Norm Ali on Easter

One Sunday morning, sometime in April, Norm Ali awoke already full of excitement. For you see,it was Easter. And Norm’s mom had taught him all about what people normally do on Easter. Norm knew it was gonna be a good day.

Norm leaped from his bed and began rummaging through everything in his room.

“Norm,” his mom said as she entered the room, “Today is Easter. Normally on Easter, colorful eggs are hidden throughout the garden and are full of little surprises.”

“Oh yeah,” remembered Norm,” the garden!” He raced out of his room, down the stairs, out the front door and into the garden.

Norm peeked in and out of every bush, plant, flower and weed in search of colorful Easter Eggs.

After only a few minutes, Norm’s arms were full of Easter Eggs. So full, in fact, that he couldn’t carry them all.

“Norm,” his mom said, “Normally on Easter you collect all your eggs in an Easter basket.”

“I almost forgot” exclaimed Norm. He dropped all his eggs right where he stood, and ran back inside.

A few moments later, Norm emerged carrying his empty laundry hamper with a big grin on his face and began loading up his lot of eggs. He couldn’t wait to open them up and see what delicious goodies waited inside each one.

Sometime later that morning, Norm sat at brunch with his family. Norm had eaten so many chocolates, however, that he had no appetite. Norm’s mom could tell Norm wasn’t feeling well.

“Norm,” his mom said, ” Normally on Easter it’s okay to have a few treats before brunch. But I think you may have had one too many, huh?”

Norm nodded in agreement. So Norm’s mom carried Norm back upstairs to his bed to lie down where she tucked him in under his covers.

“Today is Easter,” she said, “and Normally on Easter we paint eggs and roll them down the big grass hill at the school. But I think you’d better sleep instead.”

She kissed Norm on the forehead and switched off the light as she left the room. Norm felt awful. Not only was his tummy ready to burst from all the chocolate, but his Easter fun was over too. Norm drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, Norm was sitting at the top of a bid grass hill.

“Norm,” Norm heard his name from behind him and turned to face a big, fluffy, bunny rabbit.

“I’m the Easter Bunny. Normally the Easter Bunny stays hidden. But since you are dreaming, I figured I would show myself just this once. And besides, Easter is anything but normal.Would it be ok if I rolled these eggs down the hill with you?”

The Easter Bunny held up a gigantic basket full of colorful eggs, each one different from the next. Norm reached in, grabbed an egg, and hurled down the grassy slope. It rolled and bounced all the way down until it was practically out of sight. He and the Easter Bunny rolled on, tossing dozens of eggs down the big grass hill. Norm had never had so much fun in his life.

Then, as Norm reached back into the basket, he saw the most beautiful egg of all, solid gold in color. He snatched it up and wound his arm to toss it down the hill. But just before he threw it, he awoke in his bed.

The ream was over. All the fun Norm had just been having suddenly stopped. He was alone in his bed and his stomach still ached.

But something was different. Norm seemed to be holding something in his hand. Norm looked down and saw the very same gold egg clenched in his palm. Written on the side of the egg were the words, “Easter is anything but Normal.”