Jane Clears the Air by Chris Regier Fordyce
“Jane,” Alice said. “Something smells awful. Grandma says breathing fresh air is healthy,
but something that smells this bad can’t be good for you.”
but something that smells this bad can’t be good for you.”
Jane was confused. The air smelled luscious to her, an earthy blend of dirt and rotting leaves
with just a hint of something spicy.
with just a hint of something spicy.
“No, Jane. The air
smells horrible,” Alice said.
“Somewhere in the
yard is a stinky thing,
and we must find it.”
and we must find it.”
“Oh, Jane,” Alice said. "I found this shoe and
it smells like the most horrible thing ever.
I’m going to wash it and then we will have wonderful, fresh air again.”
I’m going to wash it and then we will have wonderful, fresh air again.”
“Well, that didn’t work,” said Alice.
“The shoe is clean but the air still smells.
We must continue looking, Jane.”
We must continue looking, Jane.”
“I am going to go ask Grandpa if he can help
us find the stinky thing,” Alice said.
Meanwhile, Jane kept looking.
Meanwhile, Jane kept looking.
“Oh, my goodness, Jane” Alice said. “Grandpa said the air smells like a bad word.
Now Grandma is talking to him. I don’t think he will be able to help us look for the stinky thing.”
Now Grandma is talking to him. I don’t think he will be able to help us look for the stinky thing.”
“Grandma says cows
are stinky, Jane.
I will give this one a bath and then we will have fresh air again,” Alice said.
Jane was even more confused. She thought cows smelled wonderful, like warm milk and cow pies.
I will give this one a bath and then we will have fresh air again,” Alice said.
Jane was even more confused. She thought cows smelled wonderful, like warm milk and cow pies.
“Hmmm. No matter how much I wash this Holstein I can’t get these spots out, Jane,” Alice said.
"And the air is still stinky. What could possibly be making that horrible smell? ”
"And the air is still stinky. What could possibly be making that horrible smell? ”
Jane was worried. Alice was looking
at her.
"Jane, come here. You are the only thing that hasn’t had a bath,
so you must be the stinky thing,” Alice said.
"Jane, come here. You are the only thing that hasn’t had a bath,
so you must be the stinky thing,” Alice said.
Jane checked. She was not the stinky thing.
“Yes, you are,” Alice said. “You
smell like a dog. After your bath you will be clean and shiny and the
air will smell fresh and lovely again.”
air will smell fresh and lovely again.”
But even washing Jane didn’t work.
“Oh, Jane,” Alice sighed. “We must continue searching until we find the stinky thing.”
“Oh, Jane,” Alice sighed. “We must continue searching until we find the stinky thing.”
“But first, Grandma says I need to go
inside and have my diaper changed,” Alice said.
When Alice came back outside she was amazed.
“Oh, Jane,” Alice exclaimed. “You fixed the air while Grandma was changing my diaper.
It smells wonderful now, just like a golden afternoon on the farm should smell.”
“Oh, Jane,” Alice exclaimed. “You fixed the air while Grandma was changing my diaper.
It smells wonderful now, just like a golden afternoon on the farm should smell.”
Jane wondered if she would ever understand Alice. The nice
spicy smell was gone,
but otherwise the air didn’t smell any different to her.
But if Alice was happy, Jane was happy. So they spent the rest of the afternoon sharing Cheerios, which Jane
liked almost as much as bacon, and breathing the fresh, farm air.
but otherwise the air didn’t smell any different to her.
But if Alice was happy, Jane was happy. So they spent the rest of the afternoon sharing Cheerios, which Jane
liked almost as much as bacon, and breathing the fresh, farm air.