May 2005
Reptilian Recess or Algae for Lunch, Anyone?

Well readers, time to take you back to another adventure of the Huck Finn brothers. Now what could two young boys, raised to be polite, courteous and to obey rules, possibly do wrong? Believe you me, our dad was quite strict!

We were on our lunch hour at Abington Avenue Grammar School in Newark planning our "escape." We were not supposed to leave the schoolyard. Sure we weren't.... Out the gate we went, off to seek adventure in Branch Brook Park, which was several blocks away.

We were in the pond getting our school shoes and clothes wet trying to catch frogs or whatever we could. Then the plan began to take shape. My brother Carl, who had a fascination for turtles, saw a large turtle close enough to shore to try and catch. The turtle was about the size of a soup bowl.

With our combined efforts we were able to catch the prize specimen. Now what to do with it since we had to get back to school? Ah, just the ticket - some heavy fishing line laying in the weeds! We tied one end of the line to one of the turtle's legs and the other end to the brush near the shore and put the turtle back in the pond.

Our plan was to return after school, retrieve the turtle and take it home for our aquarium. But now, we went back to school wet and smelling like good old algae laden pond water. I know I turned a few noses in class.

My teacher sure took notice and questioned as to what the "strange" odor was that had found its way into the classroom. My classmates were laughing it up, but no-one was letting on as to who the 'stinker" was.

Well Carl and I both made it through the rest of the school day. When the bell rang, out the door and through the gate we went back to the park for the turtle. We Huck Finn bros. were in our glory.

The "super" turtle was still there. Carl reeled in the prize, and we took of hurriedly for home. We wanted to make sure we could get the turtle in water as quickly as possible. Into the aquarium went the prize. Little did we know what would happen next.

Seems we had caught a female about to lay eggs. Yes lay eggs she did. We were surprised one day to see baby Painters swimming around in the aquarium.

But the adventure was about to end. The decision was made. The family of turtles would go back to the pond. So back to the pond they went swimming off for their adventure while the Huck Finn brothers took off to seek yet another adventure of their own.

by Lance L. Casper

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