The Turtle's Triumph!

I recently filled out a job application that asked me to write a story of a turtle's greatest accomplishment from the perspective of the turtle. I was only allotted 300 words for that story, but I liked it enough to expand a little and share.  It's cheesy but, you know what, cheese is good.  Enjoy!



The Turtle's Triumph

I was on my back for nearly an hour.  It's no position for a turtle, I can tell you that, but there I was.  I'm not too proud to admit that I panicked at first.  Anyone would. 

Many a poor turtle has perished that way, including my uncle.  We don’t usually like to talk about him.  He was a bit of a daredevil after his race with that hare.  We’re all sure it was fixed somehow.  Rabbits are notorious gamblers, thinking their feet make them lucky.  It’s ludicrous, I know.  Just, don’t point it out to them.  My uncle found out the hard way.  One kick and he was done.

Next came anger, I'm sorry to say.  I had only gone on my jog because the guys down at the pond said I was getting a little thick around the shell.  I'll have you know, I've had the same waist line since I was a hatchling.  Well, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I guarantee you my abs are rock hard.

In any case, it really wasn't their fault.  One moment, I'm moving along at a respectably swift pace for a turtle and, the next, a curious dog comes sniffing around and knocks me off my feet!  Now, I'm sure he would have gotten around to putting me upright again eventually.  Dogs are a mischievous lot, but they're not outwardly cruel.  Unfortunately, before his deed could be undone, he was whisked away by a harsh tug at the leash strapped to his neck.  I would have felt sorry for him if I wasn't in the midst of that panic attack I mentioned earlier.

So, there I stayed with my feet clawing at sky.  The hour passed. For creatures as slow moving as we, it was an eternity.  I tried rocking.  That usually works when the ground isn't level and you can let the momentum do the work.  I wasn't so fortunate.  Being stuck between a rock and a hard place is usually a metaphor.

Then, as I was about to slip into another round of terrified flailing, I noticed the thinnest branch of a nearby shrub to my left.  It was close, yet still just out of reach.  Stretching my neck as far as I could and kicking my limbs to rotate my position, I managed to grasp it with my mouth.  With a few tugs and twists, I finally managed to right myself again!

I was so elated, I jumped for joy.  I know turtles can't jump.  It's just an expression.  Don't over think it.  Let's just agree that I was really happy.  Being stuck upside down is the greatest challenge a turtle could ever face and I overcame it in record time.  You know, if you forget that I spent the first forty minutes crying.