Gathering the Giggles

Pinky’s little square heart thumped a rapid rhythm against her equally square chest. Mr. Grumbles! That grumpy, grey cloud of a zookeeper had all but slammed the zoo gates shut on her dreams. “Silly notions!” he’d huffed, his mustache twitching like an angry caterpillar. Well, Pinky wasn’t about to let a grumpy caterpillar stomp all over her brand-new, giggle-inducing, utterly magnificent animal ideas. No sir! Her adorable little limbs bounced with a fresh surge of determination. If the zoo wasn’t the place for her fantastic beasts, then she’d just have to find a place that was!

Her gaze, bright and eager, swept across the park bordering the zoo. Ah ha! A cluster of children! They were a rainbow of colorful shirts and chattering voices, their faces tilted upwards, chasing invisible butterflies or perhaps conjuring their own magical worlds. Their laughter, light and bubbly, floated on the breeze like dandelion seeds. This was it. This was her audience! These were the minds ready to be tickled by the wings of imagination, the hearts ready to burst with wonder.

With a cheerful wiggle of her square body, Pinky trotted towards them, her short, stubby legs pumping with surprising speed. As she approached, the children’s excited squeals and playful shouts quieted, replaced by a collective gasp of surprise. A pink, perfectly square creature with impossibly cute arms and legs? It was unlike anything they had ever seen!