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If you wish to avoid our usual lengthy and meandering introduction, scroll down to the horizontal line; you won't be missing much.
Anyway, for those of you who know Chuck, the happiest years of his life were those years that he and Laurie, his goode wyfe then, and now the chief of his staff (cough) -- the years that they raised their children, Charley and Andrea.
The family lived very close to the Dallas, Oregon city park. Often, Chuck took his children, in company with their cousin Caitlin, to the park, there to wade in the creek, swing on swings, throw rocks in the creek, slide on the slide, ride bicycles, play on the merry-go-round and the like.
While the children played, Chuck would wander about, deep in thought. For the large trees in the park reminded him of the rubber trees in Vietnam. To divert his mind from the unpleasant memories, Chuck often composed short and amusing stories. This is one of those stories.
We sincerely hope the story provides you with a pleasant diversion.
Copyright 2016 C.E. Gee -- All rights reserved.
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A SOLSTICE STORY BY C.E. GEE
Lizzie -- A Fairy Tail
by
C.E. Gee
IMPORTANT WARNING!!!!! This story contains a couple of short segments that are R rated. Skip over those segments if reading the story to children.
Lizzie the lizard lived in a city park. She spent most days sunning herself near the top of a tall and unusually large magnolia bush.
The location of the bush was ideal, situated near to and between the park’s restrooms and creek. For during the day, Lizzie dined on flies that were attracted to the restrooms. And at dusk, swarms of mosquitoes from the creek provided Lizzie with ample suppers.
The bush was tall enough that dogs could not get to Lizzie, and dense enough to allow Lizzie to hide, especially from children.
The only drawback to Lizzie’s bush was its proximity to the creek. For just across the creek, beneath another large bush, lived a nasty, evil kingsnake (lampropeltis getula).
There was a footbridge nearby. But because of the many predatory birds that inhabited the park, the snake dare not risk crossing the bridge during the day. And at night, the coolness rendered the snake inactive.
But during the days, the snake would often call across to Lizzie, “One of these days, Lizzie, I’m going to risk it. I’ll slither across the bridge. Then I’m going to eat you.”
Lizzie always shivered in fright.
One very warm day, Lizzie, sunning herself, dozed. It was dangerous for a little lizard to fall asleep while exposed; but it happened.
Lizzie was awakened by a shaking of the bush. She opened her eyes. At the end of her branch stood a crow.
The crow was a big one, its black feathers were sleek. The crow held its head slightly askance and glared at Lizzie with one malevolent, yellow eye.
“Well little lizard,” said the crow in a harsh voice “you’re quite a find. “I think I’m going to eat you.”
“Sheesh,” muttered Lizzie to herself. “Why does everyone want to eat me? Doesn’t anyone screw anymore?”
“Listen,” Lizzie said in a much louder voice, “There’s another reptile living across the creek from here, under a bush. It’s fat and would make a far better meal than the likes of me. I’m just a tiny little lizard.”
Lizzie lifted a foreleg, pointed to the bush where the snake lived.
The crow swiveled its head, glared at the bush, then looked again at Lizzie.
“Thanks sweetheart,” said the crow. “I’ll think I’ll fly over there, have a meal. Then later, maybe I’ll look you up. You’ll make an excellent dessert.”
The crow cawed its delight, then, with a flutter of wings, flew across the creek to the designated bush.
Lizzie watched the crow as it landed on a thick branch, sidled in to the interior of the bush, then began hopping downward, from branch to branch.
Suddenly came a loud squawk. Feathers and tufts of down flew violently out of the bush, floated to the ground.
After a long while, the snake poked its head out of the bush, called over to Lizzie, “Thanks for the meal, Lizzie. I heard what you said to that crow. I owe you big time.”
The snake then chuckled. The snake’s chuckle was a series of very short hisses.
The snake continued, “I still plan on coming across the creek. But don’t worry. I’m not going to eat you; no indeed.”
Again, the chuckle.
And once again, Lizzie shivered at the snake’s pronouncement. But this time, Lizzie didn’t shiver in fear; she shivered her anticipation as she blushed. For she knew full well what the snake intended when he said he wasn’t going to eat her.
The moral of this fairy tale? Both snakes and lizards are reptiles. Also, if you tell some girl you’re going to eat her, and she turns you on to someone else, maybe she’s not that into you. Just sayin’.
END
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For another story involving an albino monkey and the goings-on in a city park, CLICK HERE.
Click here for SCIENCE FICTION stories by C.E. Gee as well as more of the SOLSTICE STORIES.
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Thanks for reading!
NAMASTE
C.E. Gee
For a BIO of the author, CLICK HERE.
