Stanley Xavier Pettiford Broom

Stanley Xavier Pettiford Broom jumped in a taxi and rode to the moon.

He asked the driver to go to Cancun, but he sneezed when he spoke, just like this, ‘Aaa-Achooooo!!”

The driver thought Stanley sneezed out the word “moon;” and that taxi went upward just like a balloon.

As soon as the taxi lifted off from the ground, Stanley Xavier came quite unwound!

He asked the driver to stop, to slow down; and please could he bring the car back to the ground?

The driver just grinned back at Stanley’s sour frown saying, “Please buckle your seatbelt and pay me in pounds.”

“The fee will be fifty-three million and two, and if you don’t mind, I will turn on some tunes.”

The driver then pressed a red button that glowed, and the music now rumbled along as they rode.

Now Stanley couldn’t think of what he should do, so he just sat back and enjoyed the view.

They slowly rose higher away from the city, and Stanley saw buildings now shrink itty bitty.

The sight of his home drifted further away, and the color of sky changed from bright blue to gray.

The higher they rose, the more runny his nose, and Stanley was scared from his head to his toes.

He tried to ask nicely if they could go back, but the driver was busy now reading his map.

It seemed to show planets and asteroids and stars, not cities and streets and a place you’d find cars.

Stanley wondered if this could be real. Perhaps he was dreaming, and his eyes were still sealed.

Maybe he never got out of the bed, and maybe this driver was just in his head.

The thought of it all being just a strange dream, made Stanley relax and feel less apt to scream.

He watched as the driver turned this way and that, dodging a meteor, now zooming so fast.

They whirled in a spiral as Stanley held tight, starting to enjoy his first space flight.

In the mirror he noticed the driver more clear, the tint to his skin and the shape of his ear.

This driver was colored an odd shade of green, and his ear was like none Stanley ever had seen. Pointed so elf-like and boasting blue hair, Stanley simply could not resist but to stare.

The driver began to lower the car, and they saw that their landing spot wasn’t that far.

As they circled now closer to Stanley’s great shock, he saw buildings and neighborhoods, schools and some shops.

Houses and swimming pools, buses and cars, and up above were the Earth and the stars.

These little green people had cities and homes, much like the ones Stanley had always known.

He watched as the children played ball in the park; and watched as a dog fetched a stick with a bark.

The food looked a little bit strange at first, but Stanley knew several Earth foods that were worse.

He thanked his strange driver and gave him some cash, and then he stepped out of the cab in a dash.

He quickly went walking to see all he could, to learn about moon people, moon doggies, moon food.

The more that he saw - the more he wanted to see. So in the center of town he climbed up a tree.

From the highest point in the moon town tree, Stanley could see all the moon things to see.

He saw lots of wonders like big flying cars, floating trampolines, and some tourists from Mars.

Sitting up high in the tree of moon town, Stanley felt he would never want to come down.

There were moon children playing a new sort of game, that used a moon target and a moon cannon to aim.

He watched a moon mommy buy her kids moon ice cream, and a moon dad coaching a little moon league.

He liked watching the moon people and all of their fun, but he did start to notice the setting of the sun.

As it got darker the moon people went home, the moon dogs were now the only creatures to roam.

There was much less to watch now, nothing to see, so Stanley began his descent from the tree.

He walked past a restaurant just closing its doors, down past a shopkeep just sweeping his floors.

As Stanley strolled down the empty moon street, he heard the strange taxi driver call out, “Take a seat!”

Stanley Xavier was very relieved to see the taxi cab driver had come back to retrieve him.

As he scooted in back and buckled his belt, the taxi took off, and suddenly he felt

A little lightheaded like he just might faint, but he stayed very quiet and made no complaint.

He looked out the window as they rose away fast, watching all the moon buildings and scenery fly past.

The taxi was warm and the backseat was soft, and Stanley Xavier soon nodded off.

After a while he felt something nudge him and he awoke to find the cab driver above him.

“Sir? Are you awake? Hello? Wake up sir… I’ve been trying to wake you but you really were out. It’s been a long drive and I don’t want to shout. Could you kindly please pay me and be on your way? I’ve many more miles to drive back home today. We’re here in Cancun as you asked when I met you. I hope you enjoyed your nap and I thank you.”

Stanley Xavier Pettiford Broom was still drowsy and dazed. He looked around and then felt truly amazed. For all he could see was the sun shining down on the city of Cancun and no moon-folk around. He dug in his wallet and pulled out some cash. The driver took it and bowed with a nod and a wave; and slipped back into his taxi-cab in a dash.

Stanley then realized it must all be a dream, the moon dogs and moon kids and moon ice cream. But as he turned back and looked toward the taxi again, he saw it lift up off the ground in a spin. It tossed and it whirled and it zigged and it twirled, just a hazy blur of motion as it zoomed over the ocean.

Not sure what to think, but with a grin and a wink, Stanley Xavier found his way down the street.

If ever you want to take a ride in a taxi, make sure not to sneeze when you climb in the backseat.