Friends to Take With You

         Stacy walked to her best friend’s house, remembering many times she’d taken the same path.  Today will be the last time I walk this way, she thought sadly. She looked around and absorbed every detail of her surroundings.

         Pike’s Peak rose high into the sky off to her left and the red rock formations of Garden of the Gods loomed up ahead.  She still had to cross the bridge over the 31st Street ‘Ditch’ in front of the elementary school.

         As she passed, she looked first at the kindergarten play area at the near end of the school.  She had met LeeAnn on the first day of school as they waited in line for the slide and they’d been friends ever since.  The school looked sad and deserted in the summertime; the swings swayed lightly in the breeze as if occupied by the ghosts of former occupants, now grown up.  The forsythia bushes surrounding the building, once beautiful and fragrant in their bright yellow spring blossoms now stood like solid green sentinels at the outside door to each classroom.

         Crossing to the bridge, she thought about how proud she and LeeAnn had been to be selected as crossing guards.  They had done their job diligently and were duly rewarded at the awards ceremony on the last day of school, each receiving a certificate of merit signed by the principal, their teacher, and the superintendent.

         Stacy walked another block after crossing the bridge before reaching the trail that led to White House Ranch.  She could hear the frogs and crickets chirping merrily, quieting as she passed, and then stating up again.  She and LeeAnn had often chased dragonflies around the marshy pond.

         Rounding the corner, Stacy saw LeeAnn’s house; her friend was sitting on the front steps waiting for her.  “Wanna hike to the reservoir?” LeeAnn asked.

         Stacy nodded.

         “Not fair, your dad getting transferred and all,” LeeAnn said as they walked.

         “I know.  I can’t imagine going to Middle School with all new people.”  Stacy looked at her friend and then down at her feet.  “They’ll all have friends already; they won’t need me around.”

         LeeAnn sighed.  “You never know,” she began, trying to be encouraging.  “Kids move here all the time and we are friends with them.  Ruthie moved here when we were in third grade and it’s like she’s always been here now.”

         Stacy raised an eyebrow.  “I guess so,” she answered.  “Craig moved here last year and look at all the friends he has.”

         The girls hiked up the hill beyond the community park and made their way through the dusty path to the reservoir talking about their friends and the good times they had shared.  As they returned to LeeAnn’s house, thunder rumbled through Pleasant Valley.

         The two turned and looked toward Cheyenne Mountain, then up across the Mesa.  "Storm’s rolling in,” Stacy said, familiar with the weather patterns of her hometown.

         LeeAnn nodded.  “Can you stay for a while?”

         Stacy called her mom for permission and joined her friend in her bedroom.  LeeAnn beckoned to her from the fish tank. 

         “You’ve got to see this!” she exclaimed. 

         Stacy looked into the aquarium but only saw the same fish as usual.  “What am I looking for?” she asked.

         LeeAnn pointed at small dots covering the glass and the leaves of some of the plants.  “My snails had babies!”

         Stacy looked closer; the dots were tiny snails.  “Oh, look at their miniature shells,” she cried.  “They’re so cute.”

         “I’ll be right back,” LeeAnn said.  She returned with a large mayonnaise jar with holes poked in the lid.

         “What are you doing?” Stacy asked as LeeAnn filled the far with aquarium water.

         LeeAnn smiled and reached for the net.  “I’m getting you some friends to take with you,” she explained.  She scooped a net full of gravel from the bottom of the tank and dumped it into the jar.  Next she chose a small plant and carefully uprooted it, anchoring it with the gravel in the jar.

         “Hmmm, let’s see,” she said, deciding how to capture the tiny snails.  As she waved the net through the water some of the snails let loose of the glass and plants and slowly drifted toward the bottom of the tank.  “Gotcha!” she exclaimed as they fell into the waiting net.

         After transferring twenty tiny snails to the jar she tapped the excess water from the net and put it back in its place.  Securing the lid, she handed the container to her friend.  Stacy held the jar up and looked at the miniature aquarium.  “It’s beautiful,” she said with a smile.  “Friends to take with me.”

         LeeAnn smiled as she hugged her friend.  “I will sure miss you,” she said.  “It won’t be the same without you there.”  She thought about how much lonelier Stacy would be, not knowing anyone but she didn’t want to mention that.

         “Stacy,” LeeAnn’s mom called up the steps.  “Your mom’s here for you.”

         Stacy and LeeAnn looked at each other.  “I guess this is goodbye,” Stacy began.

         LeeAnn nodded with tears in her eyes.  “Don’t forget me,” she begged.  “And come back to visit?”

         After a last tearful embrace Stacy picked up the jar.  “I’ll keep my friends nearby,” she promised, looking at the tiny snails.  “And I’ll get them a new home when we get to our new home.”

         True to her word, Stacy kept the jar with her as her family traveled from Colorado to Massachusetts.  As soon as they were settled in their new home, she used her saved allowance and some money borrowed from her older brother to purchase a 10-gallon aquarium set.

         “Welcome to your new home, little friends,” she said when the tank was prepared.  “You’ll be happy here in your new home.”

         After freeing the snails she loosed a couple of goldfish like the ones LeeAnn had in her talk..  “Here are some new friends for you,” she explained.  “I hope I will make new friends as easily.


1000 words

Based on a true experience.