The Story of Atlas

Atlas had a little boy that loved him. He was built by that boy and lived with him next to the city dump. The little boy didn’t live in a nice home because his parents were quite poor. But, he was blessed with a great imagination and used it to make his own toys. To him, living next to the city dump was like living next to the biggest toy box in the world. He made lots of toys. He made little people by twisting wire around sticks and pieces of cloth. He pulled them around in a 8 wheeled wagon that he made with old lawn mower wheels and a wooden crate. Once, the boy made a pirate ship out of an old couch, some cardboard and a metal bed frame. He played for weeks on that couch and sailed around the world seizing other vessels and stealing treasure from the rich who don’t appreciate it.

But, Atlas was his favorite ! Atlas was a horse made of many odds and ends along with a rider that took weeks to build. When the little boy finally finished, Atlas and his rider seemed to come alive. He imagined that Atlas was the strongest horse that ever lived….And, the rider on his back was the bravest warrior. The three of them fought many wars against dangerous enemys from this planet and others. Many times, they were wounded and near death before finally winning the battle. The conquests went on for weeks and months…..Sometimes, they lived peacefully in the backyard with no one to bother them.

Other times, they saved poor people from evil landlords that steal toys and make people move. Atlas was the little boy’s best friend…As time went by, the little boy met other boys in the neighborhood. And, he wasn’t so little anymore….

Eventually, months turned into years and Atlas and his rider went on fewer and fewer adventures. Finally , one day the boy’s mom came and picked up Atlas and put him on a shelf out in the garage. And there, in that dimly lit room, is where they sat while the little boy grew up , became an adult, and finally moved away.

Atlas and his rider have not forgotten all those wonderful days and that little boy’s imagination. They just wait patiently for the next boy or girl to come along and discover them. A sense of adventure never leaves us…….. it only waits patiently for the right time and the right person.

By,
JL Thompson