The Orange Giant

I squeezed past the bottom flap of the storm door and came face-to-face with a giant, warty orange pumpkin guarding the porch boards! Without a second of hesitation, I threw my arms wide and hurled my belly right into its ribbed flank. Thump! The hefty gourd rocked back on its flat base with a heavy, hollow knock, but refused to topple over. An obstacle? Ha! I dug my fingers into the deep grooves, scrambled upward, and threw my chest right over the top, hooking my chin directly against the twisted dry stem. As the pumpkin wobbled back and forth under my weight, I let loose a rattling, bubbling chortle across the quiet morning yard.