Stories by Cody Lee James
The Day I Got Hit by a Car
By: Cody James
February 21, 2002
One day when I was playing out in the snow in my backyard my friend Brad came over and asked me to come over to his house. I said sure, and I would meet him in his backyard. So after I asked my mom I headed over to his house.
He lived directly across the street from us, so I looked both ways and crossed the street. There was a huge pile of snow where the snowplow had piled it up. It was difficult to see around it. This was the first winter we had spent in Alaska, so my mom did not let us play out in front often.
We made snowmen and snow forts. Our snowmen were taller than us so we had to lift up the snowballs together to put on the head. They had a long pointy carrot nose and buttons on their stomach. We worked quite a while on them before we were finished.
Then we headed over to my house to play Nintendo. We ended up deciding to make more snowmen in my backyard. We would also make a big snow fort and a bunch of little snowballs! First we were going to get a snack and some hot chocolate.
I had forgot my hat in Brad’s backyard. So we were heading across the street to get it. When I stepped out past the snow pile to see if a car was coming Brad was running behind me. I had stopped because there was a car coming, but Brad did not see it and he ran into the back of me and I was pushed into the street right in front of the car!
The car hit me (I got hit by the car not ran over). The lady driving the car did not even see me, but her daughter in the passenger’s side saw everything and screamed for her to stop. I remember that everything seemed like it was going in slow motion. It was more like a television show then real life. At first I did not feel any pain. My leg was just shaky and numb.
The lady driving the car asked if I needed help and I said I could get into my house. Then she drove home and called the police they came and asked what happened and I told them everything. Later Brad came over and said he was sorry and brought me my hat. I forgave him because it was an accident and he went back home.
I learned an important lesson about safety. Whenever I can’t see around a pile of snow, I don’t just step out to look around it. I climb up on top of it first to make sure that there are no cars coming.
Christmas Morning
By: Cody Lee James
January 28th 2002
On a cold December morning I woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking. I was excited when I realized it was December 25th, Christmas morning! I went into the kitchen and saw my mom was making pancakes. I sat down and when my mom was done making the pancakes she gave me a few. So I ate them. About five minutes later my little brother Calvin, my sister Cheyenne, and my cousin Crystal came out and my mom gave them some pancakes. Then my mom and dad ate some too.
The house was filled with the smells of Christmas. Turkey was baking in the oven. Ginger bread was baked the day before. Christmas candles were glowing on the ledge of the window. They all added to the excitement of the day.
The sky was dark outside, but our house was bright and cheery inside. The tree was very colorful with thousands of little lights all twinkling with different colors. Casting colors all over the room, and making all the ribbons sparkle.
Then we all rushed into the living room. We all headed to get our soft red stockings. Then we sat down to see what was inside. Everything was wrapped separately, except the candy. I got lots of candy and stocking stuffers.
We always open our stocking first. Then we take turns opening presents so we can see what everyone gets.
Then it was time to open presents. I received several books. They were "The Bible A-Z", "A Guinness Book of World Records 2002", and a book called, ''The Badge of Courage''. I also got a book that had a five- foot dinosaur pop-up inside. I got a lot of electronics too. Some Game boy color games, computer games, and a Scooby-Doo alarm clock. I have got some of my own camping equipment now like a camping saw, camping lantern, and a flashlight. I opened a few fun things like a stuffed puppy dog, a yo-yo, and a jump rope.
I gave my mom a stuffed penguin because she collects them. I gave my dad some Coke stuff he collects Coca-Cola items. I gave my sister some little horsy toys because she loves horses. I gave my brother some kitty cats they are his favorite animals. My cousin Crystal I gave a couple of books. She loves to read like I do. Everyone really enjoyed their presents and thanked me.
Then I opened up a game called Mancala. It looked like so much fun my mom and I started to play as soon as I opened it. I also got a game called Survivor but we waited to play that.
Just as soon as we thought the Christmas present opening was over, my uncle Keith walked in with presents for everyone. He gave me a game for my computer called Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. I can play the game online with people all around the country.
My main present I got for Christmas was a metal detector. My dad and I were going to take a dollar in coins outside to hide and find them, but it started to rain. So we had to wait until another day.
This was a wonderful Christmas. It would have been the best Christmas ever if my family from Florida could have been here. I hope that next year all of our family can spend Christmas morning together.
My Day at Busch Gardens
By: Cody Lee James
January 16, 2002
One weekend my parents told me we were going to Busch Gardens. I was so excited that I couldn't concentrate on anything. I turned on a movie to pass the time quickly. After watching Star Wars I went straight to sleep and dreamed about the fun I'd have the next day. The next morning I walked out my door. It was on a sweaty summer day that we headed for our van.
Once we arrived at Busch Gardens we all unloaded from the van. We went to a cotton candy stand and bought some blueberry cotton candy. After that we went to a pit of tigers. The tigers were leaping in and out of the water and trying to show off. The biggest tiger was white because he was a rare albino tiger. The tigers had worn a path in the deep grass where they ran and played.
After we left the tigers we went to a ride called Water Log. It's a ride where you sit in a metal log and then the logs start moving through the water. Then you start going a lot faster because you’re heading downward. Then you begin to go slower because you are going upward. You go around one more time and then get out. At the very end of the ride you get wet from the big splash that you make. It felt very nice after a very hot day in the summer.
That's what started it all when I got off the ride my mom and dad were nowhere to be seen. I was lost. I wandered all around. I couldn't find them anywhere. I felt lonely and scared. I had never been lost before. Suddenly the amusement park felt very big and I felt very small.
As I was walking I saw a talking parrot. I said "Hello." He said, "Hello are you lost, because I’m lost." I said, "Yes I am lost." Then he said "Goodbye". I just stood there and watched as he flew away. I wondered where he was going in such a hurry. I wished I could fly up high so that I could see where my parents were.
I walked a little while and I found my parents. They said they had been looking for me everywhere and could not find me. They said a parrot flew over their heads and landed near them. The parrot had told them that I had talked to him and that I was lost. I told them that I had talked to the parrot.
We then headed off to see other animals and go on more rides. Along the way I saw a group of parrots in a tree. I saw the parrot that I had talked to while I was lost. I told him I had found my parents. I thanked him for his help. He told me that he had also found his way home. We were both very happy. It was a great day even though I did get lost!
Citizenship
by Cody James
January 18, 2001
This is about my opinions on citizenship. What being a citizen of the United States of America means to me.
You treat everyone equally, everybody is important.You respect others.
You listen to your elders. Don't speak when other people are speaking. Be a good listener.
If you want a friend you must be a friend. Be careful not to hurt other peoples feelings. Be kind and polite. Don't ever leave a friend out.
Don't leave a friend out if you are playing tag and someone else wants to play let them join the game. If everyone else does not agree start your own game.
I learned I should be a good citizen. I learned I should not leave anyone out. I should treat others like I want to be treated.
If people are fighting ask them nicely to stop fighting. You should never start fights. There are better ways to solve problems than fighting.
friend + friend = friendship
by Cody James
September 13, 2000
two friends, friendship
do not fight
joke together
have fun
be polite
read and share
eat bananas
go bananas
have a good friendship
Daily News is Wrong
by Cody James
September 13, 2000
In school we read the newspaper every day.
We are taught to read the news so that we can understand what is happening in the world.
The news paper had an article about my school last year. I did not agree with what it said.
So I wrote to them and told them so, I tried to put in an editorial. They did not want to put it in the paper. Maybe they got my message.
In the paper it said that there was no hot water.
We had hot water.
They said we used out houses.
We used regular bathrooms.
They said that we used the park to play.
We did not, we had a playground and swings.
Do not believe everything you read in the news paper!!!
Ancient Egypt: Land of Mysteries
by Cody James
January 26, 2001
Ancient Egypt was the birthplace of one of the world's greatest civilizations. Ancient Egypt was a land of mysteries. Egypt is located in the north east corner of Africa. It became an important civilization because of the Nile River running through the center of the country. The Nile River helped with the crops and was an important trade route.
Originally Egypt was divided into two kingdoms Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.The Pharoah Menes was responsible for uniting the kingdoms around 3100 B.C. This helped to avoid a civil war.
The pharoah was more than a king to the people, they believed he was the supreme ruler chosen by the gods to lead them. They believed he became a god after he was pharoah.
The Egyptian people were very hard working. The greatest achievement of the Egyptians was the pyramids. There are about eighty pyramids along the banks of the Nile River. The pyramids functioned as huge burial tombs for the Egyptians' pharoahs and queens.
The Egyptians were also excellent ship-builders They used the Nile River like a highway to transport people and goods to foreign lands. The first ships were made out of bundles of papyrus reeds tied together to make canoe-like vessels. As the shipping trade flourished, the hulls of the ships were made of cedar, and oars and sails were added for greater speed.
They also invented a written word and spoken language. Although the system of the hieroglyphics is much different than that of our own language, these pictures and symbols served as one of the first written languages in the world. Hieroglyphic writing is phonetic. That means symbols stand for certain sounds. By watching the sky at night the Egyptians developed a calendar. They were a very smart people.
Egyptians believed if they preserved the dead with mummification they could come back to life . Rich people could afford better mummifying than the poor.
First they washed the body. All of the internal organs, except the heart, were removed and put in canopic jars that were placed in the tomb later when they were buried. The heart was believed to be the seat of intelligence and emotion and was left in the body. The brain, on the other hand, was regarded as having no significant value and was removed through the nose and discarded. The Egyptians believed that the mind would be needed immediately in the next life.
The body was packed and covered with a salty drying agent, and left to dry out for forty to fifty days. By this time all the bodies liquid had been absorbed and only the hair, skin, and bones were left.
Then the body was wrapped in either linen or rough cotton strips and a sticky, tar-like mixture was poured over the cloth strips to form a protective outer covering for the body. When the mixture hardened the mummy was placed was placed in a wooden coffin, which was carved and painted to resemble a person.
Today, Egyptian archaeologists are still making important discoveries. The scientific study of mummies is helping us to understand the Egyptians better. Their religion gives the impression that the Egyptians were preoccupied with death but there are many indications that they were happy people who knew how to enjoy life.
The World of Coke
by Cody James
October 6, 2000
This is a story about a trip I took with my mom and my dad to visit my uncle Charles.
When I lived in North Carolina I went on a trip to Atlanta, Georgia. I am not sure how long it took us. When we got there we got out and there was a cool breeze blowing. It was March. I remember because we were celebrating my dad's birthday. We went up and knocked on the door of my uncle Charles' house and he opened it and let us in. We were very happy to see him and he was very happy to see us.
In the morning he took us to the World of Coca-Cola. There was over one hundred different kinds of soda there all made by Coke. You could taste a sample of every soda for free. Some were really good. Some were very odd. One was so strange that people ran to the trash can to spit it out! When my dad tasted this one he said "This is some of the best soda I ever tasted". He said that because he loves Coke and this was made by the Coca-Cola Company! My dad is a big fan of Coke, that is why my uncle Charles took us there. We had as much free Coca-Cola brand soda as we could drink. I can tell you I tasted over two hundred different kinds of soda.
Later that day we went and had lunch at a place called Planet Hollywood. There were a lot of different things to look at. There were all kinds of things that had been in famous movies. They did not serve us on normal trays. They looked like trays that came from aliens.We had a world of fun that day.
My Space Trip
by Cody James
October 9, 2000
I am in a space world.
In the space world I climb up a ladder into a space ship. The space ship holds the key. I know because they told me. The people who work in space world. They said,"You can go on a space ride now, just climb to the top of the ladder and get the key. This is a real space ship you know, just take the key and put it in. Then pull the handle." They stood there pointing at the handle, just waiting for me to go for a ride. So I did.
I was finally in space. I landed on a planet called Mercury. This planet was red. On the planet of Mercury I found a rock. The rock I found was made of amber. There is a lot of amber on Mercury. Then I left and i flew to the moon. I found out it was not made of cheese. I found out it was made of rock. So I left.
At this point I was on my way to Pluto. To find out if it was a rubber ball. Then I decided to go to Uranus. On Uranus it was very cool or in other terms, cold, very cold. So I went to Venus where it was very hot. While on Venus I found a round stone. The stone was blue. Then I climbed back into the spaceship.
I headed for Mars. I was flying by Earth so I decided to stop and get some gas. Then I headed back to Mars. On Mars it was beautiful. There were lots and lots of colors. I found rocks and stones of all sorts of colors.
I had to be careful while trying to land on Saturn. It has lots of circles around it like rings floating in the air. So I went to Jupiter. It also had circles around it, but it is a very big planet. So it was much easier to land on. I got a nice rock while I was there. I decided to go back to Saturn, now that I had more experience with rings. It was a little bit smaller then I had expected. It was not a small as Pluto.
Pluto is so small that the space people are thinking of not calling it a planet. They say that because it is so hard to see. Once I got there it was so small that I could put it in my pocket. So i did. It was the best thing that I found while I was on my space trip.
So if you ever want to see Pluto up close, just ask!
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