Fun Of Making Friends (1950)

The story of Joey, the boy in the house. That isn't Joey playing on the sidewalk. No. Joey is in the house. He likes to play alone, or at least he says he does. But you can always see him looking out the window whenever other boys and girls are playing outside. Why do you suppose he does that? Doesn't he have friends? Is it a good idea to have friends? Would it be more fun to have friends to play with? Well, Barney and seem to be having a lot of fun, don't they? Maybe having friends would be a good idea. Maybe it would be fun to have friends to play with. But who? "How can you find friends?", Joey wonders. Why look. There's someone. Suzy! Could she be a friend? Maybe. Oh. She's just a little girl. She's too young. But she sees someone. It's Mr. Alexander. He's an old man. He's too old for a friend. At least that's what Joey thinks. But wait! Why the little girl and Mr. Alexander are friends. What is in his sack? Look at that! Well, well. If they can be friends maybe just about any person can be a friend. "Yet how can you make friends?", Joey wonders. Joey doesn't know. Does he? He goes back to his toys, playing by himself. But he keeps wondering how to make friends. Why here's Ginger. Ginger is Joey's friend. And here comes mother. She's a friend, too. Maybe mother knows how to make friends. Joey asks her, and mother does have some suggestions. Can you guess what they are? Do you know the secrets of making friends? And Joey wants to remember them. He designs a model with his printing set. Mother thinks it's a good idea, and Ginger wonders what it's all about. Smile and talk to people. And here are mother's suggestions. Can you read them? Smile and talk to people. Find good things in people. Tell them the good things. Do this all the time. Well, that looks easy enough, and Joey is going to try it out. Next day at school is his first chance. Joey smiles and talks to the others. Say this doesn't look like the same Joey. Does it? Look. Barney and Betty are smiling right back and the teacher, too. Boy, it's fun to make friends. Maybe mother knew what she was talking about. Smile and talk to people. That's the first step. But what is the second? Find good things in people. Let's see. What about Fred? What can Joey find that's good about him? That's a hard question for a fellow like Joey Who hasn't watched other people much. Can you find something good about Fred? See how busy he is? He really likes to draw. Doesn't he? And he does a good job. That's a fine drawing. Joey thinks so, too. Now, he knows something good about Fred. What should Joey do now? Do we remember the third rule? Tell them the good things, but how can Joey do that? He can't just up and say, "Fred, that's a good drawing." It's hard to do that. Maybe you don't need that rule to make friends. But wait a minute. Joey wants to make friends with Fred, and he hasn't done it yet. Better try it, Joey. "Say, Fred. How do you make your horse look so good? Would you show me?" And Fred feels good about that. Of course, he'll show Joey. He'll be glad to. It looks as though Joey has made a new friend. All day, things have been going better for Joey He's still smiling and talking to people, finding good things about people and telling them about the good things. It worked. Look. Barney and Betty are waiting to walk home with Joey. That's good. Going home isn't going to be lonely this time. And do you know what they decided on they way home? In a little while, Barney and Betty are coming over to play at Joey's house. Then they'll become even better friends. Now, Joey sees someone coming up the walk. Suzy, the little girl. "She's just a little girl," Joey thinks. "No need to be friends with her," but what else did mother say? Do this all the time. That's right. Smile and talk to her. Well, well. This isn't going to be easy. Better try again. Look for something good about her, Joey. Try to find something nice. Look, Joey. Aren't those pretty mittens? And see. She is very proud of them, isn't she? Well, tell her what pretty mittens they are. That makes her smile. Wouldn't it be fun if she could come in Joey's house and play? Would she like to? Of course, she would, but first she must ask her mother. She'll come back right away. Joey has certainly learned a lot about the fun of making friends. Hasn't he? Remember? Do you remember how Joey took the first step by smiling and talking to other people? How he used the second step and found good things about Fred? How he told Fred about these good things and made friends with him? And remember. Joey did this all the time. Yes. This is the house where Joey lives. Now that Joey has made friends, you don't see him looking out the window anymore for Joey has found how much fun it is to have friends to play with, good friends. Joey has also found that our new friends often come to like our old friends just as Joey's friends like Ginger. It is fun to be with your friends, and look. Barney is helping Suzy work the toy, and she likes that. She's going to be his friend. Helping others is another way to make friends, isn't it? Can you think of other things you can do to make friends?