Another Picture Day
It was the second annual group picture day in the forest. All the usual suspects gathered together in a small clearing to celebrate and commemorate another year gone by.
This year though, the Rabbit had decided it would be fun if everyone wore hats for the picture.
“Why do we have to wear hats?” The Turtle asked.
“Well, I just think it would be fun, change things up,” the Rabbit replied, “You know, something different.”
“What’s wrong with keeping things the same though?” The Bear chimed in.
The Rabbit could hear concurring grumbles from nearly all of the others assembled for the picture. The Rabbit didn’t want to ruin picture day by forcing anyone to do what they didn’t want to do so she thought she would drop the idea for the sake of harmony.
“Hold on just one second everybody,” the Snake piped up, “Now I don’t think we’re giving Ms. Didi a fair shake here.”
(Didi was the Rabbit's name)
“Let’s hear her out about the hats, give her a fair shot,” The Snake added.
Everyone in the forest knew that the Snake had had a major crush on Didi. This crush had been going on for at least the last several years and had been made clear as day when Didi had boasted how nice the Snake was because he was always available to drive her to the airport no matter how early or late her flight was.
“Thank you Sunny!”
(Sunny was the Snake’s name)
Didi continued...
"Well I went to a wedding once, and the wedding had a photo booth where you could dress up with all these silly props, and everyone really had a good time and I think…"
“What kind of props?” Asked an Owl.
“Hey hey hey! Let’s let Didi finish her story, Delmont.” Sunny protested, “She was telling such a beautiful story full of ethos and great pacing. Now let’s not interrupt and mess up Didi’s flow again.”
“Thanks, Sunny—“
“You hear me Beaver?” Sunny continued, singling out the Beaver who had as of yet not said anything for or against the hats, “Don't you go getting no silly ideas about daming up my girl’s flow or whatever, ya hear?”
This last comment made everyone cringe a bit. The odd (and tenuous at best) flow/dam/beaver connection was one thing, but most importantly, Sunny referred to Didi as “his girl” in front of Didi, and everyone else, on Picture Day.”
Sunny was completely humiliated, aghast.
“Damn Sunny, you may not get this phrase, because you don’t have feet but, Boy… you done stepped in it now!” The Beaver gleefully retorted.
Sunny turned to Didi, embarrassed.
“What made you say that?” Didi asked Sunny.
Sunny gulped hard. He lamented not having arms most in this moment, when he really could have used a pair to try to comedically yank at an imaginary collar to show his discomfort and in so doing hopefully break the unbearable tension in the air.
“Tell her the truth Sunny!” A Raccoon, Sunny's best friend, yelled from the back, “Come on man, what better time than now? What better day than picture day?”
Didi remained confused as to what was going on here.
Sunny knew the only way out of this was, to tell the truth --
“Hey, first I’m sorry I called you ‘my girl’ now that it’s under a microscope in front of me it feels weirdly possessive in a contemporary context and…”
“The truth Sunny!” The Raccoon cried out again, “We want the truth!”
“And make it snappy!” A Turtle yelled, “We ain’t getting any younger over here!”
Sunny took a deep breath and looked up to the sky. He exhaled and tilted his head back down. Meeting eyes with Didi. The Rabbit that Sunny had a crush on for a whole year. He melted...
“I said it... Because I think you're so cool and so nice, and so pretty and I have thought that for a really long time.” Sunny confessed, “Again, the whole ‘my girl’ thing I know was weird but…”
“I think you’re cool,” Didi quickly replied. “And nice too…”
The forest leaned in, gathered on the edge of their collective seats. Anxiously, achingly, waiting to see if Didi would also reciprocate the physical attraction line that Sunny had thrown out there…
“And…” Didi began, “You’re friggin hot as heck too.”
Sunny blushed and he and Didi broke into enormous smiles. Everyone gathered for picture day erupted in celebration and smiles and cheers all around. A perfect scenario.
Everyone was smiling right when they needed to get their picture taken
“Hurry up!” Shouted a Possum, “Take the picture now! While we’re all so happy!”
Everyone quickly got to their places, the Ostrich was elected to set the camera’s timer when,
“Wait!” The Bear yelled, “We need the hats!”
“Really?” Didi said, kind of shocked.
“Of course Didi, I guess when you brought it up we just didn't understand how fun they would be because we weren't quite celebrating yet." The Bear confessed, "But now that we are, you were right all along."
Everyone quickly put on the hats the Rabbit had brought.
The ostrich ran to the camera, set the timer, and ran back to her spot. Five seconds later and…
* POOF *
