Blueberries - FICTION - A story with a lesson
Ellie the elephant and Rico the Rhino are the best of friends.
They grew up together, went to pre-school together and now they are in primary school, same class, same teacher – as happy as can be. The two of them hardly ever fight. Where the one goes, the other follows, like two peas in pod!
“Are you done with your maths Ellie? I want to play!” Rico is getting frustrated with Ellie, she can take so long to complete her homework. Annoyed Ellie looks up and positions her trunk right in front of Rico’s face. “I would have been done long ago if you have helped me like I asked you to! Not all of us are the genius you are in Mathematics Rico!"
"Oh get your trunk out of my face pudding brain,” Rico teased.
Just as Rico was about to put a handful of grass into his mouth, Ellie whacked it out of his mouth with her trunk! Rico in return wrestled her to the ground and pretended he was the WWE wrestling champion!
Tired after fun in the mud pool and starved to death, they’ve decided to get something to eat. “I know where the blueberry tree is Rico, let me show you.” Ellie said.
“Whaaattttt!!!!! Did you say a blueberry tree!? Show me!” Rico replied in total anticipation.
Oh boy and did they eat!! Like there was no tomorrow! Exhausted Ellie fell to the floor, on her back, feet in the air. But Rico was still in the tree, munching away on the blueberries. He ate and ate and ate until nothing was left of the blueberry tree…
“Gosh Ellie, I don’t feel so well…” Rico was laying on the grass, green in the face – or rather BLUE from all the berries he consumed! “My stomach is cramping and I am nauseous. Can we please just sleep here for a while until I feel better?”
Ellie was feeling sorry for Rico and so the two of them decided to stay there for a while until Rico is better.
But poor little Rico’s condition deteriorated in such a way that Rico was unable to get up. As soon as his tummy starts cramping, the vomiting gets worse and it doesn’t stop. Ellie had no choice but to call for help. She left her cellphone at home so need to find someone to call 911.
Half way home she runs into Jack the Jackal. Out of breath and worried sick, Ellie screams for help, “Jack, please tell me you have your cellphone and enough airtime to call 911 – Rico needs urgent medical attention and is too weak to walk!”
“Calm down Ellie, I can’t hear a word you’re saying. Who needs what?” Jack asks, his face in a frown.
“Quick, give me your cellphone.” Ellie continues.
Fifteen minutes later, paramedics push Rico into the ambulance. Ellie said she’ll meet them at the hospital and asked them to contact Rico’s parents.
Rico got the medical attention he needed. Turns out his eyes were bigger than his mouth so his stomach couldn’t absorb so many blueberries at once. He was given medication and had to stay over for the night.
“I never ever want to see a blueberry for as long as I live!” Rico murmured.
Rico had to learn a valuable lesson. He learned how to listen to his stomach. Just because it is tasty doesn’t mean the tree should be cleaned out in one day – tomorrow is another day! You can empty the whole tree in one day but then you will have to carry the consequences of your senseless action.
With sunrise comes more blueberry trees, ready to be eaten – in moderation!
