Once there was a boy named Derek, who lived in a small house with his grandmother on a crowded

street in a large city.  Derek’s grandmother, Marie, was a very friendly person.  She knew all the neighbors on

the street where they lived. 

          Every morning, she would sit outside on her porch and talk to all of them as they left their houses on the

way to school or work.  Marie would always say “Hi!” to them first because that was her way.  They always

said, “Hi!” back and asked what wonderful pie she had made for Derek to eat that morning before he went

to school.

          Every morning, Marie woke up at sunrise and went into her small outdated kitchen.  After reading the

recipe, she gathered together the ingredients for baking the pie.  She loved baking the pies because their

aromas always enticed Derek out of bed so he would go to school.

             You see, Derek didn’t like to go to school.  He told his grandmother that school, especially reading

made him want to stay under the covers, hidden away in his bed all day until school was over.  Knowing

this, Marie made a different pie each day for Derek.  She had been doing this since he started kindergarten.

For the last three years, Marie had never made the same pie twice!!

                Now as each and every morning Derek ate the pie all alone; Marie sat on the stop bragging

about her pie to the  neighbors.

                “Hi  Mrs. Johnson!”  Marie called to the woman across the street.

                 ”Hi Marie, What kind of pie did you make today?  Mrs. Johnson politely asked. 

                 ”Triple berry delight with whipped cream on top!” exclaimed Maire.