Shoes For Thomas

                                                      Shoes For Thomas

                                                      By Daryl Campbell



         Thomas stretches his bright yellow legs, all twenty six of them. It's getting dark outside and his night's about to start. Wiggling out from under the log, he looks around for other millipedes, but only sees his mom.

         “Thomas, It's a good night to get some shoes,” Mom says. “School starts tomorrow.”

         “I remember,” Thomas answers. “Why do I have to go to school?”

         “We had this talk. You'll make new friends, learn what you need to know, and find things you like. You're a big boy now, you already have eight segments.” Mom smiles.

         “I guess,” he tells her.

         “You better get started before everyone gives away their old shoes. Other millipedes are starting school tomorrow too.”

         “I'm gonna get something to eat first.”

         “Okay, Honey. I'll see you near bed time.” Mom rubs dirt off his shiny black and yellow shell.

         Thomas looks for breakfast and finds some mushrooms: a red one, an orange one, and the two blue ones. There's a full moon shining and he finishes eating before starting his search for shoes, he needs twenty six of them.

         “Where to first?” he asks himself.

         Thomas scoots through the forest, his body twisting from side to side. “I'll go see Sid and Sandy Spider. They have lots of legs.”

         Sandy and Sid live on a hill in a web castle hanging between two pine trees. It doesn't take long to get there.

         “Sandy, Sid. Anyone home? It's Thomas, I came to see...”

         “Hi, Thomas.” Sandy's voice is a whisper.

         “Hello,” Sid says as he and Sandy climb onto the roof of their castle.

         Sandy's bigger than Sid, almost twice her brother's size. Their bodies shine in the moonlight: long arms of yellow and black stripes and golden bodies covered in black circles.

         “What can we do for you?” Sandy asks.

         “I need some shoes for school,” Thomas answers.

         “Climb up and let's have a look.” Sid scoots closer.

         Sandy giggles.

         “It's okay, Sid. I can try them on down here.” Thomas knows not to climb on a spider's web.

         “How many you need?” Sandy stretches her legs.

         “Twenty six shoes.”

         “I have two pair of black ones and a pair of red ones,” Sid says.

         “I have three blue shoes, four white ones, and a green one I can give you,” Sandy adds.

         “That's twelve.” Thomas counts. “I think.”

         “Yes, twelve,” the Spiders say at the same time.

         “Help us get em.” Sid disappears into the castle.

         “Help us carry em.” Sandy smiles.

         “I'll wait here,” Thomas tells her.

         “Give us a minute. We'll be right back.” Sandy climbs into the castle, frowning.

         After a few minutes, Sid and Sandy return and carry their shoes to the edge of the web.

         “Here you go, Thomas.” Sandy says.

         “Can you drop them down? Your web's a little high.” Thomas moves back to give her room.

         “Watch out. You don't want to get hit by a shoe.” Sandy drops her shoes.

         “Starting school tomorrow?” Sid drops his shoes too.

         “Yeah, Mom said I have to go.” He picks up the shoes.

         “You'll learn all sorts of things,” Sandy tells him.

         “Maybe.” Thomas answers.

         “It'll be fun.” Sid watches Thomas.

         The young millipede puts on the shoes. “Thanks, but I need some more, so I'll see you later.”

         “Bye, Thomas,” Sandy waves her front legs.

         “Good luck at school,” Sid adds.

         Thomas, shoes on twelve feet, wiggles through nearby bushes and trees. He comes upon the Pill Bugs, Bridgett, Sarah, and David, but they don't have any extra shoes. Next, he runs into the June Bugs, but they've given away their shoes too. He hears musical instruments and pokes his head through a bush to see the crickets:  Alexis, Angela, Christina, and Joseph. Thomas curls up and waits for their song to end.

         “Hiya, Thomas.” Joseph's waves. “How are things tonight?”

         “They're good. I need to ask a favor though,” Thomas says.

         “Go ahead,” Alexis speaks.

         “A neighbor's a neighbor,” Christina adds.

         “I start school tomorrow and I need some more shoes.”

         “I have a few old ones.” Angela laughs.

         “I have some too.” Joseph hops to the trunk of a nearby tree.

         “All I have is a yellow one, but you're welcome to it,” Alexis tells him.

         “It's settled then, we'll give you some shoes,” Christina hops off with her family to look.

         The Crickets return with several shoes. Joseph hands Thomas two purple shoes, two brown ones, and a yellow and black striped one. Alexis gives him a yellow one.  Angela has a silver one with white smiley faces on it and two baby blue ones. Christina tosses him two half orange-half green ones.

         “Thanks, I appreciate it.” Thomas sits and puts the shoes on.

         “Like I said,” Christina speaks, “a neighbor's a neighbor.”

         “Yep,” Joseph agrees.

         “We need to get back to the music, Thomas.” Angela waves good bye.

         “See you another night, and have fun at school.” Alexis starts rubbing her back legs together.

         Thomas leaves and the Crickets' music fades as he moves away. A few of the shoes are a little tight, but with some wiggling he gets them comfortable. Thomas stops on the way home and makes a snack out of brown leaves and mud pudding. When he returns, his mom's waiting for him, a big smile on her face. She's  holding something behind her back, but he can't see what it is. He can smell it though. It's his favorite desert, poison ivy pie.

         “What's behind your back?” He grins.

         “Did you get your shoes?” Mom asks.

         “I got twenty four, but still need two more.”

         “Your sister has a pair . She's already fourteen segments long and has outgrown them. I'll tell her when she gets back that you'll need them. I made this for you.” Mom holds out the pie.

         Thomas smiles.

         “Don't you have anything to say?”

         “Thank you. It's my favorite.” Thomas takes the pie and starts eating it.

         “I know. Hurry up and get in bed. It'll be sunrise soon and you need to get some sleep.” She kisses him on the head. “I'll tell your sister to leave the shoes for you.”

         “Good day, Mom.” He mumbles through a mouth full of poison ivy.

         Thomas sleeps, dreaming of balloons and shoes and school. He wakes just as the sun's going down and stretches his legs out wide. Getting up from under his leaves, he sees his sister's shoes hanging on the tree, glowing bright pink in the dark. He shakes his head.

         Thomas gets ready for school and puts his shoes on: two purple shoes, two half orange half green shoes, a bright green shoe, four white shoes, three blue shoes, two red shoes, two black shoes, a silver shoe with white, smiley faces on it, two baby blue shoes, a yellow shoe, a yellow and black striped shoe, two brown shoes, and the glowing pink shoes.

         He counts them. “Yep, twenty six.”

         He grabs a few leafs to eat on his way to school and wiggles through the bushes. His first day of school is wonderful. He learns letters, sings some songs, and meets millipedes that will become good friends for the rest of his life. He has the only pair of glowing shoes in the school and is instantly popular. By the end of his first night, Thomas knows that special things will come to him. He's glad Mom made him get the shoes and go to class.