‘A Pelican in Lily’s Pool’
Mommy!” Lily shouted from the den.
Lily’s mom was in the kitchen baking a pizza pie, “What, can it possibly be now Lily?”
“A pelican is in the pool!”
“Lily, if you put as much creative energy into doing your homework as you put into trying to get out of doing your homework you would be an ‘A+’ student!
“Really!” Lily answered breathlessly.
“If you want to go to soccer with daddy finish your homework! Now!”
“It’s, gooey, it looks sick mommy!”
Lily’s mom hurried in from the kitchen, “You’re running out of time, you better…Holy cow! There’s a pelican in our pool!”
“That’s what I said. Should we drive it to Spot’s doggy spa?”
Lily’s mom reached for the telephone.
“Are you calling a bird catcher?”
“Shhhh, I’m calling daddy,” Lily’s mom said. “Freddy, where are you? No, no we don’t need anything at…! Fred listen! Lily found a brown pelican in our pool! Really! No, it can’t fly away its feathers are coated in brown goo.”
“Should I feed it, mommy?”
“No, Lily its wild! Let me hear what daddy is saying. OK, good idea, I’ll look up wild bird rescue on the web. But hurry home, OK?”
Lilly’s mom telephoned the International Bird Rescue Research Center in San Pedro. Later that evening the Bird Rescue team used a net to gently remove the pelican from Lily’s family’s pool.
After school in Lily’s mom’s car two weeks later…
“Lily, grandma and grandpa what to get you the “Blufadoodle,” the “Chicken,” and the “Floppy Pig,” Webkinz for your birthday party. So, I was thinking, maybe you could give everyone you invite a list of the other Webkinz points you need to start your collection. How about that?”
“I don’t know. Remember the story about the pelican rescue on the beach that we watched on television?”
“Yeah. You want to stop at Mickey D’s for snack?
“Do cats have tails? Of course!”
“What were you saying, Lily, about the beach bird rescue?” Lily’s mom asked as she turned into McDonalds.
“Remember the news-lady said it costs $200 to adopt a pelican?
“You mean bring a pelican home,” Lily’s mom said as she turned into McDonalds. “I don’t think your daddy, your little brother or especially Spot would…”
“Mommy, that’s not what it means. Adoption means you make a donation that helps bathe, feed, and take care of the pelican until it is ready to be released back into the ocean. Then, you get a certificate, and a copy of the little band they put around the Pelican’s leg. Instead of presents I definitely want everyone to help me adopt a pelican.”
“I think adopting a pelican is a great idea – and we will do that. It’s decided. Do you mind not getting any other gifts?”
“It’s always fun to get gifts. But if I have to choose. I choose the pelican.”
“You know what? You don’t have to choose. You’ll have a party and gifts — and save a pelican, too!”
Lily beamed. “I love you, mommy!”
“I love you too, Lily.”
Special thanks to Bo Kim for her illustration. To see more of her work visit bokim.com
Noel Anenberg is a frequent contributor to the Kids’ Reading Room and is based in Los Angeles.
