This afternoon, Kachi and Pascal and their friend asked me if I would take them for a walk around the block. "The block" is a little wooded path along the walking trail behind our house, a very small outing and doesn't take too long. So I said yes and off we went.
The three of them rode their scooters, and I walked the dog. We stopped at every possible interesting place, to sniff and snuffle, search for frogs, and pick up litter. They realized recently that they could make this slice of the world a better place by picking up any trash they find. There are two garbage cans along the route, so they pick up trash, deposit it where it belongs, and wear a little extra swagger because they are saving the world.
On our last stretch before home, their friend noticed a bunny hunkered down in the grassy field. Wonder of wonders, Eevee didn't see or sniff it at all (her nose was keeping her on the other side of the path, in urgent pursuit of a pair of squirrels).
The bunny sat as still as could be, with one wide, glossy eye staring straight at us.
Pascal threw down his scooter and ran after it, and I caught him and held him back. "I want to chase it like Eevee!" he howled, "I won't hurt it! I want to see it run!" And bunny hops are delicious to witness but there was something about this bunny that seemed too scared, too frozen in fear. "We've got to be kind," I insisted, "so it will want to keep living in our neighbourhood." I guess that did it, because he stopped struggling, but he scowled angrily the whole way home.
I would have cared more, I think, but Pascal will have many more chances to watch bunnies hop. And the rest of the way home, I could see a velvety little pair of ears poking above the grass, waving the world's sweetest peace sign in our direction.
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