So, today, for the second day in a row, I detoured from my way to work, to save a helpless turtle. I relocated it from the middle of the road to the treeline where it was sure to be safe from traffic.  Consequently, I was late for the second time in a row. I thought it a small price to pay for honoring life.  And, ahhh, how good it is to know, I can atleast love a turtle. Maybe I am human after all, and not a failed government experiment, some alien hybrid reject. (Be still, stepchild, and know that I am GAWD).

I was still humming from my spiritual high when my boss confronted me.  So, I cheerfully shared a story with her about these two brothers walking along a beach one morning.  As the sun rose, as far as they could see, the shore was littered with starfish that washed ashore the night before. Their bare toes nudged squirming echnoderms aside with every step.  The brother stayed busy, randomly tossing one every few steps, back into the ocean. The older brother got irritated after awile and chastized him, "Why the hell do you bother? Just LOOK!  There are thousands of them!  The few you throw back can't possibly matter!" The younger brother, unmoved, just bent down again, picked up anotheer starfish, smiled and said, "It mattered to THAT one (tCHOOOW!) and kept on chuckin'.

My boss just stared unblinking at me, slack jawwed. The seconds heaved by like a wheelchair pushed in the sand by a drunken walrus. The pause became too gravid to tolerate, so I blurted, "Well...You know, it mattered to the turtle!" She snorted "Now, how the hell do you know that, turtle hero?!" (good point). "Just take your ever turtle lovin' ass back to work and next time you're late, just give me the same tired ass excuse everyone else does." She's right though, I mean, maybe the turtle was suicidal. It was hissing & scratching the whole way. I can see that turtle, right now, on it's way back across the road, all twisted into a tight, emokid, ball of rage, bent on oblivion, cursing God, & his mother..."GaaAAARRDamn HUMANS!! I DIDN'T ASK TO BE BORN!!" Yeah, I'll just leave earlier tomorrow...maybe put up some "Turtle Xing," signs too. That'll really piss the ephin turtles off, teach'em a lesson...if I can't take the easy way out, hell if those lil bastards can. I'll make'em work for their escape. I love turtles that much.