“I want to get Dad a present,” said Alex, “but I do not have any money.”
“I got Dad this new fishing hat,” said his brother Jason. “You can sign my card.”
Alex said, “Thanks, but I want to give Dad a present myself.”
“Tell Dad you will go fishing with him,” said Mom. “I got rum a new fishing rod, and he will want to try it out.”
“I like to go fishing too,” said Alex, “but I want to get Dad a real present.”
Alex went to bed. He curled up under his blanket, thinking about a present for Dad. He heard a light rain falling on the leaves of the tree outside his window. The sound helped him to fall asleep.
Alex woke up early in the morning. He looked out the window. The rain had stopped. Alex got an idea.
He dumped pencils and pens out of the old coffee can on his desk. He put stickers all over the can for decoration.
Mom looked in. “You are up early.”
Alex just smiled. He went outside and looked around the garden. “Yes! My idea is a good one,” he said.
When breakfast was ready, Mom and Jason put their presents for Dad on me table. Dad asked, “Where is Alex?”
“I saw him 10 minutes ago,” said Mom.
“He is not in his room now,” said Jason. He started to eat breakfast.
“I’ll call him,” said Dad.
Just then Alex burst through the kitchen door.
“You are full of mud,” said Mom. “Take off those shoes.”
Alex slipped out of his shoes and ran over to Dad. “Is It time to open your presents?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Dad. “We were just waiting for you.”
Dad opened the presents. “A new fishing rod,” he said, “and a fishing hat. These are what I wanted.”
“Happy Father’s Day,” said Alex, as he handed Dad the can covered with stickers.
“What is this?” asked Dad.
He looked into the can and then laughed. “Worms! What a surprise. Worms for bait.”
Alex grinned. “Last night’s rain brought them up to the top of the soil. When I went outside, there were worms wriggling all over the ground.” He wiped his muddy hands on his shirt. “I put the biggest, fattest worms I could find in this can.”
“Thank you,” said Dad.
“Can we go fishing?” asked Alex.
Dad looked at him. “First you have to wash your hands and eat breakfast.
Alex washed and ate his breakfast.
Dad put on the hat and picked up the fishing rod. He held up the can of worms and said, “I have everything I need. I’m ready.”
Alex jumped quickly out of his chair.
“Now we can all go fishing,” he said.
By Carolyn Mott Ford