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What was it?
Was it a poor creature trapped in the water and too exhausted to
climb out of the puddle? Was it dangerous? How long had it
been there? I reluctantly went to class but promised myself to
look again later that morning.
In mid-morning, I glanced outside and saw one of the
third grade classes out on the preschool playground. The teacher
and children had encircled the puddle, and were observing the
poor “creature” as it struggled to escape from the water. Again,
the mound of wood chips would form, swim across and back,
and then become frantic and move in circles. At times, the poor
creature would become so distraught that it would send the wood
chips flying. But it just couldn’t seem to get the strength to crawl
out.
I noticed then…that the puddle...was...shrinking!
By lunchtime, the puddle had shrunk even more, and the
creature was becoming increasingly frantic. Large waves would
form as it churned the water in the puddle. Objects that had been
submerged in the small pool were now becoming visible as the
puddle receded. A soggy piece of notebook paper appeared on
the edge of the puddle.
Soon, the creature would be exposed!
Soon, it would be able to escape!!
At least this is what I thought…
In mid-afternoon, I was drawn, once again, to the window.
Only a small puddle remained. As I gazed at the floating wood
chips, a small, solitary leaf from a nearby tree blew into the cor-
ner where the puddle was.
But wait! There it was! The creature again stirred and
moved under the surface of the water!
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