SUNNY’S RAINY DAY kelsey willis January 28, 2018
SOMEWHERE ON SPRUCE STREET, A STORM DRAIN SITS, MOSTLY HIDDEN BY WEEDS AND DIRT. IT’S BEEN LONELY FOR A LONG TIME.
BUT TODAY IS DIFFERENT! A GIRL CATCHES SIGHT OF THE METAL GRATE BEHIND THE FLOWERS AND KNOWS IMMEDIATELY THAT SHE HAS FOUND A NEW FRIEND. SHE LOVES HOW FLOWERS GROW IN THE WET SOIL AROUND IT AND THE MYSTERY OF WHAT MIGHT BE BEHIND THE GRATE.
SHE GETS TO WORK CLEARING THE OPENING TO THE CATCHBASIN, HOPING TO FIND SOME MORE ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT IT DOES.
WHEN THE WORK IS DONE, THE OPENING TO THE CATCHBASIN IS CLEAR AND THE GIRL KNOWS THAT SHE’S DONE A GOOD JOB. SHE DECIDES TO NAME THE CATCHBASIN “SUNNY”. IT CAN’T TALK BACK, BUT THE NAME SEEMS TO FIT JUST FINE.
AS SOON AS SHE CLEARS THE CATCHBASIN, THOUGH, ADULTS START TO TAKE NOTICE. THEY PUSH HER ASIDE TO DUMP THINGS FROM THEIR KITCHENS INTO THE DEPTHS BEYOND THE GRATE. THE GIRL CAN TELL THAT HER FRIEND SUNNY IS SAD ABOUT THIS. IT DOESN’T WANT HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE INSIDE ITS BELLY!
AS THE TRASH STARTS TO PILE UP, DROPPED BY PASSERSBY OR BLOWN OVER IN THE WIND, THE GIRL GETS FED UP. SHE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP SUNNY. WHAT SHE DOESN’T KNOW IS THAT INSIDE, THERE’S MUCH MORE TRASH - PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TOSSING THINGS INTO THE OPEN GRATES WHEN SHE’S AT HOME, AWAY FROM HER FRIEND.
SHE GETS BACK TO WORK, PICKING UP ALL THE TRASH SHE CAN FIND AND CLEARING THE OPENING TO THE CATCHBASIN AGAIN. THAT’LL SHOW THEM!
BUT FOR SOME REASON, EVEN AFTER ALL HER HARD WORK, SUNNY STILL SEEMS SAD. AS IT STARTS TO RAIN, SHE WATCHES WATER TRICKLE INTO THE GRATE OPENING AND WISHES SHE COULD DO MORE TO HELP HER FRIEND. WHAT COULD BE WRONG?
IT RAINS ALL AFTERNOON, AND AS USUAL, SPRUCE STREET FLOODS. THE GIRL WONDERS WHY, AFTER ALL HER WORK, WATER STILL ISN’T GOING INTO THE DRAIN, BUT SHE MAKES THE MOST OF IT AND PLAYS IN THE PUDDLES FORMING AROUND HER FRIEND. AT LEAST BAD WEATHER IS MORE FUN WITH TWO.
THE STREET SLOWLY DRIES UP, WATER FINALLY SEEPING INTO THE MOSTLY-OBSTRUCTED OUTFLOW PIPES DEEP INSIDE THE CATCHBASIN.THE GIRL TAKES HER DOG FOR A WALK TO CHECK ON HER FRIEND SUNNY, AND RECEIVES QUITE A SHOCK. HE ALREADY HAS A VISITOR!
THERE’S A A GIANT, ROARING THING ALREADY PARKED THERE. IT INTRODUCES ITSELF AS A VACUUM TRUCK, EXPLAINING THAT IT IS HERE TO MAKE THE DRAIN WORK. THE GIRL THINKS ABOUT THE CARE AND TIME SHE PUT INTO CLEANING HER FRIEND. THIS MACHINE SHOWED UP AND FIXED EVERYTHING IN MINUTES! HOW WAS THIS POSSIBLE?
AS THE TRUCK ROLLS AWAY, ALL THE GIRL’S SADNESS DISAPPEARS WHEN SHE SENSES HOW HAPPY AND REFRESHED SUNNY FEELS. AND HEY! THEY LEFT THE TOP OFF! SHE RUNS OVER AND PEEKS INSIDE, INTO THE MOSTLY-EMPTY CATCHBASIN BELOW THE STREET. THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO HER FRIEND THAN SHE EXPECTED!
THE END
(for now!)