Herbert

The weather was nice and warm and all the plants and trees were getting dresses in their new clothes for summer.  I climbed over the fence and started down across the meadow to the creek to see what I could find.  Little did I realize that Herkie’s Brother Herbert might be touring the bank of the creek or stretched out in the sun on some driftwood.  Soon, I went to see a colony of minnows racing up the creek.  Oh, what I saw almost made me freeze in my tracks.  There I came face to face with old Herbert.  I realized at once that there was not enough room in the field for me and Herbert, too.

            I seemed to grow wings on my feet and away I went screaming to the top of my lungs for help.  The further I went the harder it was for me to yell.  Those beady eyes seemed to still be staring me in the face.  I came to the fence and did not even look for a gate.  I was over the fence sooner than I realized; on I went.  My loud yelling brought help.  My papaw came rushing to my rescue with a hoe.  We hurried to the spot where I had seen Old Herbert.  He was still there and my papaw gave one big dig with the hoe and brought Herbert out wiggling and squirming trying to get away.  Another dig to the head ended his career and I did not venture back to the creek any more for fear I would find another member of Herbert’s family.

By: Lula Gregory Flynn