It was the summer of 3043. Grade 5 ended about a week ago but I still had trouble getting used to not going to school. Usually, my parents and I would go somewhere for the summer. Last year, it was New Zealand for 3 weeks in July and Peru for 20 days in August. But this year, my parents told me that we’re not going anywhere. They say it’s because Chicago has never been this hot in summer and they’re afraid that it’s going to be like this everywhere in the world. But I know that’s not it.
Last night, I was trying very hard to fall asleep. When I finally fell asleep, I couldn’t feel myself rising from my bed. I must have forgotten to strap myself in. The window must have been opened because I didn’t crash into the ceiling. I was carried by the wind to the main floor when a series of voices awoke me. I could hear my dad saying:” How are we going to be able to make a trip to China and Korea now that I’m fired?” My dad is the chief operating officer (COO) of BOTTLES. BOTTLES provide bottles of water that are sealed with special materials and a closable straw so that the water won’t float away. Since we weren’t going anywhere, I started to get really bored. Every day was the same: I would have my breakfast, and then I would read being careful to remember to strap myself onto the sofa. After that, I would have lunch and see if it’s not too hot to go outside because with this kind of weather, it was almost impossible to stay outdoors. I would then have dinner and after that, float to my room for some before bed reading and finally, strap myself into bed.
One day, while reading, I saw the mailman slowly floating towards my house. You’re probably wondering how the mailman manages to float to every house without being blown somewhere else. Well, the mailman carries around a fan and when he’s blown off course, he turns it on to make sure he’s going the right way. But that day, he was directing the fan towards himself. I went to open the door and the mailman looked really relieved when I handed him a bottle of water.” Thanks Susan, he said, and here’s a letter from your Uncle Sam.” He handed me the letter, asked for another bottle and left. I slowly opened the letter and this is what it said:
How are you? I’m fine but the animals are dehydrated.
Now that its summer, many workers have left to the north and with most of the workers gone, I don’t have enough workers to feed all the animals. So, how would you like to help out for a few days? If it’s a yes, come on over to the zoo. If it’s a no, write back to me.
When I arrived at the zoo the next day, it was almost deserted. The only living things I could see were the animals, the workers who stayed and Uncle Sam and his son Adam. I hate Adam, and he hates me. It all started on my sixth birthday. We were trying to get the cupcakes back onto the plate when Adam snatched 2 and stuffed them in my face. Since then, we hated each other. Uncle Sam was playing chess with one of the workers and he manages because he has a special magnetic board and the pieces have magnets on them so they won’t fly away. The table that he plays on is also magnetic so that the board won’t fly away. He also attached the chairs to the table with string so wherever the table goes, the chairs will follow. Adam was playing basketball. In my opinion, that’s the only good thing that he can do. He developed different tricks and flips so that the ball won’t float away.
When Uncle Sam saw me, he flew over to me and said:”Let’s go check out the zebras.” We floated over to the zebra pen. I noticed a zebra that was floating on its side and asked my uncle:”Uncle Sam, what’s wrong with that zebra?” “Oh Penny? She somehow got sick.” He answered. “Oh can I take care of her?” I asked. “Dad, why don’t you let me do it instead?” interfered Adam. “Why would you even do it?” I asked him. “Because I care about animals.” He replied. “And why would your dad let you do it?” I fired back. “Because I’m—“ He didn’t get to finish his sentence when Uncle Sam yelled:”ENOUGH! Adam, I am going to let Susan take care of Penny and you know why? Because Susan only visits 5 times a year but you’re here 3 times a month sometimes 6.” And after that, my uncle told me to go home.
2 days later, I returned to the zoo and went straight to the zebras. Adam flew over to me and said: “Susan, can I tell you something?” “And why do you think I would listen?” I asked. “Because you care?” he replied. “Okay. Fine.” I said. “Great, because you really need to know. Yesterday, I was watching Penny and it looked as if she was in really great pain. Her face looked almost like yours when you’re angry. I think she’s getting worse.” “And you didn’t tell your dad?” I asked. “Well, I guessed I should have told you first.” He replied. I rushed to go find Uncle Sam. When I found him, I told him exactly what happened and suddenly, with this gigantic burst of energy, he pulled me all the way to the zebra pen. He looked really panicked and I was sure of it when he said:”Susan, you have to help us. I… I… I don’t know what to do.” “Well, it’s a good thing you have me because I read everything about zebras and I know exactly what to do.” I said. I had to inject Penny with a special medication that I always have in hand called Jector (Jector is a special liquid that can cure almost everything.). I put the liquid in the needle and tried to inject it into Penny but, every time I tried, Penny would float away. So I told Uncle Sam to put a harness onto Penny and that he should wear one too. Then to attach a rope from Penny to him so that if she floats away, he can pull her back. And with a little patience, in about 10 minutes, I was sure I had cured Penny. My uncle helped her stand and she took a few steps in the air. We all held our breath… she was cured!
Uncle Sam and Adam accompanied me back home. “Adam is there something you want to tell Susan?” asked Uncle Sam “Huh? Oh yeah. Umm… Susan, he said, I’m sorry I stuffed those cupcakes in your face.” And then, as if by magic, it seemed that all our problems were solved. I forgot about the cupcakes, I forgot about the fight and all I could say was:”What cupcakes?” And we all laughed our way home.
After that incident, I was allowed 1 visit per week in the summer to the zoo to see Penny. Me and Adam weren’t fighting anymore and after a few weeks, I started grade 6 and I saw my friends again. Everything was back to normal. It was about 2 months after dad lost his job when he announced at dinner:”I got a new job.” My mom was so excited she nearly choked. “Where?” she asked. “At the zoo.”
