Playing with the Freytag Pyramid

Exposition

        My second-born son loved animals of every kind, so when he found two tiny frogs on our visit with Grandmother to the local greenhouse, wonder shone in his big eyes.  He knelt down and lovingly whispered, “Hello, Little Ones.” 

Rising Action

        The owner of the greenhouse shot to the top of Hayden’s Hero List when she told him he could have them for a nickel.  Hayden held out his chubby four-year-old hand as he showed her his seven pennies.  “I don’t have a nickel,” he said with tears seeping from under his long lashes.

        The lady laughed and took five pennies.  She told him the frogs were his and that she was leaving him two pennies because he was such a sweet boy.  The smile that now lit up his face was electric!

        Gently picking up his two frogs—one in each hand, he cooed to them all the way home.  When we arrived home the frogs had names:  Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

          As we opened the front door, Hayden’s older brother Bobby came running out to meet us.  “Look! Bobby, see what I’ve got!” yelled Hayden excitedly.  “I got two frogs. This one is Peanut Butter and this is Jel……oops!”  Jelly had jumped to the ground.  Hayden was in a panic as he cried,  “Jelly!”  while still holding on to Peanut Butter.  Without thinking, but trying to act quickly so as not to lose Peanut Butter, Hayden slammed his foot down on the escaping frog.  His realization of what he had done was much too late to stop the inevitable.  Jelly, sadly was now very much like his newly given name.

        The tears flowed and his broken heart was inconsolable.  Promises of ice cream or a new truck did nothing to make him feel better.  Hayden was despondent over the next few hours, but perked up enough to make Jelly a coffin and last through the funeral.  Then, of course, Hayden cried even harder at the funeral because Bobby accidentally laughed.  Oh, the joys of raising sons.

        After the funeral, Hayden and I decorated Peanut Butter’s new home.  We used an old I. Miller shoebox of Grandmother’s. By ten the crisis was over and we all went to bed.

        The next day everyone was in better spirits.  Hayden played in the front yard with Peanut Butter and had a blissful morning.  That afternoon, he decided to show Peanut Butter off to the neighbors.  “But, first,” he said,  “Peanut Butter needs a bath.”

        I agreed to the bath but cautioned him to make sure he turned on only the cold water.  “Do you know which handle is cold?” I asked.

        “Yes, Ma’am” he said.  “It’s this one.”  He showed me by holding up his right arm.

        “That’s right!” I said.  “Let me help you pull a chair up to the kitchen sink.”  Just as we got the chair pulled up, the phone rang.  “Just a minute, honey.  I have to get the phone.  Don’t do anything until I get back.”

        While I was gone, Grandmother went in to the kitchen to get some water.  She offered to help Hayden, but he dutifully waited for me.  I was back quickly. The call had been a wrong number.

        Hayden climbed up on the chair.  He put a small pan in the sink with Peanut Butter in it and carefully placed the pan under the waterspout.  Then, he turned on the cold water. Climax Peanut Butter was instantly boiled alive.  It seems Grandmother had used the hot water just before we turned on the cold and there was enough left in the tap to end Peanut Butter’s short life.

Falling Action

        Not only did Hayden cry, but I did also.  I cried not because we lost Peanut Butter, but because Hayden had been such a good owner and tried so hard.  Yet in the end, both frogs died at his hands.  That’s a tough lesson for a four-year-old.

Denouement

      Hayden has since grown up, married and had children of his own.  I have noted that he is a bit of a hovering father about the kids.  I often wonder how much Peanut Butter and Jelly have to do with this.  Probably nothing, but who knows?

Rising Action

        "Beloved family of Jelly Crockett, we are gathered here on this beautiful afternoon to say goodbye to a small member of our family whose most untimely death we mourn", Grandmother intoned holding the family bible to her breast.  "If anyone would like to say a few words, please feel free to do so."

        "Bye, Jelly.  I'm....sniff, sniff.....so sorry.  I didn't mean to squash you," bawled my four-year-old son Hayden.  My six-year-old son Bobby stood by trying to stifle his laughter, but did a poor job of it.

        Hayden marched over to Bobby, kicked him in the shins, and ran into the house.  Thus, ended our family's loving funeral for Hayden's fallen pet.  Oh, the joys of being a mother! 

Exposition-interruption

          Later, after getting the boys in bed I sat at the kitchen table, sipping too hot tea and began look back over the day that had started so well and had ended with my sons at each others throats.

          I thought of Hayden who loved all animals and had found two tiny frogs on our visit with Grandmother to the local greenhouse. I smiled as I remembered the wonder that shone in his big eyes.  He had knelt down and lovingly whispered, “Hello, Little Ones.” 

        The owner of the greenhouse shot to the top of Hayden’s Hero List when she told him he could have them for a nickel.  Hayden had held out his chubby four-year-old hand as he showed her his seven pennies.  “I don’t have a nickel,” he had said with tears seeping from under his long lashes.

Rising Action continued

        The lady had laughed and taken five pennies.  She  had told him the frogs were his and that she was leaving him two pennies because he was such a sweet boy.  His face had been lit up like the bright white light from Heaven one must see as they pass over. 

        Hayden had gently picked up his two frogs—one in each hand and cooed to them all the way home.  When we arrived home the frogs had names:  Peanut Butter and Jelly. 

          As we opened the front door, Hayden’s older brother Bobby came running out to meet us.  “Look! Bobby, see what I’ve got!” yelled Hayden excitedly.  “I got two frogs.  This one is Peanut Butter and this is Jel……oops!”  Jelly had jumped to the ground.  Hayden was in a panic as he cried,  “Jelly!”  while still holding on to Peanut Butter.  Without thinking but trying to act as quickly as possibly so as not to lose Peanut Butter, Hayden slammed his foot down on the escaping frog.  His realization of what he had done was much too late to stop the inevitable.  Jelly, sadly was now very much like his newly given name.

      The day after our funeral, everyone was in better spirits.  Hayden played in the front yard with Peanut Butter and had a blissful morning.  That afternoon, he decided to show Peanut Butter off to the neighbors.  “But, first,” he said,  “Peanut Butter needs a bath.”

        I agreed to the bath but cautioned him to make sure he turned on only the cold water.  “Do you know which handle is cold?” I asked.

        “Yes, Ma’am” he said.  “It’s this one.”  He showed me by holding up his right arm.

        “That’s right!” I said.  “Let me help you pull a chair up to the kitchen sink.”  Just as we got the chair pulled up, the phone rang.  “Just a minute, honey.  I have to get the phone.  Don’t do anything until I get back.”

        While I was gone, Grandmother went in to the kitchen to get some water.  She offered to help Hayden, but he dutifully waited for me.  I was back quickly. The call had been a wrong number.

        Hayden climbed up on the chair.  He put a small pan in the sink with Peanut Butter in it and carefully placed the pan under the waterspout.  Then, he turned on the cold water.  Climax Peanut Butter was instantly boiled alive.  It seems Grandmother had used the hot water just before we turned on the cold and there was enough left in the tap to end Peanut Butter’s short life. 


Falling Action

        Not only did Hayden cry, but I did also.  I cried not because we lost Peanut Butter, but because Hayden was such a good owner and he tried so hard.  Yet in the end, both frogs died at his hands.  That’s a tough lesson for a four-year-old.

Denouement

      Hayden has since grown up, married and had children of his own.  I have noted that he is a bit of a hovering father about the kids.  I often wonder how much Peanut Butter and Jelly have to do with this.  Probably nothing, but who knows?