<< Go Back

What's Up, Cody

By Brenda OBannion

Order Now!

What’s Up, Cody?/O’Bannion



Chapter 1
Grayson’s Pasture
Cody sat in the farthest corner of Grayson’s pasture, trying to escape his father’s angry
voice. “Cody, where are you? Come here this instant!” Cody lowered himself in the tall grass.
Maybe he’d be lucky, and Pop would give up hunting for him. He knew what Pop wanted. Cody
shivered in fear thinking of all the things his father expected him to do. I want to make you
proud, Pop. Just not today.
####
Cody’s mother tried to calm her husband. “Don’t get yourself all worked up. Sweet
Cheeks isn’t ready to do the things cowbirds do. Give him time. He’s still a baby.”
“A baby! Sweet Cheeks! He’s older than I was when I left the home and headed out on
my own. Please don’t call him Sweet Cheeks! His name is Cody!”
“I know, dear, but he does have sweet, rosy cheeks.” Cody’s mother smiled.
“I’m tired of all his fears. It’s time for him to man up and start acting like other
cowbirds.” Cody’s father prepared to fly east. “I’m not giving up. He won’t be young forever,
you know.”
“Yes, dear. You go find Sweet Cheeks, uh, I mean Cody.”


####
From the tall grass, Cody gazed at the place he and his family called home. Farmer
Grayson's house stood near the back of the pasture. Near the house, a big red barn towered
higher than any of the trees around it.
Beside the house, a cornfield ended near the lazy waters of Brushy Creek. The
cornfield offered Cody a perfect hiding place, unless the wind blew hard. Then, the sharp blades
of the cornstalk pricked his skin. He scanned the sky, happy to see no clouds. Maybe I’ll spend
some time in the cornfield today.
Cody’s eyes followed the creek north to a spot he didn’t like. There, the creek spread
out of its banks, creating a shallow pool of murky water called Marshy Pond. In the middle of the
pond stood several dead cottonwoods. Occasionally, big buzzards perched on the twisted
branches searching for a meal. Still waters surrounded the trees, filled with snapping turtles and a
big mean alligator. Only the bravest cowbirds ever dare visit Marshy Pond – and that’s not me!
Cody shivered and turned away. On the far east side of the pasture, Cottonwood Grove
offered him a safe place. The trees provided a fine home at night for the cowbirds to roost. The
large triangle-shaped leaves of the cottonwoods moved in the gentle breezes, making a soft
whirling noise. To Cody’s ears, it sounded like music.
Just below the trees, Big Pond sparkled. Unlike Marshy Pond, Big Pond had sparkling
blue water surrounded by tall cattails, sunflowers and high grasses. The grasses gave cover from
the hot summer sun and provided a nice meal of a variety of bugs.
Cody tried to stay away from the squishy mud surrounding the pond. He almost fainted
the first time he felt his feet sinking in the soft earth. What if the mud swallows me?


In the center of the 120-acre farm stood Mighty Oak. The huge, old oak tree had many
limbs spreading out far and low. Shade from the towering oak’s large leaves blocked the sun’s
heat, offering a favorite resting place for the cowbirds.
A hay field lay between Mighty Oak and the house. Cody stared at the field, wishing he
liked it as much as the other cowbirds. They were always watching the hay grow, talking about
mowing season and the arrival of the grasshoppers. Not me. I wish the hay would stop growing
forever!
Many cowbirds roamed the field. When did Grayson’s pasture get so crowded? Once
there were less than a hundred cowbirds in the flock. When Cody was a chick, finding enough
food each day never seemed to be a problem. Now, there were twice as many cowbirds in his
pasture and more joining them every day. Cody sighed. Pop says it’s getting harder and harder
to find food. I wish things were like they used to be.
The flocks of cowbirds back in Africa made this one seem small. His pappy told Cody
stories about 25,000 birds, all living in and around shallow lakes. The birds lived in dead trees in
the middle of lakes filled with alligators and hippos. No wonder my great-great grandparents
island-hopped to North America. Even with a crowded pasture full of scary things, Grayson’s
pasture is better than the homeland in Africa!
####
“Cody, come here. I want to talk with you.” Pop flew over the hay field toward the high
grass by Brushy Creek.
Cody winced. “Pop’s not giving up today!” He took off to a fence near the far edge of the
pasture, hunkering down behind tall sunflowers. Surely Pop won’t find me here.
What’s Up, Cody?/O’Bannion
5



####
“Hey, Cody, what’s up?” A cowbird with a messy tuff landed beside him with a hard
thump. Cody’s best friend, Wally, didn’t know the meaning of quiet. He did everything fast and
loud.
“Shh, keep it down, Wally! I’m hiding from Pop.”
“Why, you in trouble?”
Cody rolled his eyes, “Just because my pop is calling me doesn’t mean I’m in trouble.”
“Really? That’s the ONLY reason my dad ever calls me! If you’re not in trouble, why are
you hiding?”
Maybe I can tell Wally about my problem. We’ve been best friends since we were chicks.
Wally didn’t have many friends. He tried, but he usually did something the other young
cowbirds didn’t like. They never hung around long when Wally joined the group.
But Cody liked Wally. His friend never pushed when he didn’t want to do something.
Still, could he really tell Wally his problem? More important, could he trust his friend to keep
quiet about his biggest secret?
“Wally, if I tell you something really important, will you keep it a secret?”
What’s Up, Cody?/O’Bannion
6

“Me, keep a secret? Sure. If there one thing I can do, it’s keeping my beak shut. I
remember one time when…”
“Okay, okay. I get it.” Cody tried again. “There’s something about me you don’t know.
I’m not sure if I should tell you, even if you are my best friend. Well, my only friend.”
“Ah, come on, Cody. You know you can trust me. Don’t I always stand up for you with
the other cowbirds? And who helped you when you got stuck in the mud at Big Pond after those
hard rains? That’s gotta count for something.”
I do need help with my fears. Wally’s the only one I can turn to. “Okay, Wally, listen up.
Then get ready to shut up, deal?”
“Deal!” Wally settled on the grass to hear Cody’s secret.

Order Now!

<< Go Back