Lexi's Tale by Johanna Hurwitz

Author:Johanna Hurwitz
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Published: 2001-09-10T04:00:00+00:00

“Then what are you doing with it?” my uncle asked.

If I’d thought fast enough, I’d have come up with a story to satisfy him. But I made the mistake of telling him about the hungry human again. “This wallet is filled with green papers that he can use to get food,” I explained.

“Lexington!” my uncle shouted. I know it’s never good when someone who knows your nickname calls you by your formal name instead. “I told you to have nothing more to do with that man. It’s bad luck for squirrels and people to interact. I know your mother taught you that. You give a wallet to a man and the next thing you know he’ll catch you and put you inside a cage.”

“Why would he do that?” I asked my uncle. “If I’m in a cage, I can never give him another gift.” Of course I didn’t have anything else to give the stranger except another mitten or an old glove and a rubber ball. But neither my uncle nor the stranger knew that.

Uncle Ninety-nine shook his head. “I’m warning you,” he said. “You will only feel regret if you give that wallet to a human. Throw it on the ground. It was lost by one human. It will be found by another. Squirrels have the good fortune not to need green papers in order to get their meals.”

I scratched my head. I’d been taught to respect my elders. Never had I even argued with one in a conversation. But this was one time when I felt strongly that I was doing the right thing. Uncle Ninety-nine was wrong: The hungry stranger with the funny hat would not put me inside a cage. Even if he tried, I knew I was too fast for him. Besides, I was certain that he wouldn’t try. I’d seen how gently he had handled PeeWee.

“This man is good,” I reassured my uncle. “My nose tells me that I can trust him. And my head tells me that I should help him.” If Uncle Ninety-nine didn’t disapprove of my friendship with PeeWee, I would have once again explained how the stranger had rescued my friend. And how PeeWee and I now wanted to help him in return. But I knew this wouldn’t be a convincing argument to my uncle. My uncle understood everything about his stomach, but nothing about helping others. I decided to try and speak his own language.

“Uncle,” I said politely, “you’re right. Squirrels can exist without humans. But think how they enrich our lives. We could live forever on the seed pods and acorns we find in the park. But isn’t it a hundred times better that humans come here daily and leave the most delicious foods for us? Remember: A variety among nuts helps avoid life’s ruts. This park doesn’t produce Brazil nuts, or almonds, or cashews, or pistachio nuts. Without humans you’d never have eaten any hazelnuts or pecans—and what about macadamia nuts?”

“Ah, macadamia nuts.” Uncle Ninety-nine closed his eyes and began to chew the air.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.