A Jacky Dory Story

When we were kids, our mom would tell us "Jacky Dory stories" at bedtime. They were always about a mischievous young boy who got into little bits of trouble because he didn't listen to his parents, and they were the stories I begged for at night. They didn't rhyme. This one just came out this way today. (Dr. Seuess-ette I am not). This Jacky Dory story is for you, Mom. Thanks for the memories. Hope you approve.


There once was a boy named Jacky Dory,
who lived with his parents and his sister Lori,
and a bird named Lulu and a dog named Rory,
in a big old house- it was a brown three story.

Jacky always listened, but he seldom heard.
He smiled and nodded, like he'd heard every word,
but his mom might as well just have chirped like a bird.
His actions were always just shy of absurd.

One hot summer day, Jacky climbed up a tree
while holding a button and counting to three,
as many times as he could in a row,
just climbing and counting as high as he'd go.

Mom came outside to look for her boy,
She had thought of something that he would enjoy,
She wanted to take him to buy him a new toy.
But the sight of him high in the tree took her joy.

“You climbed this high when I told you you shouldn’t?
Jacky you smiled and said that you wouldn't!
I thought I could trust you, now I see that I couldn't."
He would never forget Mom’s sad face, he just wouldn’t.

And just like always, Jacky felt bad,
for not listening to Mom again like he had,
for making her face get all scrunchy and mad.
He always intended to be a good lad.

What was worse was that when he looked around,
he saw just how high he was off the ground,
and that his button was not to be found.
Scared little Jacky could not make a sound.

Jacky Dory couldn't get down on his own,
Mom called up Dad. She was mad on the phone.
Dad thought to just leave things alone,
Jacky would get down before he was grown.

Jacky tried to move high, and he tried to move low,
He wanted to move but his feet wouldn't go.
His brain said "Get going!",his legs wouldn't though.
Jacky cried and he shouted so his mom would know.

Soon came a siren, and then he saw the red truck!
Mom had called the brave fire fighter, Miss Buck,
Who was sorry to hear Jacky Dory was stuck
Oh, her truck had a ladder on it -what luck!!

Back on the ground Jacky got quite an earful,
but his Mom wasn't wrong, and his face was quite tearful.
She pointed out that his climb had made them both fearful,
and climbing is better when the ground stays more nearful.

Next time, he vowed that he would do good.
He would think and then act like a good child should.
When mom told him to listen to something he would.
That is, he worried, if he even could.

Mom helped him walk home, for his knees were still weak.
His voice was still shaky, so they just didn't speak.
He felt too sorry to look up, or even to peek,
but when he did, Mom just smiled, and kissed his wet cheek.

“Jacky Dory”, Mom said. I’ll never not love you.
I’ll never not smile at every thought of you.
Sometimes I’ll be mad. Sometimes you’ll be mad too.
If we choose love in our anger, we will always get through.