Happy Tortuga Endings

I'm unpacking and working and stuff so just a quick update to yesterday's Tale of the Lost Tortuga.

I drove the little dude back over to his alleged house late yesterday afternoon. He wasn't very happy at all and didn't come out of his shell, not even a little bit. The people at the house still weren't home, but their neighbors were outside. They told me that, yes, the little guy lived there with lots and lots of friends. Apparently, those people have a thing for turtles and tortoises. Escapees are a common sight in the neighborhood.

They told me to put the fellow in the back yard. I discovered the gate was latched from the inside, but not locked. I was able to work the latch open, walked into the backyard and gently placed my friend on the cool, green grass of home and closed the gate behind me.

All I could think of was some children's story my mom read to me many moons ago about some child, probably a rabbit or puppy or kitten who ran away from home just as an adventure, but got lost. Sad and lonely and frightened, the child was returned home where they vowed to never, ever run away again.

Little tortuga probably felt the same way. His back yard was lush and green and cool and soft. The street was dirty and hot and noisy and dry.

He's happy now. That makes me smile.