Quit Hogging the Chips

Micro Story

“Quit Hogging The Chips”

You don't see kids in the park the way you used to. Monkey bars are almost non-existent and plastic spaceships with steering wheels that rotate only 30 degrees won't hold a child's attention these days. So why are the garbage cans always so full.
Are all the parents that bring their kids, secretly to talk to other parents while there kid plays one a wireless device and never breaking a sweat, filling the cans all by themselves? Are the parks so sparse that city officials have not bothered to hire people to clean them?
Walking through such a park on a sunny day, when you expect to see plenty of tiny ones bouncing about, I observed something more interesting.
Out of one of the overflowing receptacles, an old snack size bag of chips had fallen out. Split down the middle, most of the chips were gone but a chubby hedgehog had found what was left of the crumbs.
As he stuck his tiny snout in the thermoplastic trash, suckling the salty treat, a gigantic and obviously disgruntled crow landed next to him. Cawing at him angrily, as if it had another choice, he made it clear to the the spiny mammal that he didn't appreciate him hogging the chips.
The hedgehog, unphased by this rant, finished his meal and slowly walked away. He trampled the bag as he left causing it to move a few inches away.
The big dirty bird, annoyed by his still empty stomach, picked up the bag. Shaking it violently, he began looking for more crumbs. When the attempt finally became fruitless he flew a few feet, bag in beak, then dropped it.
A tiny sparrow, who had been watching this confrontation, not wanting to draw attention to himself, finally realized his chance at some polysaccharide delite.
Concluding the bag was empty but no doubt also thinking of repurposing the bag as a nest decoration, tried carrying it away.
After a few attempts of beak strangling the possible housewarming gift, he came to the conclusion the bag was to big for him to fly with. After hopping around a few yards and continuously tripping over the much bigger bag, he gave up and left it there on a trail of half dead grass and crumbled cement that was once a walkway.
Out of nowhere a young boy appeared. Surprised by a child in a park I stared more curious at him as he did at the bag.
The young boy of maybe 9 years approached the empty bag and stopped short of it and stared down.
I whispered in my own head, "just pick it up and throw it away"
After a full minute of gazing at the red wrapping he finally bent down to grab it. Approaching the trash can he had no idea what to do with it when realized the can was full.
Not even aware of my presence, or perhaps not caring, he began to walk away, bag in hand. Realizing, after reaching the main road, there was no other dumpster in site he tossed the bag into the gutter.
Finally having enough of this i walked out towards the road. I picked up the bag and headed off down the street.
After roughly 10 minutes i found myself in front of a small "grab and go." About to walk in I stopped and took one last look at the bag. Taking notice of every color and word printed on it, i tossed the bag into what i hoped would be a transport to its final resting place, having lived a great adventure for one day.
After coming out of the store i headed back in the same direction i came, arrived at the park, and sat down.
Reaching into my "grab and go" sack I pulled out my new bag of chips. I opened it up and smiled as i ate my treat; the whole time staring at the overflowing garbage can.