Little Red Riding Hood by Lindy Bradshaw

Red awoke to the sound of her mother yelling at her from the kitchen, just as she had every morning since she could remember. "Honey, guess what today is?!" The little girl, who people couldn't help but fall in love with, sat up and rolled her big blue eyes, for she knew exactly what her mother was implying . . .
	It was Tuesday: time to visit her "beloved" grandmother! This wouldn't have seemed so bad, to the once happy go lucky child, if it was just Tuesday . . . but this routine had now taken every other day from her as well. She yawned, stretched and got out of bed, taking her time to find her way to the kitchen. "Mom, please, can't I skip it today?" she pleaded. "Honey," was the expected reply, "you love going to visit your grandmother. I made a fresh loaf of bread for you to bring to her today. Now, quit dilly-dallying or you'll be late." "I'm going to take a bath first." Red stated. "No you're not dear; you know your grandmother doesn't like to be kept waiting." "But mom, my hair is yucky!" "Your hood will cover it." her mother replied.
Oh how she hated that hood - that BRIGHT RED HOOD! - Not to mention that little black and white checkered pinafore, which were of course a gift from her grandmother...made to compliment her 'lovely raven hair' and make her easier for the half blind woman to see. This attire served as her 'going to visit Grandmother' uniform, and she was getting tired of hearing everyone refer to her as "Little Red Riding Hood"!
	"Don't forget your goulashes. The path will be all muddy from the rain." her mom scolded. "And don't you dare wander off the path . . . a wolf has been seen in our woods." was her mothers last warning, but Red was already out the door, with the basket full of goodies that she'd have to sit and politely watch her grandmother horde to herself. She would be lucky to get a crust of bread and some tea....that is if she 'behaved herself as a little lady should'. Thinking it better to avoid the puddles on the path...for fear of the look her grandmother would give her at the site of mud on the pretty checkered gingham, Red chose to take the shortcut through the woods.
Perhaps she'd even pick some pretty white trillium...wouldn't she be a sight then...maybe she'd even get to eat one of those yummy oatmeal cookies! As she was walking through the woods, she happened upon a wolf, who had smelled the contents of the basket. "Well, hello little girl," the wolf said in his sly voice, "and where are you and that food going?" He flashed a big smile at her. "My, what big teeth he has . . . " she thought to herself.
Then replied, not even trying to hide her unhappiness from the wolf. "To my grandmothers house." Then without warning, she began pouring out everything that had been bothering her, to the unsuspecting wolf. "My mother makes me wear these stupid clothes every time I go, which I might add is every stinking day! I have to watch my grandmother stuff her face, and bare the endless pinching of my cheeks, and have to put up with her calling me Little Red Riding Hood . . . which is totally ridiculous! And . . ." But before she could go on the wolf quickly dove in. "Hey, I'm not your psychiatrist, little missy. I was just hungry." Red looked deeply into the great big eyes of the wolf, an impish grin creeping over her once helpless demeanor. "Exactly how hungry?" she asked. "Are you kidding me? I haven't had anything in nearly two days! The wood cutter has been destroying the homes of all the the little woodland animals . . . and now there is nothing left for me to eat!"
	"I wouldn't exactly say nothing . . . " Red smiled as she whispered her plan into one of the wolf's big interested ears . . . all the better for him to hear her with, you see. When the two of them finally arrived at the cottage, Red knocked loudly on the door, so that the old woman could hear her. "Is that you, Red Riding Hood? Where is my food? You're late!" she bickered. "Well hurry up child; what are you waiting for? Unlatch the door and come inside."
Hidden beneath the child's little red cloak, the wolf crept inside . . .
	When he finally emerged from the cottage, Red quickly took back her cloak, to hide her hair. "Well that's settled." she said with a sigh of relief. The wolf belched loudly and flashed her a charming smile. Then they said their good-byes and Red took her time walking home. Later that evening at dinner, her mother asked her how her day was. To this she replied, "It was the best time I ever had at Grandmothers." The next morning Red was awakened once again to the sound of her mother yelling from the kitchen. "Do you know what today is? I made chicken!"
Red got ready, and walked out the door with the basket of food her mother had prepared. She found the wolf waiting for her in the woods. "Here I brought you some food, 'Grandmother'." The wolf snickered back, "You're late, Riding Hood." And, with the exception of the Grandmother, they all lived happily ever after. The End.