Choose to Go

Going with Uncle Eli:

    It didn’t take Max and Marcia long to settle into the smaller, two story house on the edge of town. Aunt Kate’s house in the city had been grander, but there was a cozy, homelike feeling to this house that made Marcia whisper to her brother as they went up to their rooms that first night, “It feels like we have come home from a trip.”
    Max agreed with a nod. Uncle Eli had been kind and acted much like their father had, while Aunt Betsy had welcomed them both with open arms and was the merriest aunt they had ever known, as she bustled around getting them settled. Since the house was on the outskirts of the small town, there were a few chickens scratching about the yard and a lazy dog lying on the porch who thumped his tail when they arrived but made no move to get up and get out of the way.
    “Old Tramp showed up here about a year ago,” Uncle Eli explained, stopping to scratch the dog’s head. “We figure he must be pretty old because he doesn’t do much besides laze around.”
    On their first morning Aunt Betsy fixed stacks of pancakes, fried bacon and eggs and poured tall glasses of milk. Max stared wide-eyed at the red and white checked tablecloth and the heaping plate before him. Aunt Kate had never eaten breakfast with them, and they were used to fixing it themselves. Max glanced over at his sister. She looked more relaxed than he had seen her since their parents had died.
    “After the ladies get the kitchen cleaned up,” Uncle Eli said, when the meal was over and nothing but a few scraps were left for the dog, “we’ll take you into town and show you the sights. What there are of them, anyway.” He laughed.

    In three weeks time both Max and Marcia couldn’t imagine going back to the city and living with Aunt Kate again. Old Tramp seemed to have grown younger when they came, for he stirred from his bed before the door and followed the children about if they wandered in the bit of woods or down to the creek in the meadow. In town, Max made friends with half a dozen other boys around his age and often spent hours playing ball with them. Marcia tagged along sometimes, but, as there were no girls near her age, she often preferred staying with Aunt Betsy and helping her with the garden or the shopping.
    One Saturday at the breakfast table, Uncle Eli turned to Max and Marcia. “Your aunt and I have to make a trip to the city today. It’s about an hour away so we’ll be gone most of the day. You are both welcome to come with us or to stay at home and do whatever you had planned here or in town.”
    This announcement rather startled Max. It made him feel very grown up and responsible to be told he could remain behind. Instantly he decided that’s what he wanted to do. “I think I’ll stay here. Marsh, if you want to stay maybe we’ll go get some ice cream at the drug store.”
    Marcia’s eyes lit up, and she nodded.
    Uncle Eli laughed. “Well now, that sounds more fun than this trip.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out some change and placed it beside Max’s plate. “There you are, sir. Use it for whatever you want, but have a good time.”
    “Thank you, Uncle Eli!”

    After lunch Max and Marcia walked into town. It was warm. At the corner of the street a few of Max’s friends met them.
    “Hey, Max!” one of them called as they caught sight of him. “Don’t you want to come with us? There’s a great picture showing at the theater. And the manager is giving away free popcorn with each ticket! Come on, it’s a new one!”
    “Yeah,” agreed another one, “I think it’s about baseball.”
    If there was one thing Max loved next to playing or watching a real game of baseball, it was watching a movie with baseball in it. He hesitated. Should he go with his friends and take Marcia to get ice cream afterwards, or should he skip the movie and go get ice cream now as they had planned?

Now, did he stay with his sister or go to the movies? If you pick how the story ends. Either click Stay or Go.