This is Deputy Digby Pancake. Some days you don’t feel whole. Like when you only get half a stack of pancakes. Or half the bottle of maple syrup. Or when you are half a giraffe. Meet Gerry The GirHALF.
I found Gerry The GirHALF on the beach the other day. There he was, just laying in the sand with half a face and one of his legs was half sized too. I was pretty much barkless. But I knew that I couldn’t just leave him there. There was still just enough room in this Big Blue Treat Wagon RV for another friend. Especially one in Gerry’s condition.
Girl Person put him in her backpack and we brought him home Boy Person said he didn’t really want to be sad for a GirHALF but he was. He said that he could live here too. But we already knew that he could. After all, Jax, Sharkee and all the others were waiting for him. The more to pawty with, the bigger the pawty!
We didn’t really have to think very hard about his name, because all of you helped us. Gerry the GirHALF was official. Sheriff Brickle was real excited about it.
But it wasn’t this Gerry…he spells it Jerry. Because he isn’t a giraffe. He’s a singer.
Or this Gerry who spells it Jerry. He also is not a giraffe. He’s a comedian.
Or this Jerry. He makes ice cream. I like ice cream. But he doesn’t spell it like Gerry.
No, you see, Gerry the GirHALF was indeed a special giraffe. We may never know his story. Or, he may choose to tell us one day why he is so different. But when others come into our lives that may be different, it is up to us to appreciate them for what they are and recognize their beauty. Sometimes, it is hard for them to see. And we have to help them.
But maybe, just maybe, that someone who needs to be reminded of special beauty is ourself. Do you ever feel like you are half of what you used to be? Then give yourself a full day of fun. A full day for you. And that’s what we decided to do with Gerry The GirHALF. Because he didn’t know how truly amazing he was!
So we started the day by taking him hiking with us!
Then we sat in the shade and talked about his home of Africa.
Then we watched the birds fly from underneath the trees. I can only imagine he had eaten from a few trees in his lifetime!
As good as this was, I told him about how we would go home, have breakfast and then lay in the sunshiney! He was really happy about that. At least, I imagined he was smiling.
I can only think that we will be getting to know Gerry The GirHALF over time.
We all have a story.
Some wounds are seen from the outside. Some we hide very well. Some make us better for it. Some we have to try and forget. But whatever makes you feel whole, give yourself a day. A full day to remember it. Not half.
-Deputy Digby Pancake
