“Ouch! Hey, watch where you’re goin’!”
“Ah…sorry…I didn’t mean to…”
“Ow! Ya got me again…what’s up with you?”
“Sorry…again…I’m tryin’ to keep my quills as flat as I can…oh my.”
Little Pauly Porcupine moved as close as he could to the carpeted wall to let the other animals pass by. It was Saturday and the ANIMALL was very crowded.
“I guess I should just stay home until I grow up more and get better control of my quills…but I DO like to be out and about especially at the Mall.”
Then as the crowd of possums, raccoons and turtles went past and there was a clear space around Pauly, he tried to step away from the wall and back into the walkway, but he couldn’t! He was stuck to the bright blue (his favorite color) wall…like…well…like velcro!
Pauly tugged and pulled trying to free himself from the thick carpeting but he was surely stuck! And the more Pauly wiggled and twisted the more stuck he became.
“Why DO they carpet walls anyway…that’s so dumb…only lizards walk on walls and they don’t even need carpets.” Pauly tried and tried but he couldn’t budge.
Then Mr. Rabbit came by…”Oh, Mr. Rabbit, can you help me…I seem to be stuck here?”
“Ah…well…yeah sure…but where do I put my paws…I mean…you’ve got all those pointy sharp needles and all…ah…sorry…I’d really LIKE to help…really!” And Mr. Bunny hopped on into the ANIMALL looking back at Pauly and shaking his head.
Then Miss Goat came up to Pauly. “Are you stuck there?”
“Oh yes…yes I am…VERY stuck, can you help pull me off of this wall…pleeeaaaase!”
“Well…I’ve only got these hoofs and I can’t grip and well…I just came from the manicurist and my nails are still wet…sorry.”
And Miss Goat clomped off into the mall not even looking back.
“Oh my…what am I to do?” moaned Pauly.
Then four crows came swaggering past Pauly. “Hey look at dat…dat dere is a livin’ sculpture…man dis mall’s got everythin’ dats why I love comin’ here right guys?”
“Yeah dats a good one Boss! Hah!” And the crows waddled on past Pauly cackling and chirping to themselves and pointing back at him with their wings.
“Oh I’ll NEVER get off this wall!” moaned Pauly.
Then, in the distance Pauly spotted a small round creature that looked very similar to Pauly…and as the animal got closer Pauly’s face brightened with a smile because headed exactly in his direction was a…porcupine!
Pauly started calling out…”Hey…ah Hi…ah…got a little problem here!”
As the stranger neared Pauly he said…”Yeah…I see…got too close to the wall huh?”
“Yeah…kinda…could you help me please?”
“Sure kid…I don’t know why they carpet walls anyhow…saves on paint I guess.”
“Yeah…gee thanks a lot…none of the other animals could or would help me…but I guess you know that …being a porcupine yourself and all.”
“Yeah…I’m used to it…Ya gotta be a loner…well except for your family of course.”
Then the stranger grabbed Pauly by the rear legs, twisted and turned and as Pauly’s back came free, the stranger lifted and twisted again and Pauly popped free of the wall!
“Oh…thank you Mister…” said Pauly counting to see if he’d lost any quills in the carpet.
“No problem…just stay away from carpeted walls…and well…other animals…people…well…you know! Why don’t you walk in the mall with me and we’ll clear out a few crowds?”
“I guess if you’re lucky enough to be born a porcupine there ARE certain advantages.”
“Yeah Kid that’s the way you gotta look at it…all us animals are created for a certain purpose and sometimes we can’t figure out why but we have to make the most of what we’ve got and just be happy with who we are…oh and we’ve also gotta stay away from carpeted walls!”