CH 2: Turtledy Durdledy's First Trip

One morning Turtledy Durdledy was just walking around his home. Doing nothing. Just walking. And he walked a little way into the cow pasture. He looked down on the ground and guess what he found? A $5 dollar bill laying right before him.

Joyfully, he went home just as fast as his little legs would take him. He showed the money to his mother and asked if he could go to town and ride the train into Memphis, Tennessee.

His mother thought about it awhile, then decided, 'Why not?'

So she gave him a little more money.

Early the next morning, Turtledy Durdledy dressed in his fresh-washed and ironed suit, grabbed his cap and away he went to board the train to Memphis.

Turtledy Durdledy had never been away from home before, but he wasn't afraid. He just sat back in that train seat and watched the world go by.

Then the train arrived in Memphis. Out jumped Turtledy Durdledy and was he surprised?

"What a big place this is," he said.

So he started walking, walking.

Finally, he made it to Main Street. All the stores (he had never seen so many) and all the people was something for him - just seeing all this. He decided to go into the first big store. That happened to be Goldsmith's Department Store.

He looked and looked on the first floor. Then he saw this counter where people were eating. So up he crawled onto the stool. The lady asked what he would have. Turtledy Durdledy decided on a hamburger and French fries and a Coke. While eating, people began standing around him watching him eat.

You know, Turtledy Durdledy is something very different.

Finally, one asked him who he was and all the questions people will ask of someone strange like Turtledy Durdledy. Cute, little Turtledy Durdledy answered the very best he could. Then out of a clear sky, music began playing and Turtledy Durdledy asked would they like to see him dance.

Of course they all did.

So he hopped down the tall stool and began dancing. People all around were clapping with the music, and Turtledy Durdledy was really doing some jig dance. The more they clapped, the more Turtledy Durdledy gave them in his dancing. Then Turtledy Durdledy told them he was tired.

The people just loved him and didn't want him to leave, but Turtledy Durdledy told them, "I came to Memphis to see everything. I can dance in Water Valley." So they took up some money for him.

And then you know, up the elevator he rode to the next floor. He loved the ride in the elevator as he had never ridden in one. Over this floor, he saw toys. Lots and lots of toys. He was so happy just looking, but finally with all the money he had, he decided, "This is where I'll spend all of it."

So he began buying and spending. He didn't realize it was getting late, as he was having so much fun. But after awhile he noticed there was no one in the store but him. And finally the lights went off - all, but a few.

"Oh my," he said. "What will I do?"

So with his large bag filled with toys, he found the stairs (as you know, the elevator was closed too), and he got down them after a long time.

He decided he was hungry, and so he went back to the same lunch counter. As there was no one to serve him, he went around the counter and helped himself to just about everything he saw.

Boy, was he full of food.

Then he was sleepy. So he found some chairs and put them together and found a blanket on the shelf and made a bed. So he went to sleep.

He was awaken when the doorman came up to open the door the next morning. Of course everyone was so surprised to see him. But anyway, they were real nice to Turtledy Durdledy. They gave him his breakfast, then took him in a real big car to catch his train back to Water Valley.

When he got off the train, he saw his fat, little mother waiting for him. And was he glad to get back home!