This is Deputy Digby Pancake. Some places you may not picture yourself in. No. It’s not that they are bad places. But maybe you have never heard of them. Maybe you think there would be no reason to go there. But maybe you are wrong. I was. I never pictured myself in a place called Sopchoppy, Florida. But here I am.

We couldn’t find a campsite not booked in this Florida place because so many snowbirds are here. I don’t know why birds need to camp. But who am I to argue with a bird? Is anyone to argue with a bird?

So we decided to drive a little ways and try a place called Sopchoppy. We heard there was a river and a chance we might find a spot to fit the Big Blue Treat Wagon.

And we did! We found a spot right by the river. Here in Sopchoppy, Florida.

We know that no matter how short of a time you have in a place, you should always try to learn a little about it. It’s respectful and it’s good to learn. It helps you to understand others more.

And that helps you understand the world more and how you can make it better.

It helps to immerse yourself in a place. You know. Really soak it in. And if you are in Sopchoppy? Sop it up. Like dunking a big ol biscuit in gravy.

You have a river in Sopchoppy. You would think it would be choppy. But it’s pretty smooth. Sop up all that peacefulness. So smooth.

You have nice camping spots. Right on the not choppy river in Sopchoppy. Sop up that space.

You also have trails and parks and nature. Sop. It. All. Up.

Now. No place has it all. Especially if you only include less than two square miles. So it doesn’t have a lot of entertainment of the fancy sort. You can’t sop that up.

And it doesn’t have a safe place for worms. You heard me. Worms. Don’t travel to Sopchoppy if you want to be a safe worm.

If anyone has ever heard of the Worm Gruntin Festival, I would assume you came to sop up the fun. But it’s definitely not fun if you’re a worm.

Now. I’m all for a good time. That’s my middle name on days I don’t eat pancakes. So it’s never my middle name, but a figure of speech. Or bark.

But I do have to wonder. How many really appreciate the worm? Sopchoppy? I ask you to ponder that question.

When you end up in a place called Sopchoppy, you may not expect to learn about worms.

But then it happens and you wonder how many more places have something to teach you. You wonder how many animals have something to teach you. And I respect them. I respect you, worms.

Life is more than our own backyard. Life is more than what we see. It takes many roles to make our world go round. Animals with feelings, and plants that grow, and persons that are supposed to take care of them and respect them. Beneath your feet are individuals like earthworms who play a part in your life without asking for thanks. The least we can do is acknowledge they are important. Did I just call worms individuals? I did. Just because they live beneath our paws doesn’t mean they mean less than any other being.

Sop up all you can in life by learning how you are able to live. Who makes that possible…like the worms. It takes many to make our world as wonderful as it is. And it takes many places like Sopchoppy to teach us.

–Deputy Digby Good-time Pancake

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