THE UGLY GRASSHOPPER

A Story by Willys Watson

The four children playing on the sidewalk grew up on the same block and were long time friends. Three of them were seven years old and had already finished their first year of elementary school. The other had turned six last month and would be starting the first grade.

Although they teased each other a lot is was accepted as something long time friends did and each respectably showed and supported the interests the other kids had. Mindy had math and musical skills beyond her age. Doug showed an early interest in science and history and had learned to read long before his friends. Though he was called the group nerd by the others he never seemed to mind the nickname. Tony was the neighborhood clown, but secretly wanted to become a writer and kept a journal of his thoughts, one he constantly edited. Kay, the youngest, showed an early talent for drawing and her parents encouraged her and bought her the art supplies she wanted.

While Kay was using three different colors of chalk to draw a Hopscotch diagram on the sidewalk, Mindy was trying to master a Hula-Hoop her mother had bought at a yard sale and Doug and Tony were skate-boarding.

When Kay was almost finished with the Hopscotch diagram Tony, to pester her, skated very close to the horizontal line she was drawing.

“Don’t be mean or I’ll tell your Daddy!” Kay scolded him.

“No you won’t because snitching is against our club rules.”

“Well, you better be nice or I’ll tell everyone you love Cindy Conners,” Mindy joked as she referred to the girl who lived up the street, a girl they didn’t like because they all thought she and her parents were snobs.

The boys laughed and skated away, leaving Kay to finish her Hopscotch design.

When she had finished the diagram Kay stood up to see if she was pleased enough with her efforts and, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something moving just a few inches from the curb. She kneeled to look closer and saw it was a large, brown Grasshopper and it appeared that one of its wings was crooked. After standing up she called to her friends.

“Come see what I found and don’t you dare step on my chalk lines.”

Tony and Doug stepped off their skateboards and walked towards the asphalt while Mindy came to stand besides Kay.

“That’s got to be the ugliest Grasshopper I’ve ever seen,” Tony snickered.

“It ain’t ugly to other Grasshoppers, I bet, and it’s not ugly. It’s just hurt!” Mindy replied.

“We just can’t let it stay there where a dog may eat it or a car may run over it,” Kay told them.

“Well, I’m not touching that nasty thing cause it might have rabies,” Tony giggled.

“Grasshoppers don’t get rabies, dummy,” Doug lectured him.

“So, just leave it there. It’s got a broken wing and will die anyway and become ant food,” Tony declared.

“I could probably fix it’s wing and add it to my collection even though it’s just a common Grasshopper,” Doug offered.

“No, no, no, no! You’re not going to bug bomb it and stick a pin through it’s back. You can’t do that to bugs that are still alive.” Mindy sternly said.

“Maybe I can keep it in a box until it’s wing gets better?” Kay wondered.

“And give him a name and get him his own little doggie collar so you can take him for a walk!” Tony suggested jokingly.

“Just go away and go visit Cindy so you can give Cindy her first kiss and see it she throws up on you afterwards. Kay and me will take care of the Grasshopper,” Mindy assured Tony.

Tony and Doug laughed, then grabbed their skateboards and walked away.

“That’s still the ugliest Grasshopper I’ve ever seen,” Tony announced, repeating his first observation.

“And that red hair on your head makes you pretty to the girls?” Doug jokingly wondered.

“I can’t change my hair color, dude, but you don’t have to have that Afro. It’s so non-nerd, you nerd,” Tony answered back as he playfully pocked his friend on the are.

“When your Momma gets back from the store do you think she would go on the computer and find out what Grasshoppers eat?” Kay asked when the boys were out of hearing range.

“Of course she will. And for now go find a big box with a lid we can poke holes in so it can get air. And I think my Daddy still has an old fish tank in the garage that has a wire screen as a cover. If he does we’ll clean that out and use it. Till then try to find a box with a lid,” Mindy suggested. “And I’ll stay here to make sure nothing bothers the Grasshopper.”

Kay grinned and nodded, then ran towards her house.

© 2020 Willys Watson

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Lackadaisical Lenny

It kind of doesn't feel finished. I was getting into it and the characters you were creating when it ended. It's funny but the overall message is a little unclear, unless it's just meant to be a cute anecdote about some kids and that innocent experience...I dig it either way.