Pay It Forward

Shirley Hauser

PAY IT FORWARD

THE TURTLE SITTING ON THE FENCE POST DIDN'T GET THERE BY HIMSELF.

THERE MUST BE A LESSON HERE, BUT ALL I SEE IS SOMEBODY LEFT HIM THAT WAY -

ALL ALONE AND BEING RAINED ON. HE CAN'T CRY FOR HELP AND HE CAN'T JUMP.

WHAT PASSER-BY THOUGHT THIS WAS FUNNY? BUT LOOK, UP IN THE SKY THERE'S

A BIG BLACK BIRD CIRCLING. NOW THIS COULD BE GOOD, OR THIS COULD BE BAD.

IF HE'S HUNGRY, THIS POOR LITTLE GUY IS A CERTAIN TARGET FOR LUNCH. BUT

MAYBE, HIS HEART IS'NT THE SAME COLOR HE IS. MAYBE, HE REMEMBERS A TIME

WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE FUZZY THING STUCK ON A BRANCH WITH NO MAMA AROUND

AND HE SPIED A BIG ROCK UNDERNEATH THE TREE, AND OHHH!!!! IF HE COULD JUST

FLY, HE MIGHT BE OKAY. SO, HE FLUFFED AND STRETCHED AND FLUTTERED TO THE

ROCK. AND DO YOU KNOW, THAT ROCK BEGAN TO MOVE AND MOVE, AND IT'S

HEAD POKED OUT AND LEGS STARTED PUSHING DIRT, AND IT LOOKED AROUND AT

THE FUZZY LITTLE BIRD ON HIS BACK AND SAID, "WHERE TO?"

NOW THE BIG BLACK BIRD IS SWOOPING DOWN TOWARD THE FENCE POST, AND ALL

OF A SUDDEN HE GRABS THE LITTLE TURTLE'S TAIL AND FLEW HIM TO A SAFE SPOT

ON THE RIVERBANK. AS HE SQUAWKED HIS FAREWELL AND SOARED TO THE SKY,

I ALMOST THIINK I SAW HIM TURN HIS HEAD AND WINK.