NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Sandpipers Wishes, Kids Drawing- Coloring, & SAT testing Fun

SAT's

The following questions and answers were collated from last year's SAT tests given in Springdale, Arkansas to 16 year old students!

(Don't laugh too hard -- one of these may be the President someday... )

Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed ?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: What is a planet ?
A: A body of earth surrounded by sky.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans ?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum.
I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: In a democratic society, how important are elections ?
A: Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election.

Q: What are steroids ?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age ?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty ?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q; Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour ?
A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (E.g.
abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts -- the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity.
The branium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A,E,I,O and U.

Q: What is the Fibula ?
A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean?
A: Nearby.

Q: What is the most common form of birth control?
A: Most people prevent contraception by wearing a condominium.

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean Section."
A: The caesarean section is a district in Rome.

Q: What is a seizure?
A: A Roman emperor.

Q: What is a terminal illness?
A: When you are sick at the airport

Q: Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A: Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

Q: What is a turbine?
A: Something an Arab wears on his head.

Q: What is a Hindu?
A: It lays eggs

The Sandpiper Story

A Sandpiper To Bring You Joy. .. wonderful story.




The Sandpiper
by Robert Peterson

She was six years old when I first met her on the beach near where I live.
I drive to this beach, a distance of three or four miles, whenever the world
begins to close in on me. She was building a sand castle or something
and looked up, her eyes as blue as the sea.


'Hello,' she said.


I answered with a nod, not really in the mood to bother with a small child.


'I'm building,' she said.


'I see that. What is it?' I asked, not really caring.


'Oh, I don't know, I just like the feel of sand.'


That sounds good, I thought, and slipped off my shoes.


A sandpiper glided by.


'That's a joy,' the child said.


'It's a what?'


'It's a joy. My mama says sandpipers come to bring us joy.'


The bird went gliding down the beach. Good-bye joy, I muttered to myself,
hello pain, and turned to walk on. I was depressed, my life seemed
completely out of balance.


'What's your name?' She wouldn't give up.


'Robert,' I answered. 'I'm Robert Peterson.'


'Mine's Wendy... I'm six.'


'Hi, Wendy.'


She giggled. 'You're funny,' she said.


In spite of my gloom, I laughed too and walked on.
Her musical giggle followed me.


'Come again, Mr. P,' she called. 'We'll have another happy day.'


The next few days consisted of a group of unruly Boy Scouts, PTA meetings,
and an ailing mother. The sun was shining one morning as I took my hands out
of the dishwater. I need a sandpiper, I said to myself, gathering up my coat.


The ever-changing balm of the seashore awaited me. The breeze was
chilly but I strolled along, trying to recapture the serenity I needed.


'Hello, Mr. P,' she said. 'Do you want to play?'


'What did you have in mind?' I asked, with a twinge of annoyance.


'I don't know. You say.'


'How about charades?' I asked sarcastically.


The tinkling laughter burst forth again. 'I don't know what that is.'


'Then let's just walk.'


Looking at her, I noticed the delicate fairness of her face.
'Where do you live?' I asked.


'Over there.' She pointed toward a row of summer cottages.


Strange, I thought, in winter.


'Where do you go to school?'


'I don't go to school. Mommy says we're on vacation.'


She chattered little girl talk as we strolled up the beach, but my mind was
on other things. When I left for home, Wendy said it had been a happy day.
Feeling surprisingly better, I smiled at her and agreed.


Three weeks later, I rushed to my beach in a state of near panic. I was in no
mood to even greet Wendy. I thought I saw her mother on the porch and felt
like demanding she keep her child at home.


'Look, if you don't mind,' I said crossly when Wendy caught up with me, 'I'd
rather be alone today.' She seemed unusually pale and out of breath.


'Why?' she asked.


I turned to her and shouted, 'Because my mother died!' and thought,
My God, why was I saying this to a little child?


'Oh,' she said quietly, 'then this is a bad day.'


'Yes,' I said, 'and yesterday and the day before and -- oh, go away!'


'Did it hurt?' she inquired.


'Did what hurt?' I was exasperated with her, with myself.


'When she died?'


'Of course it hurt!' I snapped, misunderstanding,
wrapped up in myself. I strolled off.


A month or so after that, when I next went to the beach, she wasn't there.
Feeling guilty, ashamed, and admitting to myself I missed her, I went up
to the cottage after my walk and knocked at the door. A drawn looking
young woman with honey-colored hair opened the door.


'Hello,' I said, 'I'm Robert Peterson. I missed your little girl today
and wondered where she was.'


'Oh yes, Mr. Peterson, please come in. Wendy spoke of you so much.
I'm afraid I allowed her to bother you. If she was a nuisance,
please, accept my apologies.'


'Not at all -- she's a delightful child.' I said, suddenly realizing
that I meant what I had just said.


'Wendy died last week, Mr. Peterson. She had leukemia.
Maybe she didn't tell you.'


Struck dumb, I groped for a chair. I had to catch my breath.


'She loved this beach, so when she asked to come, we couldn't say no.
She seemed so much better here and had a lot of what she called happy days.
But the last few weeks, she declined rapidly...' Her voice faltered, 'She left
something for you, if only I can find it. Could you wait a moment while I look?'


I nodded stupidly, my mind racing for something to say to this lovely young
woman. She handed me a smeared envelope with 'MR. P' printed in bold
childish letters. Inside was a drawing in bright crayon hues -- a yellow beach,
a blue sea, and a brown bird. Underneath was carefully printed:


A SANDPIPER TO BRING YOU JOY.


Tears welled up in my eyes, and a heart that had almost forgotten to love
opened wide. I took Wendy's mother in my arms. 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,
I'm so sorry,' I uttered over and over, and we wept together. The precious little
picture is framed now and hangs in my study. Six words -- one for each year
of her life -- that speak to me of harmony, courage, and undemanding love.


A gift from a child with sea blue eyes and hair the color of sand
-- who taught me the gift of love.

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NOTE: This is a true story sent out by Robert Peterson. It happened over 20
years ago and the incident changed his life forever. It serves as a reminder
to all of us that we need to take time to enjoy living and life and each other.
The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less.


Life is so complicated, the hustle and bustle of everyday traumas
can make us lose focus about what is truly important
or what is only a momentary setback or crisis.


This week, be sure to give your loved ones an extra hug, and by all means,
take a moment... even if it is only ten seconds, to stop and smell the roses.


This comes from someone's heart, and is read by many
and now I share it with you...


May God Bless everyone who receives this! There are NO coincidences!


Everything that happens to us happens for a reason. Never brush aside
anyone as insignificant. Who knows what they can teach us?

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I wish for you, a sandpiper.

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