When Little Joey woke up one morning, it was raining.  It was the kind of summer rain that happens quite often during this time of year.  It comes out of nowhere, rains cats and dogs, and then disappears into nothing.
 At about eleven o'clock, the rain cleared up.  Little Joey ran to his window on the top floor and set his gaze on a shimmering arch in the clear blue sky.  Filled with lines of green, blue, yellow, red, purple, and orange, it stood on the horizon like a temple to beauty.
     Little Joey ran downstairs to his parent's room. He envisioned a grand expedition out into the distance to find the end of the rainbow, and the pot of gold that goes with it.  The only problem he could imagine was the Leprechauns that guarded it.  He excitedly cried to his Mom, “Mommy! Mommy! There's a rainbow outside and I want to go find the end and get the gold so we can be rich! Can I go Mommy?! Can I?!”
     His Mother sighed and reluctantly looked over at the enthusiastic child with tired eyes.  She had misunderstood his request, and she believed that he was going to search for it in the back yard.  With a tone of indifference in her voice, she stated, “Take your sister with you,” and with that, returned to her slumber.
     Little Joey gave out a shout of happiness and ran back upstairs to get his sister Jenny, and to prepare for the expedition.  He grabbed Jenny, and pulled her into his room where he told her his plan.  “This is what we’re going to do,” Joey said excitedly, “We’re going to go towards the end of the rainbow and when we get there, you’re going to distract the Leprechauns, and Ill grab the gold.”
     “What if the Leprechauns don’t want you to take their gold Joey?” Asked Jenny innocently.
     “Hmm, I guess we could make something to take it from them with.  Come on, I have an Idea.”
     Joey went over to his sock drawer and pulled out several pairs of socks.  He took one of them and shoved it into the other so it was like a ball on a chain.  He proceeded to do this to all the socks he brought out.  “WE can use these!” Joey cried.
     With that, they headed out, uncertain of what, if anything, they might find.  The two explorers tromped through the freshly dampened grass, climbing fences and cutting through their neighbors' back yards, all the while, wildly swinging their socks.  All they could think about was the pot of gold that awaited them at the end of the journey.
     Joey and Jenny marched on for at leased a half-hour.  Occasionally hitting each other with the socks to occupy the time.  By now they were far enough away that they could not see their house anymore.  In fact, they didn't recognize any of the houses anymore.  Plus, a thick tree cover kept them from seeing the rainbow.  They were lost!
     Jenny plopped down on the wet grass and proceeded to bawl her eyes out.  Joey began to panic. He didn't know what to do or which way home was.  Suddenly, very faintly and distantly, came the sweet voice of their Mother yelling their names.  Joey grabbed Jenny and proceeded to run as fast as they could to the sound of her voice.
     When the young travelers finally made it back home, their mom rushed out to greet them with a flourish of hugs and kisses.  She kept asking over and over where we had been.
     “We were out looking for the end of the rainbow, “Joey said, “I asked you if we could and you said yes.”
     Realizing the miscommunication, their Mother hugged them tighter.  She said, “I don’t ever want you to leave the yard without me or your father again.  Do you understand?”
     “Yes Ma’am,” Joey muttered, feeling very embarrassed and ashamed at worrying her so much.
     A few weeks later, when Little Joey woke up, it was raining.  It was that same kind of summer rain that happens quite often this time of year.  It came out of nowhere, poured cats and dogs, and then disappears.  Joey smiled to himself and went back to sleep.
 

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