by Suzanne Purvis –
Mei Ling Kyndall had a nose for adventure. And today she couldn’t wait to use her smell-errific, super-sniffer at the most adventurous place of all—the gigantic, titanic store that has everything. Rows and aisles, departments and shelves, stocked and chocked full of adventure.
So when her daddy opened the car door, Mei Ling took a deep snuffly sniff. “Ooooooo, I smell adventure.” She closed her eyes, took another sniffly snuff and said, “Yes! My smell-errific nose tells me there’s a wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more.”
But when Mei Ling jumped from the car onto the hard black pavement she said, “Ugh. Greasy, gasoliney, stinky car smells.” So she plugged her smell-errific nose with one hand and grabbed onto her daddy’s big hand with the other. “No time to waste. This is the most fabulous place. I must find my wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more,” she said through her pinched-up nostrils.
She skidded through the sliding doors, un-pinched her smell-errific nose, and rose on her toes. “Ooooooooo. Can’t you just smell the adventures?”
But then her daddy pushed over a steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling frowned. “Riding in shopping carts is for babies. I’m all grown up and ready for adventure.” So she waved and set off, following her smell-errific nose.
Her daddy chased after her, close on her heels, pushing the steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling skipped and hopped around shoppers, around carts, and around a stack of watermelons toward a warm doughy scent—the bakery department. She rose on her toes, gave a big salute and said, “I’m Mei Ling and I’m ready for my baking adventure.”
She wrapped an apron around her middle, donned her chef’s hat, and stirred up an adventure. Flouring her hands, Chef Mei Ling kneaded the dough. She shaped rolls and braided bread. She squirted and squeezed icing to decorate two birthday cakes, three dozen cupcakes, and a coconut cream pie. DING. DING. DING. When the oven timer went off, she taste-tested the peanut butter cookies. Yum.
Then her daddy pointed to the steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling waved and said, “We haven’t found the wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more.” So she set off, following her smell-errific nose.
Her daddy chased after her, close on her heels, pushing the steely, cagey shopping cart.
She skipped and hopped around shoppers, around carts, and around a stack of shampoo toward a springy, bouncy, flip floppy smell—the sporting goods department. She rose on her toes, climbed onto a trampoline and said, “I’m Mei Ling and I’m ready for my acrobatic adventure.”
She wiggled into her purple sequined leotard and bounced into an adventure. Acrobat Mei Ling twisted and twirled, perfecting her double somersault with a half twist. She flipped end over end over end to thunderous applause. BOING. BOING. BOING. She pointed her toes and soared almost to the ceiling.
Then her daddy pointed to the steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling waved and said, “We haven’t found the wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more.” So she set off, following her smell-errific nose.
Her daddy chased after her, close on her heels, pushing the steely, cagey shopping cart.
She skipped and hopped around shoppers, around carts, and around a stack of dog food toward a rubbery dusty smell—the auto parts department. She rose on her toes, grabbed a wrench and said, “I’m Mei Ling, and I’m ready for my car repair adventure.
She slipped into overalls and rolled into an adventure. Mechanic Mei Ling used the hydraulic lift and hoisted a van to rotate the tires. She changed the windshield wipers on a school bus. HONK. HONK. She squirted oil, smeared grease, and adjusted the brakes on a bright yellow taxi.
Then her daddy pointed to the steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling waved and said, “We haven’t found the wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more.” So she set off, following her smell-errific nose.
Her daddy chased after her, close on her heels, pushing the steely, cagey shopping cart.
This time she skipped past the colorful creative artist adventure in the paint department.
She hopped past the yummy, delicious farmer adventure in the fruit and vegetable department.
She went around shoppers and carts and a stack of TVs when…WHOOSH. Big sliding doors magically opened, and her smell-errific nose caught a whiff of wild.
But her daddy scooped her up and put her in the steely, cagey shopping cart.
Mei Ling wilted. “But Daddy, I found it. My wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with monkeys and parrots and more.” She pointed, and the doors WHOOSHED open to reveal lush leaves, blooming blossoms, and frilly ferns—the garden department.
“Daddy, take a deep snuffly sniff,” Mei Ling said, and he did.
“Ah, jasmine,” her daddy said.
“Ah, monkeys and parrots and more,” Mei Ling sighed.
Her daddy grinned and tapped the end of her nose. “You have one smell-errific super-sniffer. It will be a wonder to see where it leads when you’re all grown up.”
Mei Ling had plenty of ideas. But for now, she scooted to the front of the cart, rose on her toes and said, “I’m Mei Ling, and I’m ready for my wild blossomy rainforest adventure.”
She zipped up her raincoat, put on her Captain’s hat, and pointed toward the ferns. “It’s time to sail into an adventure.”
Her daddy hopped on the cart, pushed with one foot, and SWOOSH…through the doors they followed Mei’s nose.
And if you’re ever near the garden department, take a peek. You might see Captain Mei Ling and her daddy steering through their wild blossomy rainforest adventure filled with mischievous monkeys, squawking parrots, hissing snakes, creepy crawling insects, and more.
And if you look closer you might see Mei Ling and her smell-errific, super-sniffer sniffing out another adventure.
the end.
Question Time:
1. What was Mei Ling good at?
2. Where did she and her daddy go?
3. What adventures did Mei Ling have there?
4. What was her favorite adventure?
