PTB

We found a turtle crossing the yard. It had just rained and though the ground was still practically dry, the world had softened just a tiny bit. The dogs barked and were curious but also not benign. Gingerly I picked it up and I could hear the air rush out of its shell as it closed quickly. We set it down on the edge, out of the dogs reach, and waited. Waited for the turtle to come out of its shell. I promised her that if we were patient and quiet it would happen. But it didn't. I had to go make dinner. And she, with her mind captivated by this curious creature, kept leaving the kitchen, then later the dinner table too, to check on the turtle. Always in the same place. Once, as I was finishing my salad, trying not to be frustrated with her inability to focus on dinner time, she came running in excitedly yelling about its head poking out. At bedtime she kept running to the window to see if she could see him from her room. This morning the turtle has finally gone, but a new day of discovery awaits.