Flamingo Pink

Long ago, flamingos were a vibrant shade of white. They were gorgeous then - as they are now as well.

They also weren't so social back then. In fact, we could go so far as to call them stuck-up. Prissy. Snooty. That kinda deal. They didn't wanna mix with "bad" company, and most other animals - and other flamingos - didn't wanna mix with them either!

They'd look down on the other animals, calling them all sorts of rude names to the few willing to have conversations with them. Even then, the flamingos often spoke poorly about those who did keep their company!

But things changed one day. And it all started with one young flamingo.

He was an unusual flamingo, to say the least; he was friendly. Rather than exchange insults with other animals, he listened to their problems and offered advice when he could. He complimented them. He wanted to be friends with them.

But to most - flamingos and other animals alike - he was just an odd bird.

On the day in question, the young bird was drinking from a lake. It was a hot day, and since he had nowhere to be, he decided to stay at the lake and keep cool.

He tried to play with the fish, but they all swam away. Then he tried the bees, but they stung him. The only one who wanted to "talk" to him was a big old crocodile, and it turned out the croc had him more in mind as a dinner friend than a social one.

Eventually, he sat down on the lake shore, gazing at his lone reflection in the water, wondering if he'd ever have a friend...

Suddenly, he was seeing double.

"Oh, I didn't realize anyone was here..." a voice said behind him. He turned, finding himself staring at another flamingo. She was about his age, if he had to guess, and before he could say anything, she was already turning, lifting her wings in preparation to fly.

"Hey, wait! Please?" the young male called out. The female turned, halted mid-flap.

"Why? What do you want?"

"Uh... A friend? You wanna chase fish with me? Or skip rocks?" he asked her hopefully.

"...Why would I do any of that?" she asked, confused, "We just don't do that stuff..." As she spoke, she folded her wings and stood casually on one leg.

"Well, I dunno. I... I thought it sounded fun..." replied the young male, defeated.

"Why would you wanna hang out with me anyway? There's plenty of pretty girls over there, you know?" she replied, pointing with her raised foot.

"Over there?" he repeated glancing in the direction the female indicated. This time it was him who was confused, saying, "But you're... you're so pretty."

At this, the female he was chatting with suddenly blushed, turning a bright, familiar shade of pink...

"Oh, you're just saying that to be nice, aren't you? I've heard about you - everyone thinks you're too nice."

"Well I try to be nice..." he replied, nervously scratching one leg with his other foot, "and I really do think you're pretty." This time, it was his turn to blush.

Their bright pink plumage caught everyone else's attention; and the more others took notice, the more they turned pink! But as the young male began to speak with the others, he continued to be his best and offer plenty of compliments, until the whole lake's worth of flamingos had turned a blushing pink.

To this day, any compliments to a flamingo will ensure it turns a lovely, rosy pink. And now that they're more social creatures these days, they're far more likely to hear one!