Mid Weak Munchies : The Race p8

p.8 Puffy and the Great Penguin

Puffy looked straight into the eyes of the Great Penguin and said, "Please finish my sto.. I mean finish the story of the mustang. You chose this story before you came here tonight didn't you?"

With a smile He continued, "Weeks went by for the Rancher and the mustang. Each morning He would carry a bucket of grain to the mustang and sing an unusual song about a patient friend. The mustang enjoyed the times and the song. As He sang, harmonies would be created by the wind. It sounded like many choirs, yet only one sang.

"One very special morning as the mustang was eating out of the Rancher's bucket, the Rancher slipped a new bridle over the mustangs head and unhooked the strap from the post. 'Freedom!!' thought the mustang. Jerking his head back and rearing up, the mustang saw the distant rail seperating him from the open range. Without a second thought, the mustang bolted over the fence and blazed across the open field next to the barn. After a few minutes the mustang was out of sight. The Rancher asked in a soft voice, 'Where are you going?' The mustang in fear stiffened straight his legs and slid to a stop. Over to the left the mustang saw the Rancher's back to him as He was carrying a new saddle. 'Wait!' Thought the mustang. 'This can't be possible!?! The Rancher was far back there at that old run down corral! Wasn't He? Yet, He's just twenty yards away. But that's His voice. I would recognize it anywhere.' Looking over His right shoulder, the Rancher grinned. 'I'm everywhere, yet most never see me. I knew you would run, and that's ok. I was waiting for you here. If I hadn't spoke to you here, you would've run into a trap and snapped your left leg. See that old Bezel stump ten feet up on your right?' The mustang could just barely see the top of an old rotted stump. It was just beneath the tops of the wheat and tall grass. It was swarming with flies. An animal carcass was rotting in one of several traps chained to the stump. As the wind shifted, the mustang backed away from the foul stench of rotting meat on a hot summer's day. 'There's a trap there with your name on it.' the Rancher continued. The mustang froze in his steps from fear of more traps.'Come straight to me, and you won't be hurt.' said the Rancher in a calm voice. Hesitant and reluctant, the mustang took short steps to the Rancher. 'I bought this new saddle for you. May I see if it fits?'

'After what I just did, You still want to give me something? It's a beautiful saddle, but I'm sure it's too small for my big strong back.' The mustang shook the bridle that was still on his head. Smiling, the Rancher laughed 'They always fit. I haven't missed a size yet.' Swinging the burgundy leather saddle over the back of the mustang, it was a perfect fit. The Rancher had tooled and stamped a set of roses into the pattern. The pattern was like Egyptian Hieroglyphs with a story embossed. The story contained many animals and birds. There were monkeys, ducks, roadrunners, and many other unusual things, even a big blue door.A tree stump was burned into the design of the leather. It matched exactly that one near where the mustang stopped. The stump, was recognizable, but everything was confusing to the mustang.

'These other stamps are all part of my pleasure. All but the stump. I put that stump on there to remind you to watch out for it.' explained the Rancher. Glently the Rancher climbed into the saddle and turned the mustang back to the ranch. With a click in his voice, and a gentle heel, the mustang raced back to the familiar post. 'That won't be neccessary anymore. I've prepared a nice stable for you.' said the Rancher with a fatherly tone in His voice."

The Great Penguin looked around at the crowd. All the penguins had fallen fast asleep. Just one lone road runner remained awake. In a soft tone He leaned over to Puffy, "You're like that mustang." As her eyes welled up, Puffy nodded. "All my life I played the class clown. I just want to be accepted. I've done some real dumb things in my life......" Puffy confessed many things to the Great Penguin. He put His big strong 'arm' around her and kissed her forehead in a fatherly way. They talked and cried and laughed all night.

As the sun came up, Puffy realized she had fallen asleep at some point. She looked around and she was all alone on an island beach. There was a large burned out campfire near. Again she saw that strange stump at the far end of the beach. It gave her the creeps. There was just something wrong with that ugly stump.