1.



    "Arghhhhh!” Tommy screamed, “We're on the wrong side of the road."
    No one in the car looked at him. No one even reacted, except for Paige, who giggled. Lately, she found most everything Tommy
did funny.
    He had been doing this for some time now and honestly, they were all tired of it.           
    The Olivers had been driving for two hours and were bored. They had left from London early in the morning and it wasn’t long
before the novelty of the rented car and driving on the opposite side of the road, as they did there in England, had passed.
    The three children sat in the back seat with Paige in the middle and the boys on either side of her.  Tyler was reading; Paige and
Tommy watched the countryside roll by. Their mother Judy drove and Tom, their father, sat reading a newspaper.
    They rode in silence for another mile or two then Tommy screamed again.
    "Arghhhhh! We're on the wrong side of the road."
    Unable to ignore it any longer, Tyler spoke up.
    “Stop it," he said angrily, "That's the tenth time you've done that."
    "Just ignore him Tyler," their father said, speaking as if Tommy were not even there. "Every time you react it just encourages him."
    "But I'm trying to read back here and he keeps disturbing me."
    Now Paige jumped in.
    "Who are you trying to impress?" she asked. Tyler’s new, serious attitude bothered both her and Tommy.
    "Paige, don't make things worse," their mother warned from behind the wheel of the car. "And Tommy, stop it."
    "Okay," he said quietly.
    Everyone became quiet again. Tyler returned to his book; Tom to his newspaper.
    Outside the English countryside rolled by. Traffic was light and getting lighter the farther they drove. They were on their way to
Sutton Benger, a small village in southwest England. They would be staying there while Judy researched some churches she was writing
about. She had been actively trying to get the children interested in her project but to no avail. They couldn't imagine what might be
interesting in old churches. They wanted adventure and monsters, not statues and old churches.
    After a few more minutes Tommy spoke up again.
    "Are we there yet?"
    "Nearly," Judy said, "I passed a sign for Chattinham not long ago. Sutton Benger isn’t much further from there"
    Tommy was quiet for another minute, then, "Are we there yet?"
    Paige giggled.
    Tyler sighed in disgust.
    He did this every minute for the next ten minutes.
    Finally Judy turned the car from the road they were on to a smaller road, eventually coming to a curve leading down a hill. At the
end of the curve she stopped. The road was blocked by a small crowd of people involved in what looked like a celebration.
    "Now what's this?" she asked aloud and annoyed.
    "Come on, let's take a look," Tom suggested.
    Judy hesitated. She was afraid that if they got out and got involved in anything they would just be further delayed.
    "There's no where to go," Tom said, "We might as well look."
    With a sigh Judy put the car to the side of the road and turned the engine off.
    Tom, Tommy and Paige were the first out of the car. Anxious to see what was happening they plunged into the crowd. Tyler and
Judy lagged behind.
    "What's going on?" Tommy asked, unable to see.
    "I can't tell," his father said, "It looks like they’re waiting for something."
    "Like a parade?" Paige suggested.
    Tom just shrugged and looked about for someone to ask.
    He soon spotted an amiable looking older man, the type of man who would know, and not mind telling, what was going on. He
decided to ask him. Stepping up to him, followed by the children, he asked, “What’s going on here?”
    The man turned to Tom and smiled broadly. He was obviously happy to be there and wouldn't mind talking at all.
    "What's that?" the man asked Tom.
    "What's everyone waiting for?"
    The man's smile grew even broader and he said, "It's the dunkin' of Green George."
    Tom and the children exchanged curious looks, wondering just what that meant, as the man looked up the road. Seeing he had time
to talk he laughed and said to Tom, "Not from around here are you?"
    Then he turned his attention to the children.
    "I don't suppose any of you children have ever seen Green George, have you?"
    Tyler and Tommy shook their heads. Paige spoke up.
    "No. Who's that?"
    "Green George," he said, "That's a bit hard to explain if you're not from these parts."
    As he considered how best to explain who or what Green George was to the children cheering was heard and the man immediately
looked that way. Excited, he said to the children, "Wait... here he comes now."
    Even though they had no idea who was coming, or what was happening, the children became excited. Their new friend motioned
for them all to follow to the front of the crowd. Leading them through the crowd he announced to those in front of them, "Make way.
I've got some folks who've never met Green George."
    Hearing this many of the people looked their way. It made the children a little self-conscious but looking back at these faces they
felt welcome. They looked like happy people. Paige paused long enough to make sure her mother was following.
    "Listen Mom," she said. Music could be heard. It sounded like a flute and a small drum or tambourine. It sounded old, but in a
festive way. Excited by it she joined the others at the front of the crowd. From there she could see that the road they had been on
joined another one which in turn led to an old stone bridge. People lined the road all the way to the bridge.
    Looking up the road in the other direction, where everyone else was looking, Paige spied a figure dressed all in green. At a distance
it was hard to tell but it looked like his face was green as well.
    "There he is!" said the man excitedly.
    Tommy pointed and laughed. "He's greeeeeen!" he said in one of his funny voices.

    Up the road Green George played to the crowd, dancing and teasing. The crowd, in turn, laughed and called out to him. Every so
often he plunged into the crowd. From where they stood the Olivers couldn’t see what was happening but whenever he did this they
heard laughter and cheering.
    As he passed people they fell in behind the musicians and followed. Coming closer, they could see Green George was a young man,
probably in his early twenties, and handsome. His face was indeed painted green. Watching him, Tom saw that when he plunged into
the crowd he teased the women, fawning over them and acting bashful before trying to kiss them.
    When Green George neared them he recognized the man who had led the Olivers to the front of the crowd. The children didn't
see their new friend wink to the green man and direct his attention to Judy with a nod of his head. Seeing what was about to happen
Tom could only shake his head.
    Green George went directly to Judy and began trying to hold her hand, as he had done with many of the young ladies in the crowd.
    "What are you doing?" Judy said, pulling her hand away.
    Green George pouted but said nothing. After acting sad for a few seconds he took a step closer to Judy and rubbed his shoulder
against hers affectionately.
    Realizing that this was something Green George was supposed to do, it was part of his act, she allowed him to do this for a
moment. When he continued she looked to her family and shrugged. They laughed as she turned back just in time to catch Green
Gorge trying to kiss her cheek.
    "Oh no you don't," Judy said. She might play along with this a little bit but no one was going to get green face paint all over her.
Again, Green George pouted and acted hurt. The two of them went back and forth like this several times with George getting close to
Judy only to be rebuffed when he would try to kiss her. All the while the crowd cheered and hollered, some rooting for Green George,
others warning Judy whenever he got close.
    Finally, Green George appeared to give up. He blew Judy a kiss and turned to go.
    "That was close," Judy said to Paige. Then, before she knew it, Green George was there, planting a kiss on her cheek.
    The crowd cheered as Judy squealed in surprise. Tom and the children roared with laughter. Green George scooted away, dancing
down the road toward the bridge.
    The man they had been talking to looked at Judy, acting surprised. "Oh," he said, "You're that American lady who's been calling
about the church, aren't you?"
    Realizing she had been set up to be kissed by Green George, Judy didn't know whether to be annoyed or amused. When the man
beckoned them to follow him down to the bridge Paige had to lead her by the hand.
    "Come on," he said, "You don't want to miss this."
    Along with the crowd, the Olivers followed Green George and the musicians down to the bridge. Along the way many of the
people acknowledged Judy and the fact that he kissed her, congratulating her and telling her how lucky she was.
    Green George continued on to the bridge, acting quite happy and smug. Arriving there he slowed, looking about warily before
starting across. As soon as he stepped out onto the old stone bridge three men appeared on the other side as if they had been waiting
for him. They were big, husky men and looked as if they weren't about to let Green George across. Still, he tried.
    There was a struggle during which the thin green figure, ducked and darted, twisted and turned, trying to cross the bridge. Several
times it looked as if he would and the crowd cheered him on. Finally, the three men got him in their grasp.
    The crowd cheered out, "Ohh!" in anticipation as the men lifted Green George off the ground and tossed him off the bridge into
the water.
    The crowd loved it!
    The kids loved it!
    Even Judy, who was quite surprised, loved it!