LOST TURTLE
704-****
*REWARD*
Lost turtle? It would be funny except that two summers ago we lost a turtle. Some people think that turtles are slow, but I'm convinced that it's all an act to fool everyone. As soon as you turn your back on these wily creatures, they take off running. Okay, so they don't run all that fast (with the short legs and carrying a house on their backs), but they are faster than the average population may think. This fact combined with leaving a 5 year old in charge of said creature is just asking for trouble. But the turtle we lost wasn't your average, everyday pet shop kind of turtle.
The turtle who ran away was a hillbilly, cross country traveling, turtle. When we were in West Virginia visiting relatives*, my uncles thought it would be great fun to bring box turtles for the boys to play with. And it was. They loved them (all 4 of them). And even my grandparents got involved. Grandpa found the perfect box for them and Grandma gave the boys veggies to feed their new pets. It really was fun, so when we got ready to head for home, we decided to bring the smallest of the turtles with us. We didn't tell the boys so that they wouldn't bug us for 2,347 miles about holding it. We quietly put it in a shoe box and hid it under the van seat. Without the boys ever suspecting a thing, we fed and watered our secret passenger and he safely made it all the way across the country to his new home. The boys were of course thrilled when we revealed what was in the box. And this free turtle only cost us about $100 (tank, heater, light, bedding, food). He was a great pet until that fateful day. Josh loved to take the turtle out into the yard to wander around in the grass and eat bugs. So one day in the late summer, he was doing just that. I got busy doing outdoor chores and Josh got busy chasing butterflies and before we knew it the turtle was gone. We own five acres with no fences, so finding a six inch long, very well camouflaged turtle was nearly impossible. We did look though. For quite a while. And still didn't find the turtle.**
So when I saw the "LOST TURTLE" sign this week, I thought of our own lost turtle and wondered if there was any way that they had found our lost turtle and that he had escaped again. Not likely, I know. When I told my mom this story, she told me the way to find out. She said, "Call the number and ask them if their turtle had a southern accent." Very funny, mom.
*The story of this trip would be a whole other blog. Maybe someday.
**Josh got a new turtle for his next birthday. We still have that one.
3 comments:
Heehee--your mom is so funny! I bet that lost turtle actually IS your turtle, trying to get home to you. One day you'll walk outside to get in the car and he'll be waiting on your welcome mat with his tail wagging and the paper in his mouth! :)
That made me giggle and I was there. Thats funny. Don't you think you should have added that it smelled for the 2347 miles? I agree with you on the quick turtles. And I think they are gypsy animals, why are they always trying to run away?
When I was little girl in 1969, we brought a turtle home from Wisconsin while we were on vacation. He was about two inches long and we fed him flies and worms. "Burlinggame" (named after the lake we found him in)lived for many years. He didn't grow much, as he was kept in a small round bowl, but I do remember he had a certain "odor" as well. I figured it was from eating flies! Turtles are unique friends. When visit Petco, I have to say hi to them and revisit memories of my little friend.
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