GREEN DOT, NO SPAM

(With apologies to Dr. Seuss & others)

An invitation I got one day,

Gummy Bear said, "Let's go play.

My rocket is in good repair

And so to you I give a dare.

Go upside-down we surely will,

And round and round is better still".

My heart was filled with fear and dread

For upside down I'd never been.

And so, in silence, my mind said……..

"I would not, could not, Gummy Bear.

I would not, could not anywhere;

Not in the day,

Not in the night,

Not near the ground

Nor up at height.

I could not do it, Gummy Bear.

I could not do it anywhere".

Then later he said, "My prop is broke.

I can't go fly, my heart is broke.

I cannot fly you upside-down.

I cannot fly you over town.

I cannot fly you through the air.

I cannot fly you anywhere.

I'm really sorry, my friend Dot.

It's purely sad, no prop I got."

So I thought I was off the spot. (whew).

Saturday came and unprepared,

I ran into Gummy standing there

Beside his Rocket, looking great,

Propeller mounted nice and straight.

"We're going flying", Gummy crowed.

"And we'll be upside-down and rolled.

My rocket's tested, flying fine,

So when the meeting ends…..it's TIME".

And time it was, so out we went

To prep the Rocket we were bent.

The briefing was a thing of beauty.

Gummy seriously took his duty.

Then when I was all strapped and seated,

Like a prisoner, justice meted,

Gummy shouted "CLEAR" and started

Up the engine. It sort of………..……hesitated.

Then roared to life and smooth as purring,

We taxied to the runway luring.

And I thought to myself as we S-turned along,

I could not, should not, Gummy Bear!

Go upside-downish ANYWHERE!

A nice old runup we employed,

And an up sharp takeoff we enjoyed.

The power, Oh, the Rocket power!

It felt like we could leap a tower.

Gummy made that airplane zoom

In a sky of insufficient room

For airplanes made of stuff like that.

It was then that Gummy began to chat

Of crisp controls and snappy rolls.

If I'd take the stick and test them out,

I'd be surprised; I'd have to shout.

So I grabbed the stick, moved to and fro,

And back and forth, and high and low,

But Gummy thought I'd been too timid,

So he, himself, showed me the limits.

"Wow!" I thought, and, "Yikes!" I squealed.

The plane responded, banked and wheeled,

And then he said, "It's time to ROLL!

Are you ready, Dotty? Here we go!"

Would I? Could I? Did I dare?

Why should I fear it, Gummy Bear?

I grabbed his seat and closed my eyes.

Then it was over, a swift surprise.

I couldn't believe it had happened so fast,

And I, still alive, was sorry it passed,

And also, doggone, it happened TOO fast!

So -

I asked if we could try it again,

And Gummy said, "Sure, let's speed up the plane."

Determined to keep my eyes open this time,

Before I knew it, we'd spun on a dime.

(I was glad I didn't wear a scarf,

for into it I'd have had to barf.

Just kidding, my friends, it wasn't half bad.

If you get to try it, you sure won't be sad.)

We drilled the air.

We spun up there.

We turned and zipped,

And rolled and flipped.

We really did it, Gummy Bear!

We upside-downed it way up there!

Old hat for you, but new to me,

Imagination filled with glee

At all the stuff this plane could do-

rolls, steep climbs and speedily, too!

But now it's over, we must return.

Young Eagles to fly. They want to learn.

So back we go and down we land,

A greaser for sure, done with Gummy's fine hand

A pilot's life is filled with joy

When the air becomes a giant toy.

Unlikely upside down I'd dare………

So -

I'm glad you asked me, Gummy Bear.