Saving The Mckenney's MILKSHAKE Van!

• Ashleigh McKenna, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2022

Nelly rushed to the milkshake van, tired. Wanting a scrumptious treat, she pulled her money out of her glittery pink bag. Suddenly, she came to a halt. There, in bold red letters spelt out: CLOSED DUE TO SHORTAGE OF STAFF. Nelly fumed. Her hair stuck out onto one end. This was where she had tried her first delicious frozen treat. This was where she got her first milkshake - choc strawberry. This was where she has all of her birthdays. And now it is gone. Forever! Worst of all, Nelly couldn't do anything about it. Or could she?
Later that night…
Nelly sniffed loudly as her Mother, Nardia came into her room to kiss her sweet girl goodnight. ”What’s wrong?” she asked warmly.
"The...sniff, milkshake...van...closed!” Nelly wailed. Nardia knew this would not end nicely.
”You could…” she said, ”use your art skills?” And… Nardia was gone.
Nelly thought very hard. Suddenly, it came to her. The perfect plan.
‘Come to Mckenney's milkshake van and save it!'
The Mckenney’s milkshake van is closing! Come and sign up to join and save Mckenney’s!’
Nelly had put her plan into action. She had made 15 lovely flyers and put them onto the still, stiff trees in the street. Now there was a swarm of people waiting outside of Mckenney’s. “This is amazing,” her mother said, holding a flyer aloft. "You must have put a lot of effort into this!” Nelly grinned. She had.
Mckenney heard yelling from the little apartment he lived in and rushed out to see what it was all about. He was very surprised to see that all the racket had come from outside of his milkshake van. He wondered who had done all of this.
Later that day, Mckenney made an announcement. "First, I would like to say a huge thanks to Miss Nelly who saved this place.” An ear piercing applause sounded like a motorcycle revving. "We have managed to get 5 new employees!” He placed the microphone down and gave Nelly a huge thumbs up. Nelly felt super proud. She had done really well.