Penguins in the Pipes: The Old Lady and the Penguins
“Quick, Lucky, grab that blanket! We have to hurry!” Barnabus was in such a rush that he had waddled in and out of the pipe’s entry way several times over the past few minutes.
Lucky, on the other hand, was taking her time. She carefully picked up the blanket, flung it over her shoulder and promptly stepped on the end of the blanket that had flopped down beneath her feet. Of course, her momentum was enough to send her tumbling into Barnabus, knocking the much larger bird off his feet.
“Ahhh, here it is! Thanks, Lucky! This is exactly what we need. Now, into the pipes quick! We’ve no time to lose!” Barnabus rushed into the pipes and pushed a box ahead of him.
Lucky followed behind still trying to get a handle on carrying the blanket and walking at the same time. It wasn’t really her fault. She was the smallest of the penguins, and the blanket was sized for an adult person. She wouldn’t have given up the responsibility for all the fish in the world. After all, she got to be with her dad while helping the people in her building out. This evening they were headed up to Grannie’s apartment. But Lucky couldn’t understand why the rush.
Grannie was a nice enough woman. She always had fish out, but Lucky always thought the fish was for Grannie’s cat. Still, Barnabus insisted that the fish was for the two of them and not for the cat. Maybe, he was right; Lucky had never actually seen the cat.
The wagon that Barnabus was pushing popped out of the pipes and into the old woman’s apartment. Barnabus stuck his head out and looked around. The old table with its lace doily cover cloth, the kitchen bathed in a brownish light from an overhead bulb in a fixture that was never dusted, the tile floor in some style that most of the other residents of the apartment building had changed long ago… Barnabus turned to Lucky. “It’s clear for the moment, Lucky, dear; just stay close by and don’t make any sudden movements.”
Lucky nodded her head. Barnabus had never been this careful when entering Grannie’s home before, but she knew to take his directions seriously when they were on the job. Lucky lifted the blanket up a little higher so she wouldn’t step on it. It obscured her vision, but she was sure she wouldn’t fall. Penguins never fell – it was in the way they walked.
Barnabus pushed the wagon into the hallway across laminate flooring made to look like wood. He pushed it past the place where the box showed pictures and had voices coming out of it. That place was strangely quiet now. He pushed it into the room at the end of the hall.
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Lucky, on the other hand, was taking her time. She carefully picked up the blanket, flung it over her shoulder and promptly stepped on the end of the blanket that had flopped down beneath her feet. Of course, her momentum was enough to send her tumbling into Barnabus, knocking the much larger bird off his feet.
“Ahhh, here it is! Thanks, Lucky! This is exactly what we need. Now, into the pipes quick! We’ve no time to lose!” Barnabus rushed into the pipes and pushed a box ahead of him.
Lucky followed behind still trying to get a handle on carrying the blanket and walking at the same time. It wasn’t really her fault. She was the smallest of the penguins, and the blanket was sized for an adult person. She wouldn’t have given up the responsibility for all the fish in the world. After all, she got to be with her dad while helping the people in her building out. This evening they were headed up to Grannie’s apartment. But Lucky couldn’t understand why the rush.
Grannie was a nice enough woman. She always had fish out, but Lucky always thought the fish was for Grannie’s cat. Still, Barnabus insisted that the fish was for the two of them and not for the cat. Maybe, he was right; Lucky had never actually seen the cat.
The wagon that Barnabus was pushing popped out of the pipes and into the old woman’s apartment. Barnabus stuck his head out and looked around. The old table with its lace doily cover cloth, the kitchen bathed in a brownish light from an overhead bulb in a fixture that was never dusted, the tile floor in some style that most of the other residents of the apartment building had changed long ago… Barnabus turned to Lucky. “It’s clear for the moment, Lucky, dear; just stay close by and don’t make any sudden movements.”
Lucky nodded her head. Barnabus had never been this careful when entering Grannie’s home before, but she knew to take his directions seriously when they were on the job. Lucky lifted the blanket up a little higher so she wouldn’t step on it. It obscured her vision, but she was sure she wouldn’t fall. Penguins never fell – it was in the way they walked.
Barnabus pushed the wagon into the hallway across laminate flooring made to look like wood. He pushed it past the place where the box showed pictures and had voices coming out of it. That place was strangely quiet now. He pushed it into the room at the end of the hall.
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