Calico Cat

It was late in the summer or early fall that Calico, the orange kitten, thought up an amazing way to welcome Fall into the valley filled with mystical creatures, fairies, unicorns, and elves.  It was their home and they couldn't think of a better place to live.  It was in this mystical valley where all of the mystical creatures lived that a tale had been told for many, many years..  It was a tale about finding something called "red Converse shoes".  The shoes, whatever they were, were whispered to be found in a place where the famous pumpkins grew near a farm where giants tilled the ground with large creatures pulling plows.  It was often referred to as the "Great Pumpkin Farm" by all of the mystical creatures that ventured only to the edge of the treeline where they could peer through the low-lying branches in hopes of seeing and hearing the hee-haw of the large four-legged creature being pulled this way and that by a giant wearing boots.

Calico would dance around in a big circle and throw their arms up in the air as if they were unicorns getting ready to fly or so some storytellers said when it was story time near the end of the day.  "Do you think that there is such a thing as "red Converse shoes" beyond the tree line?" they asked as the storyteller got to the part about "humans wearing that type of shoe. "There are many things that are possible if one only believes," answered the storyteller as she smiled a big smile that only added to the underlying truth she was trying to tell them all.

As the evening moved forward and the stars began to show their faces, Calico and her friend the Otter, thought up an idea about how to see beyond the tree line.  It wasn't an original idea but it was one that might just work for the two adventurers seeking the truth that might be just on the other side of the tree line.  Oscar, the otter, leaned over and whispered into Calico's ear something that made her eyes grow wide and sparkle with glee.  

"What do you think of my idea?" asked Oscar as he shook his head agreeing that he too thought it was a great idea.

"And where are we supposed to find this telescope, Oscar?" asked Calico in a tone that suggested that Oscar might just be playing or fooling around.

"I have it in my bedroom under my bed,  Mom got it for me for my last birthday but up until now, I didn't have a reason to use it.  But, since we both want to see if we can see beyond the tree line, the telescope is our best bet!" announced Oscar with such confidence that Calico knew it had to work.

After the storyteller finished the tale and all of the magical candles were blown out and tucked away for the next storytelling time, Calico and Oscar headed off to his house to get the telescope before the last finger of daylight was stolen by the approaching darkness.

"Now I have it," said Oscar as he reappeared at his front door carrying the telescope in a canvas bag with a zipper.

"Wow, you do have a telescope, wow!" proclaimed Calico as she walked up the steps to meet Oscar as he turned to go off onto the trail that led to the tree line.

"Now, you know we can't tell anyone what we find out.  If we tell everyone then the story time won't be as much fun.  It's always fun to play like you don't know the truth and let our imaginations take over," Oscar stated and hastened his pace to get to the spot where they planned to look for the red Converse shoes.

After reaching the tree line, the two mystical friends set up the telescope, pushed it into the tree branches to be sure to get a good view, and took the lens cap off allowing them to see through it.  It wasn't long before they found out the truth about the red Converse shoes because as they watched through the telescope, a human boy walked right up to the branch where they were hiding, picked up a large round ball, and threw it across the field to another boy who caught it.

"See, see, look, there on his feet!" shouted Oscar as he pointed to the shoes on the boy's feet.  

"It's true, Oscar, it is true after all!" laughed Calico as she rolled in the grass beside her friend who'd promised to keep their secret a secret no matter what.