The Adventures of A.G. Bear

Book 8

CAT TALES
Manners &
Misdemeanors

Amanda Grey
A.G.Bear's Friends

Isadora LeChat

Mrs. Duck



Manners and Misdemeanors

Amanda Grey and her family, and her three best friends, (A.G. Bear, Isadora LeChat and Mrs. Duck) were on their way to visit Amanda's Grandma. Amanda's parents had decided to drive. They decided they would make it a leisurely journey, stopping anyplace along the way that might interest them.

So far they had visited a combination Antique Store and Flea Market, they had stopped to pick strawberries and then enjoyed a wonderful picnic.


They had stayed at very nice motels with chocolate candy on the pillows and they had gone swimming in big motel pools, and at night, they told each other Bedtime-Stories.
Yesterday, as they drove, they played the game "I See A Windmill!" and afterwards they looked for cars having license tags with pictures of Manatees on them.

They stopped driving around mid-afternoon, had a nice dinner, took in an early movie on the TV, and then everybody fell sound asleep.

Today was the fourth morning of their trip. Mrs. Duck was up early, bustling around the motel room, as she re-packed her little suitcase.

Guess what I just heard Miss Amanda’s Daddy say we’re going to do after breakfast today? she announced.
Isadora Le Chat was busy washing her face. She paused for a moment. This is just a wild guess, she said dryly, But I’ll bet we’re all going to get back into the car and drive another zillion miles.
Mrs. Duck looked at Isadora disapprovingly. Sarcasm is so unattractive dear, she scolded. Now seriously, she insisted, Guess what we’re going to do!. It’s quite exciting really!
Miss Amanda brushing her hair in front of the mirror had a pony tail band clenched between her teeth, so she just raised her eyebrows inquiringly. Miss Amanda was trying to learn how to put her own hair in pigtails.

Oblivious to the conversation at hand, A.G. Bear had climbed up on his bed and now stood on the mattress. He gave an experimental bounce and then began to jump in earnest.
I’m—not—allowed—to do—this—at home, he said, between bounces.
A.G. Bear, you stop that this instant!
You’ll break the bed!
admonished Mrs. Duck.

OOPS! said A.G. who froze mid-bounce and landed with a jarring thud on his bottom.

But why CAN'T I bounce Mrs. Duck? inquired A.G. plaintively.

Because you’re a guest, explained Mrs. Duck. And when you’re a guest you always have the same rules that you have at home. Only more so. Because it’s good manners!. Mrs. Duck nodded with satisfaction at her own explanation.

WHAT’s good manners? inquired Isadora Le Chat, returning from the bathroom where she had just gone to hang up the wet towel she had found lying in a heap on the carpet.

Treating someone else’s home or property just as carefully as you would your own, and treating everybody else the way you’d like to be treated yourself, said A.G. Bear, who, to everyone’s amazement, had quickly grasped the concept.

Very GOOD, A.G.! said Isadora admiringly. I’m so proud of you! Why, you just learned the Golden Rule!

Isadora then continued with what she was doing and started to look around the room. She was puzzled. I can only find three towels in the bathroom, she said. Did somebody forget and leave one out here somewhere?

Not me, said A.G. Bear. I put mine back on the towel rack after I washed my face this morning.
Nunk Fee, replied Miss Amanda, who was trying to say "Not Me". Amanda was making attempt number seven at a pigtail, and the pony tail band was back between her teeth.

Isadora turned expectantly to Mrs. Duck, whose cheeks suddenly turned a very bright pink. Uhhhh..... said Mrs. Duck, and she mumbled something about simply having wanted a souvenir of their trip.

Isadora looked at her friend closely. Mrs. Duck looked embarrassed.

Oh, for Pete’s sake, Mrs. Duck! said Isadora. You didn't? Isadora leaned closer and looked Mrs. Duck right in the eye. You DID! said Isadora, sighing and rolling her eyes heavenward.
Isadora walked over to Mrs. Duck’s small suitcase and flipped open the lid. Sure enough, there was the motel’s towel, neatly folded, among Mrs. Duck’s things.

Miss Amanda shook her head in disapproval.

A.G. Bear climbed down from the bed and padded over to Mrs. Duck.

We can’t take things that aren’t ours, explained A.G. Bear to Mrs. Duck. It’s not good manners, and it’s against the Golden Rule. You wouldn’t want somebody to take YOUR towel, would you?

Mortified, Mrs. Duck shook her head.

Sometimes, even smart ducks do foolish things, she said, sadly.

Isadora reached into the suitcase and lifted out the towel to return it to the bathroom with the others.

As she did, BONK! went a heavy glass object, as it fell to the floor. It rolled lazily across the carpet, landing at Miss Amanda’s feet. Frowning, she reached over and picked it up.



Ash-tray, she announced, with a withering glance at Mrs. Duck, who was about to die of embarrassment.

Isadora groaned loudly and put a paw over her eyes.

Missus DUCK!!, scolded everybody.

I’m awfully sorry, said Mrs. Duck in a very small voice. I’ll never take anything that doesn’t belong to me ever, ever again.

Good thinking! said Isadora, emphatically. You could get arrested for stuff like that!

 

Sadly, Mrs. Duck nodded in agreement.

Just then there was a loud knock on the door to Miss Amanda’s parents room.

Security! announced a booming voice.

It’s the towel police!, cried A.G. Bear.

They’ve come to arrest Mrs. Duck!

Mrs. Duck fell over in a dead faint!


Adventures of A.G. Bear
Cat Tales, Book 8- Manners & Misdemeanors!

By Cynthia Gurin - Copyright 1994 - 2023

Here are the A.G.Bear Books in order. Simply click on the name to go to that story.


Book I - Cat Tales, The Tea Party
Book -2- No Matter Where You Go, There You Are

Book -3- Chapter Flea
Book -4- Strawberry Fields, Wherever
Book -5- Night-Time Is The Time To Sleep

Book -6- Things That Go Snnaarrrrkk In The Night

Background: The Making of The Adventures of A.G. Bear


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cynthia Gurin lives in South Florida with her husband Bob, a quartet of cats, two dogs, a remarkably wise duck, and a teddy bear or two. She has achieved recognition in both the Miami Herald and The Wall Street Journal for innovative marketing techniques. She considers the Personal Ad, through which she met her husband, to be her most rewarding literary endeavor. She holds a senior corporate position in the real world. Send Mail to Cynthia Gurin

This author has other tales online at Bedtime-Story. See the Author/Illustrator Directory

CAT SOUP

We're invited for lunch,
Miss Amanda and me..
First alphabet soup,
then cookies and tea.
There's bowls full of letters
like A, B, and C,
This bowl must be mine
'cause it spells C-A-T


ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Jeff Meyers is a talented writer and a talented illustrator. Jeff makes his home in Ohio. He enjoys writing fiction for all ages and has been drawing and painting all his life. His artwork includes cartoons, illustrations, computer graphics, and still life drawings. When he's not working at his computer, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. Jeff has wonderful examples of both his artistic as well as his writing talent on display throughout Bedtime-Story. Check the Author/Illustrator directory for a complete listing of Jeff Meyers work. Contact Jeff at Jeff@thejeffworks.com or visit his new website: The JEFFWORKS for Creative solutions to your communication needs.

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