The story of Pinocchio

Chapter six

                Pinocchio knew it could possibly be hard to ask his father, but he really wanted to join the circus. He balled up the flyer and placed it in his pocket. He opened the door, seeing that the shop was quite empty today. He watched quietly as his father was tinkering with an old keepsake box. "Father, I have to ask you something?" Geppetto barely looked up. "Pinocchio? I didn't see you come in, what do you have to ask me?" Did he really have the courage to ask him? "Can we talk about it, at dinner?" "Of course, I'm almost finished, and I'll have dinner ready in a few hours." Pinocchio took of his shoes and went into his room.

He looked around seeing all of his toys and books. Most of the books came from different places, his father use to collect them for him on different business trips so most of his books were written in various languages. He smiled as he leaped from his bed and went to explore his father's room. His father had never forbidden him for coming in here, Pinocchio just never really did. What he saw was a picture on the nightstand, with a boy who was similar to him in age. He picked it up, before carefully observing it. He placed it back down gently. He then saw a round brown box underneath the bed and pulled it out, he opened the box.

Inside of it was a yellow hat, tied with a red ribbon, decorating with a red feather. Why would is father hide this from him? He placed it back and the box beneath the bed. "Pinocchio! Dinner!" His father called him. He forgot that he had the hat with him, when he went downstairs. "Pinocchio? What are you doing with that?" "Father, I...". "Give it here, now." Pinocchio handed that hat to his father. "You could've ripped it." He examined the hat for any rips. "I'm sorry I didn't know the hat meant that much to you, if you'll tell me who's that boy on the picture in your room?" "You've been in my room?" "Well, sort of." "Pinocchio, you really need to stay out of there, understand?" "Yes, father." Pinocchio looked down, tears already watering his eyes.

"I'm sorry I got upset, but please just stay out, okay?" Pinocchio nodded. Geppetto placed the hat gently down. "Now what was it, that you were going to tell me?" "Well, this girl at my school asked if I could be a part of her father's circus; he says that he's looking for talent and maybe I can help by making money." He handed his father the flyer. Geppetto looked it over. "No, Pinocchio. You aren't going to be a circus performer. You are going to run our toyshop." "Well, what if I don't want to run it? Why can't you let me go?"

"Pinocchio, I've raised you better than to accept invitations from strangers; you will not go to the circus and clown off!" He ripped up the paper. "But father?" "No, buts. If you don't want to eat, then I guess you can go to bed hungry tonight." Pinocchio started crying, and Geppetto didn't want to hear any of it. "Pinocchio, stop that; you are not getting your way because you cry." "I don't understand why you won't let me." He said through his tears. "I've already told you why, and I'm not changing my mind." "I hate you!" Pinocchio suddenly snapped. Geppetto was appalled by this behavior; it really stung him. "Well, when you get older and can take care of yourself, you are obligated to hate me. But since you are a child, you will head to your room and think about what you just said!" "I wish you weren't my father!"

Pinocchio stomped up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door, causing all the pictures on the wall and shelves to shake. This made Geppetto furious, but he refused to go after him. The tiny cricket saw the boy crying on his bed; he felt sorry for him but didn't care about what he said to his father. With the help of his umbrella, the small cricket floated down from the ledge and onto his bed.

"Do you think you should've said those things to your father?' the small cricket whispered to him. "N-no, I-I shouldn't have." "And why do you feel that way?" "Because he wouldn't let me go to the circus he wants me to run, this stupid toy shop." "Your father only wants what's best for you." "

Well, he's making my life miserable." The tiny cricket frowned, walking closer to him. "No, who even are you?" "Well, I'm glad you've asked. I'm Jiminy Cricket, and I already know your name, it's Pinocchio." Pinocchio wiped his tears and saw the cricket talking to him; he had no idea that crickets even had a name." "Well, I do, Pinocchio. Now, what was it you said you wanted to go to?" "The circus?" "I don't think you should go there," Jiminy warned him. "But I still want to go, and I am." "Pinocchio, don't go. You shouldn't." "Why shouldn't I?" Jiminy was running out of words. "It's not smart of you to run off this late." Pinocchio smiled a little. "Without writing?" "Yes, without... What?" He watched as Pinocchio grabbed a sheet of paper and a quill and wrote,

Dear father,

I'm sorry for being a bad son.

I'll be performing in Stromboli's circus when you read this letter.

Also, I didn't mean anything I said

Love,

Pinocchio.

Pinocchio felt the letter he wrote him was a little cliché, but at least he still decided to write to him about his whereabouts. At least, he hoped his father would forgive him. Jiminy sighed; it was a helpless situation this was. He frowned and sat back, defeated. It was around nine pm when Geppetto came upstairs to check on Pinocchio.

He wanted to talk to him but found his room empty. A pain of guilt washed over him. He picked up and read the letter, setting it back down. Jiminy followed Geppetto secretly as Geppetto slid on his brown coat and matching brown hat and got ready to head out; he didn't forget to take the toy train with him; he knew he wanted to give it to Pinocchio as an apology gift.