Patient's Adventures

Patient the snail was bored one sunny afternoon. She wanted to have a grand adventure that day, doing something she had never done before. As she was brainstorming ideas, thoughts flooded her mind of activities in which she had recently participated.

Patient thought about the time she went to the zoo with her grandma. She saw all of the animals, but went back to the monkey exhibit three times. She thought that the monkeys were funny when they jumped from limb to limb and ate grapes and pieces of apple. She remembered having the best snow cone she had ever had at the Greenfield County Zoo. It was just grandma and Patient that day, and it was wonderful!

Patient also remembered the time she sailed in a great big sailboat with her cousin, Grassy Hops. They wanted to watch the whales as they migrated from the south. They laughed when the whales breeched and came back down with a big “splash!” The whales’ splash even made the boat rock. Patient loved being out on the ocean where the breeze would fan her face and where she could smell the salty air.

As Patient lay on her bed still undecided about what to do, another memory came to her mind. Patient remembered making cookies with Aunt Monarch a few weeks before; the kind with M&M’s in them. She remembered eating more cookie dough than she should have and her tummy got sick. Aunt Monarch suggested that Patient lay on the couch until her tummy felt better. The two of them read several books before Patient felt well enough to get up and play again. Since they made so many cookies, they decided to surprise the old lady bug next door with the goodies.

Patient very carefully placed the plate of cookies on her neighbors porch, rang the doorbell, and hid behind a bush. While she was waiting, she got a case of the giggles. Patient could not stop laughing which led the old lady bug next door right to her hiding spot. All Patient could do was shout, “Surprise!” The old lady bug next door said, “That was the best thing that happened to me all year!” Patient remembered feeling very good inside because she made someone happy that day.

More memories flooded Patients mind. She remembered when her mommy and daddy gave her a scooter on her fifth birthday. That day she got to blow out 5 birthday candles and then eat strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting along with her baby sister. They both got a little messy, but that was okay. They laughed at each other as they noticed the frosting all over each other’s faces!

After finishing her cake, Patient tried out her new scooter on the driveway. Mommy took pictures while daddy and sister clapped at her new talent. It was a good day to remember.

As Patient thought of all the good times she had had, she felt happy. Patient was ready for more good times with family and friends.

Then Patient heard mommy calling her to dinner and decided that she had had a grand adventure in recalling the memories of what she had already done.

Patient climbed into the bathtub that evening and was happy to realize that she had a mommy, daddy and sister who loved her.

story by Janette Thompson