This is one of several stories for children you can find in my eBook "Lucas the Squirrel and Friends" available online in the Kindle store at Amazon. cb
Sally had been feeling very down and sad lately. As a result of this she had been hanging around her family’s home in Rock Village near the East End for almost a whole week without going out into the neighborhood. The reason for all of this sadness was that her best friend, Willy Crab had traveled to Jekyll to live with his family over there. And since Sally was a very shy starfish, she felt that she would never have another friend the rest of her life. She was so sad and lonely.
Sally’s mom had been encouraging her to go out and greet whatever neighbors she might encounter around the neighborhood. Mom Starfish knew that Sally was a sweet young girl and if she just tried, she would soon have another good friend. After some serious coaxing Sally gave in and agreed to go hang out at Rock Top Park where the other younger sea creatures usually hung out. So out the door she went and up to the park she climbed.
It wasn’t long before a few of the neighborhood Crab family kids came by and said hello as they passed on their way to some adventure or other. Sally thought, ”That is what crabs always seem to be up to…adventure. While we starfish just sit around and wait on life.” She sighed deeply and drifted over to sit in the dark shade of one of the few seaweed clumps that anchored themselves around the top edge of Rock Top Park.
It was while she was sitting there hoping that someone friendly would drift by that she heard a wee tiny voice crying out for help! Then she saw that a fishing line was angled down behind were she was sitting and seemed to be passing right down behind Rock Village. As she was watching and wondering what was going on she realized that the fishing line was moving as if the fisherman up on the pier was pulling it in. Then she suddenly saw, down deeper towards the bottom, the end of the fishing line with its sinkers and hooks and bright little red balls coming towards her… and tangled up in the line was a small little bright red starfish!
Almost without thinking Sally reached a tentacle out and snaring the fishing line she pulled it into the seaweed clump beside her! As the hooks came up they lodged firmly in the seaweed. Quickly she scooted down to help the little red starfish untangle himself. Just in time as he came unwound, the fisherman gave a mighty tug on the line and up it shot towards the surface! And just as quickly, Sally grabbed a red tentacle and quickly scooted into the safety of the seaweed clump with the now rescued starfish.
“Thanks a lot!” he said as she released his tentacle and they settled into the safety of the clump. “You’re welcome,” she said. “So…, who are you?” she hesitantly asked. “I’m Lil’ Red Starfish of the Far East End Starfish family,” he said. “But, my friends just call me Lil’ Red for short.” “Hi,” she said, ”I’m Sally Starfish of Rock Village. We live just near here,” she said. “Well, I sure appreciate you helping me get away from that fishing line, Sally. He about had me! I was just scooting by looking to see who I could meet to hang out with today and that old line just came right up beside me and the next thing I knew I was tangled up in it real good! Boy, I was scared!” “Well, I didn’t have much time to think about it,” she said. ”I just knew you needed help fast and the first thing I thought of was trying to snag the line so you could get free.”
With that start to their conversation, Lil Red and Sally wound up talking for so long in the shade of the seaweed clump that Sally’s dad finally came to the park and called for her to come home for supper. Lil Red and Sally agreed that the next morning they would meet back at the park and continue their discussion. When Sally returned home, her mom knew immediately that she was no longer without a friend from the happy little tune Sally was singing as she began to help her set the table.
After the family sat down to eat Mom asked, “So… Sally, how was the park today?” “Well I may not be an adventurous crab, but I had an adventure today she began…” And for the rest of mealtime she told her parents of her new friend Lil Red and the story of the tangled line.
The End
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