no one waited for her and she was always left behind. It made her lonely,
so she often sat in her special place, her bedroom, wondering,"If only
I had a friend."
Although Emma didn't have any friends, she had the best bedroom in town.
Her room was perfect! Well almost perfect. The only thing it didn't have
was a Teddy Bear to hug.
So when night time came and she couldn't sleep, she counted the sheep
on the barnyard wallpaper in her room. There was sheep on the ceiling, on
the wall, even on the door. It was great having barnyard wallpaper.
She'd count, "one sheep." Her eyes would roll.
"Two sheep."
She'd hear a gentle baa.
"Three sheep." Her eyes would blink.
"Four sheep." Emma was snoring, dreaming about cuddling a warm
woolly sheep.
But one day, her mom announced, "I bought you something special!"
"Is it a puppy?" asked Emma.
"No," said her mom.
"Oh I wish I had a puppy!" dreamed Emma. "I'd
love to hug a puppy.
He'd be such a good friend."
Emma thought for a minute then asked,"Is it a raccoon?"
"Why no," said her mom raising her eyebrows.
"Oh I'd love to have a raccoon for a friend," sighed Emma.
Her mom interrupted,"I bought new wallpaper for your room."
Emma's eyes lit up, then sank deep into a rolling frown.
