“How many times have I told him to clean up his room?”
“Now dear, he’s young. I certainly never kept my room spotless at that age.”
“I stepped on one of those little cars in the middle of the night, when he left it out in the hall. You heard the scream, those damned things hurt.”
“We’ve punished him for that already. Toy cars are just a phase that a lot of boys go through, if we’re just patient, he’ll outgrow it.”
“If I can talk Paul into it, I’m going to see if he’ll move them into the sandbox.”
100 words. Inspired by this week’s Friday Fictioneers prompt:

Dear Dave,
Now there’s a picturesque piece if ever I’ve read one. Now about housebreaking Babe…
Shalom,
Rochelle
“Who’s gonna clean up after that stupid ox THIS time??!”
There are so many ways to come at this. Is this prequel Pilgrim’s Progress; or a scar to be salved in later years?
I’m intrigued!
Eeew! Prequel to a hundred thousand words of awful misery? I hope not!
I think Paul just outgrew his Hot Wheels and left them stuck in the sand box. Pretty sure I did, too.
I just wondered why Bunyan?
I saved mine in mint condition ’til I was sixteen, then passed them on to my nephew, who trashed the lot within a month.
Great slant, and funny tale.
It has a flaw. I don’t think it stands on its own (without the image).
Perhaps, but for the challenge it is excellent.
I recall Calvin doing much the same thing, except he would usually plan a disaster. Nice.
Giant tiger stomping through, creating chaos? Paul Bunyan just has a boring ol’ Ox.
Oh.. somehow I can see this happening at the home of Mr and Mrs Cyclops
Wouldn’t it be sheep (or Argonauts) buried in the sand at the Cyclops house?
I guess that modern time Argonauts would come in cars..
Hotwheels, Matchboxes, & Legos but jacks are the worst to step on. Took a second read to catch the Bunyan reference. Very clever.
Ooh, ouch. I have no girls, so I missed that particular joy.
LOL, this is too funny. Stepping on the car with bare feet at night–kids may outgrow this, but dogs don’t, and stepping on their chew-toys is similarly funny (and painful). Great story.
Cats make sure all of their toys are chased far beneath the furniture.
Looks as though they got planted in temper. Nice one.
Mom! It’s not *fair*!!
I don’t know what’s worse, toy cars or Legos?
And what does she mean, “if” she can talk Paul into it… wouldn’t be an option in my house, I can assure you!
Great take!
Legos are more annoying because they’re so omnipresent. And you’ll keep finding them for years after the last lego-aged child has gone off to college 😛
And boy do they hurt like hell when you step on then barefoot!
Oh boy! I think the sandbox grew, with him!
Well, he was always a big boy. 800 pounds at birth? Heh.
Fun. I have trod on a small toy more than once. Painful indeed.
Seems to be a parental universal constant.
Those little toys with wheels ……… ouch.
Well done.
From the photo it looks like the sandbox worked out! There’s nothing worse than stepping on a small metal toy in the middle of the night.
What a fun, and funny, take on the prompt.
we went through that stage when our boy was little. When he grows older, you will miss it. nice story, took me back a few years
In our house it was Lego’s – well into the teenage years. Sold thousands at the garage sale. The husband and son who bought them loved it, the wife gave me the evil eye. So happy to be rid of them. Great writing!
I remember little boys….
classic humor in the Bunyan household 🙂 well done.
LOL Loved the end.
They do hurt when you step on them…nice take—toy cars in the sandbox.
Great story to go with the prompt! Haha!
No wonder he grew up to be a legend. Big smiles.