Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: The Family Pet (05/15/08)
-
TITLE: Chased By Turtles | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jan Ackerson
05/20/08 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
There’s something in the road—a rock? No, it’s a turtle, practically running in desperation to reach the safety of the shoulder. With my new and acute sense of irony, I imagine the turtle sighing with relief as some predator—a raccoon, maybe—pounces. The scenario appeals to me.
Macy’s not in her room, and a note scrawled on her white board says “Mom—meet me in therapy.” She’s drawn a smiley face with a mohawk. How can she be so chipper?
I walk to the gym and stand in the doorway, unseen. Macy’s sitting on a pile of mats. An unfamiliar man is kneeling in front of her, fitting her stump with the prosthetic leg she’s been expecting.
Macy looks up and waves me over. I can’t do this. A paroxysm of fake coughing allows me to flee for a few moments. She should not be happy about this artificial leg—I certainly am not. Macy should be at college, enjoying her volleyball scholarship.
Oh Macy—what a turn your path has taken! What will you do with your life now?
While I lean against the wall summoning my strength, a physical therapist walks by wearing a tee-shirt with a green turtle on the front. When he passes, I see that the back reads “I Am The Turtle.” I should talk to Macy about this. She’s very close to God these days: maybe she can explain why He keeps putting turtles in my way.
After a few minutes with Macy and the prosthetist, I make excuses and hurry away. Macy’s smile is sad as she hugs me good-bye. “Praying for you, mom…” I don’t want to hear it.
I head for home with the radio blaring. Even though I need groceries, I decide not to go to the supermarket; one of those aisle ladies will probably try to offer me a pecan turtle. When I’m halfway home, my cell rings. Macy’s sister Tanis says “Mom, you’ll never guess,” and my heart races with unfamiliar hope: is she about to tell me that she’s finally pregnant?
“Pete and I have a new animal!” Tanis is obviously thrilled. She and her husband have a veritable menagerie of unusual pets. This is not, however, the news I wanted to hear. “Can you come see it, mom?”
Tanis and Pete’s house would only be a slight detour, and the eagerness in her voice is unmistakable. Well, anything to distract my bitter thoughts of Macy. I turn toward Tanis’s neighborhood.
It’s a turtle. Not a cute little box turtle, but an infant snapper the size of a half dollar. Pete has it in a 10-gallon tank, where it squats on a rock looking like a small stegosaurus.
“Isn’t he cute, mom? His name is Dwight…Dwighter the Biter.”
It is not cute. It’s a snapping turtle, and even though it’s a tiny one, it is undeniably fierce. Pete is feeding it live crickets with tweezers, and its vicious little beak snaps them up in milliseconds.
I sit on Tanis’s couch, and she plops beside me, rubbing the back of my neck with a soft hand. “Where’d you get the turtle, honey?”
“That’s the funny thing. Pete was getting the mail and he saw it on the sidewalk, headed toward the street. We have no idea how it got there, but he picked it up and brought it inside.”
I nod and close my eyes. Frankly, I don’t care about Dwighter the Biter. Tanis continues rubbing my neck, then says softly, “Mom?”
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Can I tell you something? Something about…turtles?”
Oh, good grief. “Sure, Tanis.”
“Well, here’s the deal, Mom. Some turtles make it across the road safely. Some turtles don’t make it, and they get smashed by traffic. But…some turtles? They’re like Dwighter. They’re lifted up by an unseen hand, and put on a new path. It’s not their original path, but they’re safe. And they’re on their way to a new kind of life.”
I look at Dwight, feasting on crickets—the beneficiary of an unseen hand.
***
Author’s Note: To Doug
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
You made me ache with the mom and then you gave me hope with your message.
Wonderful!
Laury
BTW... great writing! Like always!
Thank you for writing it.
"one of those aisle ladies will probably try to offer me a pecan turtle" was perfect. I was very touched by the story.
I had a little trouble following the story thread (timelines and characters introduced).
The story had a great resolve and I enjoyed reading it. Your final line was the clincher, excellent work!
The only thing that made me go "huh?" was her comment about God "keeps putting turtles...", when she'd only seen 2 so far. Maybe I'm a little slower on the uptake than your MC. (sorry about the pun).
I do like your ironic title very much.
It is true that sometimes our lives do take unexpected turns, but like this story explains, the important thing is that God keeps us safe through it all.
Second, this is fabulous. So beautifully written with such a great message...and you do a good job of giving the message without being preachy. Just wonderful.