Packrat’s Perfect Treasure

  Story of the Day #70

by Guy Belleranti

Packrat jumped out of bed. “Yippee! Today is treasure hunt day!”

He munched a fast breakfast then dug through his nest. First he found his favorite hat. He plopped it on his head. Then he found his favorite sunglasses. He stuck them on his snout.

“Lovely treasures here I come!” Packrat sang.

He scampered past spiny cacti, but he didn’t see any treasures.

He scurried past thorny shrubs, but still saw no treasures.

Hmm. How about in the shade under that mesquite tree?

Packrat squinted nearsightedly through his sunglasses into the shadows. “Ooo, a cool-looking bumpy rock,” he squeaked. “It’ll be my perfect treasure.”

But it was kind of big, maybe even too big.

Packrat slid his front paws under the rock and…the rock giggled. “Hee-hee, ha-ha, that tickles,” it said.”

Packrat blinked. “Tortoise! I didn’t know you were a rock.”

“I’m not,” Tortoise said, giggling again.

“Oh.” Packrat frowned. “Too bad because you would’ve made a perfect treasure.”

“Maybe you can find a perfect treasure if you keep searching,” Tortoise suggested. “I’ll be happy to help. I’ve never hunted for treasure before”

“Let’s go!”

So go they did. But not fast because Tortoise had only one speed. SLOW.

They passed several big boulders and tall saguaro cacti with arms but saw nothing that looked like a treasure.

Soon they came to a small hole in the ground. “Eureka!” Packrat cried. “We’ll widen the hole and find my treasure hidden inside!”

But before he and Tortoise could start digging Tarantula’s hairy, scowling face peeked out of the hole. “What’s with the racket? Can’t a spider get some sleep around here?”

Packrat sighed. “Oh, dear me, it’s you, Tarantula. Why couldn’t you have been a treasure?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m on a treasure hunt and even though Tortoise is helping I still can’t find any treasure.”

“Maybe you need more eyes? I have eight of ‘em. Let me come along and we’ll be sure to find treasure. And I’ll get to stretch and exercise my eight legs at the same time.”

“Let’s go!”

So go they did. But not fast because Tarantula and Tortoise had only one speed. The same speed. SLOW.

They passed more cacti, more boulders, more shrubs and more trees, but saw nothing that looked like a treasure.

Then they felt a gust of wind. And behind the wind was more wind in the shape of a swirling dust devil.

“I bet my treasure’s in the middle of that,” Packrat yelled. “Let’s duck behind this bush until it spins to a stop.”

They didn’t have long to wait. And then out of the settling dust stepped…

“Roadrunner!” Tortoise gasped.

“What a strange treasure,” Tarantula said.

“He’s not a treasure,” Packrat grumbled.

Roadrunner waved a foot. “Howdy, neighbors. Pardon the dust. I’m practicing for the upcoming Rough and Rocky Roadrunner Race. But did I hear someone say something about a treasure?”

Tortoise nodded. “Packrat’s on a treasure hunt. Tarantula and I are helping.”

“And we’re having no luck at all,” Packrat moaned. “Three times I thought I had found my treasure. And three times I’ve been wrong. I’ve struck out in my treasure hunt! Wah-wah-wah!” he sobbed.

“Dear me!” Roadrunner said. “Here, take a swig from my water bottle before you cry all your tears out and dry up and blow away in the wind.”

Packrat drank from the bottle. Then he drank some more. And some more.

“Oh no,” Tortoise said. “Packrat’s really upset. He’s going to drink so much he’ll turn into a hairy water balloon and pop!”

But Packrat didn’t pop. He handed the water bottle back to Roadrunner and smiled. “Thank you, Roadrunner. Thank you everyone. That much needed moisture got my brain working right again. I’ve realized I have found my perfect treasure. Three perfect treasures, in fact.”

“You have?” asked Tortoise..

“What are they?” Tarantula asked.

“Tell us quick,” added Roadrunner.

“Friends,” Packrat said. “Friends like you, Tortoise, and you, Tarantula, who helped me search. And a friend like you, Roadrunner, who gave me water so I wouldn’t dry up and blow away in the wind. Friends like you three are the best treasures of all.

Share/Bookmark