Early in the morning, Jack got ready to leave his home. His mother called to him and asked, “Where are you going so early? Aren’t you going to wait for breakfast?”
But Jack shook his head, kissed his mother on the cheek and ran out of the house. He was anxious to see Paul, and, as it was too early to ring the bell, he walked back and forth like a sentinel in front of the Morrison house. Counting every minute, he finally decided at eight-thirty sharp, that it was all right to ring the bell now. He knew that Dr. Morrison’s office hours began at nine, and that usually he had his breakfast between eight-fifteen and a quarter of nine. His heart beat wildly as he heard footsteps coming to open the door. “Good morning, Jack,” Mrs. Morrison greeted him. “What are you doing here so early?”
“Good morning, Mrs. Morrison. I just want to see Paul.”
“Paul is a little tardy in getting out of bed this morning,” she told him as they entered the dining room. “Have a seat. He ought to be down any minute.”
“Good morning, Dr. Morrison.”
“Good morning, Jack. Did you have breakfast yet?”
“Breakfast!” Jack clasped his hand to his forehead. “I completely forgot about it.”
Dr. Morrison laughed heartily, but his wife couldn’t see the joke and she exclaimed, “You forgot to have breakfast! Is there anything wrong with you?”
Dr. Morrison laughed and Jack shook his head. “No,” he replied meekly. “I guess I wasn’t hungry.”
“You’re going to have breakfast right now,” insisted Mrs. Morrison. “Sit here,” she ordered the boy and then she went to the kitchen.