Little Tortoise

When I was a little girl,

I had a pet tortoise

Oh how much I loved it

how much I cared it.

So long ago

I forgot its name except

the fact that my brother and I named it after

a character in one of our favorite childhood shows.

Bought from PetSmart and cherished

day and night;

but it was too much of a job for

A 4-year old.

The tortoise was ambling along when I was watching it-

ambling like a old man,

so leisurely, so sure of its movements

SO  

SLOW.

My family and I were in our backyard;

Mommy was planting poppies,

Daddy was doing handy-man-work,

and little brother was frolicking among the flourishing flowers

while

I was crouching with curious eyes, stalking my little friend

take his morning stroll

but

my childish patience did not match his own ambling pace.

Envy pulled me away from the tortoise and

pulled me in to play with my little brother

for playing in the grass was more suitable for a

quick-minded, inexperienced child.

My mind was erased from the thought the tortoise

I was too occupied with

frolicking with the flowers.

Hours passed

and when I was ready to return to my little pet,

he was gone.

Vanished without a trace.

I searched and searched throughout the backyard.

but

there was no sign of an ambling tortoise shell.

That was when I was exposed

to guilt,

to regret.

My thoughts collapsed into each other like the violent waves of a storm at sea.

Anguish thundered in my mind and struck me a heartache.

I should've put the tortoise back to his glass box.

I should’ve kept watching it.

I envisioned a cracked shell on some road

or a lonely tortoise wandering in a dangerous world.

This was a mistake.

I reflect back on this now and laugh upon the subject

I see a little girl who developed responsibility from

Her first ¨big mistake¨

from the help of a little tortoise.