Once there was an old lady that everyone thought was a witch. She lived in a freaky looking old house. There were trees swooping down over the house that looked like ghosts. It was brick house covered with vines. It had a wraparound porch that had loose boards that made scary sounds in the wind. There was an old rocking chair on the porch that always rocked.

     There were three children that often passed the house on the way home from school. All of the children thought the old lady was a mean witch. Their names were Jessica, Max and Brian. One day the children were walking past the house.

     Brian said, "Jessica, I dare you to go up to the door and knock on it and talk to that mean witch."

     Jessica was frightened. Max and Brian said, "You are a scaredy cat if you don't go up to the house."

     Jessica said, "I'm not afraid, I will knock on the door."

     Jessica knocked on the door and the old, not mean looking lady answered. All this time the rocking chair was rocking madly. This made Jessica very scared.

     The old lady said, "Don't worry, that is my husband Fred. He keeps me company because no one comes to visit me."

     Jessica realized that the old lady must be really lonely. Jessica asked the old lady her name.

     "My name is Ruth and I have lived here for fifty years. I raised my eight children in this house and they all moved away."

     "My name is Jessica, I go to school at Willows. My friends Max and Brian are around the corner but they are too frightened to come on the porch," said Jessica.

     "Well, Sweetie, maybe we could have lemonade and cookies on the porch after school sometime. Your friends are welcome to come too, anytime."

     Brian, Max and Jessica started to come visit the lady on her front porch. One day Jessica asked Ruth why the rocking chair wasn't rocking anymore.

     Ruth said, "Why, Sweetie, my husband doesn't need to be here anymore because I am no longer lonely."