The Hiccup Hello: story transcript
Page 1
The Hiccup Hello
Page 2
Robot Bop landed on a purple planet and straightened his golden bow tie. A first greeting should be splendid. He stood tall, lifted one hand, and opened his mouth. "HIC!" Out popped a hiccup instead. Bop’s glowing eyes widened. That was not splendid.
Page 3
From behind a purple hill came Bramble, a huge, fluffy alien in a yellow scarf. Bramble bent into a bow so deep the scarf swept the ground. Bop tried again. "I came to say—HIC!" Bramble bowed even lower. "Oh," said Bop. "You heard that?"
Page 4
Bop took a careful breath. "Let me start with—HIC!" Bramble bowed and wobbled. Bop bowed back, wobbled sideways, and bumped his own knee. Bramble giggled. Bop tried to look dignified, but his mouth twitched. Then both of them giggled.
Page 5
Bramble’s nose wrinkled. "Ah... ah... ACHOO!" Bramble sneezed so hard the yellow scarf flipped over one ear. Bop took it for his cue and gave a magnificent bow. His antenna tapped the ground. "HIC!" Bramble bowed too. They nearly bumped heads.
Page 6
"Perhaps," said Bop, "hello goes like this." He hiccuped, bowed, and wobbled. Bramble sneezed, bowed, and wobbled right back. They giggled until Bop’s bow tie sat crooked. Neither could do it wrong. "Again?" asked Bramble. Bop grinned. "After a rest!"
Page 7
Under the stars, Bramble curled up beside Bop’s little spaceship. Bop tucked his crooked bow tie straight and gave one last, very small bow. Bramble answered with a sleepy wobble. Everything was quiet for a moment. Then, from Bop, came a tiny goodnight "HIC!"
