We all want a friend to love and to love us no matter if we’re rich or poor, right or wrong, silly or wise, a friend to stick with us through hard times, a friend to share our lives. Sometimes we search too hard to find such a friend, and often we just give up looking. But every now and then true friends come along when we least expect them, ready to bring out the best in us, just like we do for them.
Patricia An|elkovi}
illustrated by Dobrosav Bob @ivkovi}
This is the story of Mr. Grumpy and Gruff. Mr. Grumpy’s name wasn’t really Mr. Grumpy, and Gruff’s name wasn’t really Gruff. That’s just what everyone called them, because that’s just what they were: grumpy and gruff.
They lived in the same town and not too far from each other, but each was just too busy being cantankerous to notice the other.
Every day Mr. Grumpy snapped at the mailman, howled at children, and snarled at cats. He scowled at everybody around him. So did Gruff.
Neighbors tried to be kind, but Mr. Grumpy just said:
HUMPH!
They tried to be friendly to Gruff, but he only snarled:
GRRR!