Chapter 20 - Flipped

Everything had to be done extremely carefully. Each foot had to be placed on firm ground. Every movement was deliberate and well considered. The objective was to retrieve a small morsel of green leafy lettuce only a few short feet away. The turtle had many factors to consider. There were the birds flying nearby, one mistake and he’d be toast. There were the other animals lurking beyond his field of vision, waiting for their chance to pounce and make him their meal. Safety and self-preservation were his operating guidelines toward the sweet and succulent scrap of lettuce.
The turtle looked about for several minutes, then picked one foot up and placed it in front of him. His rear foot duplicated the motion, and his other two feet followed as well. The turtle inched closer and closer, then stopped. His head poked out a little more as he stretched his neck out toward his goal. The piece of food was inches away, but in a dangerous position. There was a ledge near where the lettuce leaf lay. Not wanting to possibly tumble down some unknown distance, the turtle weighed his options. Continue toward the food despite the danger, or look elsewhere for food. If he continued, and were to tumble, he might end up flipped on his back. If this were to happen, he could die before sunrise. But, if he abandoned his pursuit and tried to look elsewhere for food, he might not eat before sunrise. Such is the woe and worry of the turtle.
Our turtle was a risk taker. Once when he was young he found himself on the edge of a great precipice with a great body of water in front of him. The sea raged, yet here he stood proud and unafraid. A wave slowly rolled toward him and when it receeded, it carried him out into the water. He kicked his legs and found himself swimming. Later, a wave carried him back to shore and he crawled onto a rock sitting in the sun. He basked in the sun and marveled at his glory.
The turtle snapped back to the present and decided to go for the piece of leafy lettuce. He moved closer to the food and discovered that the legde was just a dent in the earth. Easily passable even if he were being chased. He siezed the lettuce with his mouth and enjoyed his meal. He would not be flipped today.