Tonight’s story was about Tutu the tortoise and lil Tara. Tara got Tutu from Maui when she went there for a vacation with her Mommy and Daddy. Tutu was always by Tara’s bed side, day and night. But when Tara grew up and decided that every morning she should rage a war on all her crib friends and throw them out of the crib one after the other, Tutu became one of the first victims of Tara’s attack.
He wondered what made him a prime target for being the first to be thrown out. Mommy once told him that because of his size and weight, it was easier for Tara to pick him up the first. But Tutu had enough of it. And he was tired of being thrown out of the crib.
So one day he decided to go visit the day care and talk to Tara’s teacher. Teacher Yuri was very nice to Tutu and told him that if he wants he can stay with them instead. And that too in his very own aquarium. Tutu was vulnerable. The love he saw in the eyes of the teacher reminded him of his Ma back home in Hawaii. His heart melted thinking about the prospect of swimming in water with his other friends, and he asked to be kept in the aquarium until Tara learns her lesson.
That day when Tara went to the daycare she found a tortoise swimming in the aquarium. She was thrilled and wanted to play with it. She kept calling him and knocking at the walls of the aquarium. But Tutu was not going to give in.
Finally Tara said to Tutu, “I am so happy to see you here. Isn’t this amazing? I pushed you out of your comfort zone so that you would go explore and find your place in this world. And that’s exactly what you did. You made it here. You now have an aquarium of your own. And all these kids are here to play with you. Seven times more love than what you’d get from me at home.”
Tutu was baffled. He knew Tara was right. So he waddled in the water and came to give her a high five. He frowned and then said to Tara, “But I like sleeping with you in the crib. I love Koala and hippo and googley. We are all buddies. I just don’t like it when you throw me out of the crib every morning. Just because I am small.”
Tara giggled and took Tutu out of the water and hugged him. She asked him if he was happy in water and if he enjoyed playing with the kids. He replied with a sobbing, “of course, yes.” So she made a plan. She promised that she will take Tutu home every night for bed time, but bring him back with her to the day care so he could enjoy being in his natural habitat through the day.
Tutu was thrilled at this idea. He was smiling ear to ear and gave Tara a sweet kiss. Tara kissed him back and put him back in the water.
Tutu and Tara resolved their problem and lived happily ever after.
Shivi 