Change your name

Change your name Hannah Walker

“Ahh what a cool quiet morning!”  Thankfully stated Mr. Bill Ortega.  Bill was an elderly man who had 9 fearfully hyper- active grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.  “HI Grandpa!” lovingly shouted Carolyn.  Carolyn was the newest Grandchild. She was staying at Her Grandpa’s house for the weekend. She loved stories especially Bills (or her Grandpa).  “Tell me a story! Tell me a story!”  “Hi cutie pie!” happily answered Bill. “Tell me a story!” loudly sang out Carolyn. “Which one?” cheerfully asked Mister Bill or “Grandpa”. “A brand new one!” jubilantly jested Carolyn.  “Okay well have you heard Pecos Bill and The Grand Canyon?” heartily guessed Grandpa “Who?” coolly petitioned Carolyn “Do you mean the big hole in the desert?” Grandpa laughed and started his story with- “Okay well…

It all started on a cool Monday afternoon when a man named Pecos Bill stepped outside and tasted the wind. He knew at once that one day he would ride the wind. Now I think that Pecos meant he would ride a bronco really fast and not a tornado! “What!!!!” eagerly interrupted Carolyn. “Yes a tornado, and if you don't mind I would like to finish the story.” Jokingly scolded Grandpa. “So uhh… where was I?” He fretfully questioned “Oh yes Pecos was tasting the wind and loving it!”  He was as eager as a bear in salmon season.  All the other guys –who had a brain- thought he was crazy. One day Pecos waltzed into a saloon at high noon. “Howdy yall I got a wild tale for ya! Sang out Pecos Bill. “Will this one be true?” Rudely joked Trudy the Saloon Waitress. “Ha Ha do you wanna hear my idea it or not!?” sarcastically but sternly countered Pecos. He gruffly addressed. “I want to ride a tornado not a bronco not a bull but a TWISTER!!” “Are you cra-?!” screamed Trudy. But before she could finish Pecos bolted out the door. He dashed home and watched the news. He watched and watched until the first day of August 12:54 p.m. the worst twister was arriving in 20 minutes. Although Pecos was not the sharpest knife in the drawer he knew he was not going to miss this cyclone.

He whipped out his lasso and caught the whirlwind. “YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”  He squawked.  Pecos Bill was having the ride of his life!  He rode over the great valleys of Kansas.  Pecos flocked to New Mexico.  He glided through Oklahoma and even stopped and had dinner with Pa  and Laura Ingles.   Pecos thought this fun would never end but before he could slip on his parachute the windstorm DIED. By died I don’t mean “Hack Hack Cough Cough Help I’m Choking!!! I mean it stopped when he “tasted the wind”. Whoosh! Pecos fluttered to the ground and fell so hard he made a huge hole that we call today the ‘Grand Canyon’. “What happens next!” impatiently begged Carolyn. “Well if you hush and keep quiet you will see!” brutally dictated Grandpa. Now once he recovered from the impact Pecos got up and acted like nothing happened, Right after he went to the hospital and got stitches for a nasty gash on his right leg right below his knee. “So what’s the moral of the story?”  Gently implored Carolyn. “Nothing he learned nothing.” Happily claimed Grandpa. Now I know you’re wondering how Grandpa knew Pecos’ scar was on his right knee? How did he know he learned nothing?                       

Pecos Bill changed his last name after the adventure and he changed it to ORTEGA.