This morning, in Mr. Juniper’s first-grade classroom, a slug was discovered on the welcome mat. It was large and yellow with 2, count them 2, stalky antennae. Mr. Juniper jumped up on his chair and screamed for help.
The children, who had been well trained for just such an emergency, immediately put their plan into action.
Jimmy Jones ran for the fire extinguisher. “You never know! It might catch fire,” he screamed.
Susie Jones, Jimmy’s twin, ran for the coat closet and prepared to defend the lunch boxes. “It might be hungry!” she yelled.
Steve “Dimples” McGill, lined up at the back door. “We need to evacuate the area immediately!”
Most of the other children piled up into a corner and barricaded themselves behind the supply cupboard. “Close all the windows, close the blinds, and lock the doors!” cried Sally Stevens.
Just then Mrs. Kowalski, the principal, came by the class.
“What’s going on in here?” she pursed her lips with a sour grimace.
“Watch out Mrs. Kowalski. It’s right in front of you!” someone yelled from behind the cupboard.
“Aiiiiiiiiii!!!!” shrieked Mrs. Kowalski as she leaped half way across the room in a graceful arc and landed next to Mr Juniper on the chair.
The school custodian, Jim Peters heard the noise and came to be sure everyone was alright.
“What the holy moly is that!!!???” and he joined the other adults on the teacher’s chair.
The school librarian was just heading back to the library with her morning cup of coffee when she heard the commotion and poked her head into the classroom.
“Waaaahhhh!!!” she shrieked, pouring her cup of joe all down her front and leaping up onto the teacher's desk. At this point, of course, there was no room for anyone else on the chair.
Just at this moment, the entire PTA came into the office for a meeting with Mrs. Kowalski. “Make yourselves at home. I won’t be a moment,” said Miss Todsworth, the school secretary as she bustled off to see what was keeping Mrs. Kowalski.
When Miss Todsworth arrived at the classroom, she took one look at the slug on the mat and jumped right up on the desk with Jim Peters.
By the time the first bell rang for recess, three parents, a teacher’s aide, and a couple of 6th grade boys who had hall passes, had all joined the adults standing on the furniture.
Just before the second bell rang, Little Junie Threadbottom, who was the youngest girl in Kindergarten, came wandering into the classroom.
“Be careful! There’s a giant slug the size of Manhattan in here!” shrieked Dimples.
“Where?” asked Little Junie.
“It’s right there in front of you! Can’t you see it?” yelled all of the adults at once pointing to the welcome mat.
“You mean this little guy?” and Junie picked the slug up, gave it a kiss on its sluggy head, and took it out to a cool wet place in the school garden.