for Six Sentence Stories where the given word is Energy.
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There are fifty-six steps up to my apartment and most visitors, even the postman, get out of breath climbing them.
The other day whilst fiddling around in the tubs of plants outside my door, I spotted a snail heading for one of my geraniums with a very hungry look on its shiny face and I’m sure it was licking its lips!
My first thought was to lob the little devil over the railing and down onto the pavement below, but I felt guilty for at the speed it was slithering it must have taken days and shell loads of energy to get up there!
It must have been starving too because there wasn’t as much as a single leaf en route, so I did the decent thing, picked it up between my finger and thumb and carried it back down to the bushes at the bottom.
As I was climbing up to my flat just now, guess what I met on step six, it was an Amazon delivery chap who was inspecting the sole of his boot, and he told me he’d just trodden on a snail!
Wiping away my tears, I vowed never to order anything from them ever again.
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Thanks to Denise of GirlieOnTheEdge for hosting.
The first four sentences are in fact true! This was one side of my landing a few months ago!
🙁
I know…
oh no! ironic isn’t it?
Indeed!
Oh, poor snail. You did your best and that’s what counts, Keith. I marvel at the snail for making it up all those steps…wowza!
Actually, it must have taken days, and why it did I cannot imagine!
Ah! We are never in control of another’s path; be it difficult for or easy.
Oh, the humanity! I have new-round respect for snails after reading a rather delightful book to my 3 year old granddaughter called “Snail Crossing”. I highly recommend it! Your lovely ‘sixer’ reminded me of the message in that book; kudos to you for trying to help poor Mr. Snail.
I have a granddaughter who’s just turned four and you’ve just solved my Christmas present dilemma!
Excellent. Now, you have to practice reading the book using different voices for the characters; that makes it even more fun. Colette adores the book and we read it every day. Snail Crossing by Corey Tabor. Enjoy it with your little one! 🐌
I certanly shall!
Poor snail 🐌. Death was just waiting for him/her.
Sadly so!
🥹🥹🐌
I’m sure it was an accident. Maybe you could put a deluvery box at the bottom of the stairs, save them the walk up.
The steps are shared by 6 apartments, perhaps I should call a meeting to discuss your suggestion!
Aww. It seems an unimagined tragedy looms every time we human beings interfere with Nature. We mean well! Great Six!
So true Susan!
It is amazing how those insects (and snails) get around. I like how you used the image of the snail to begin the first paragraph of your story. Nicely woven story of empathy from stairs to squashed snail.
Thanks, Frank. Insects outnumber us, it’s about time they had a say in what’s going on!
Your soft heart is revealed for sure in this tale. 🙂
It pops it’s head around the corner now and again Christine!
😉
I was going to say, “..for want of a snail.” but realized the feeling of tragedy was my own conceit, as the snail may have experienced a fuller life in (wait…gotta look this up) their 2-5 years on earth than I have in my more-than-either-2-or-5 years.
Now the 21st Century pest we should eliminate is that Amazon… everywhere it goes, it leaves a trail of cardboard and packing materials
I’m sure they do experience a full life, slithering around with their homes on their back. As for Amazon, I have a love/hate relationship with them!
snails eat my hostas, we are not buddies!
It’s a shame we have no way of telling them what’s ok to eat and what’s not!
I’m sorry for the snail.
Me too, Reena, I feel crushed.
Well intentions eh?
Nice Six, Keith.
That’s what I keep telling myself!
I hate when that happens! Excellent reason for not ordering from Amazon, Keith.
I went back on my vow and I have a delivery from Amazon arriving tomorrow. I’ll be inspecting my steps closely before it arrives!
Hooray for the real life happy ending.
Boo for your snail-slaughtering tale.
Booray!
I think you should open a refuge for snails in honour of your dear departed friend. I remember my Ahimsa days. I refused to squash a spider in the house but tried to pick it up and place it outside. I succeeded, alas, he was minus about three legs. I always wondered if he survived.
What a good idea! A friend of mine has a humane (insectane?) vacuum spider and fly remover which sucks them in and then blows them out again totally unharmed!
The only good snail is …. one that’s merrily soused in the beer trap you set and wakes with a hangover in the garden of that neighbour who lets his cat run free to kill birds. 😉