Suzie's affection for Porcy grew and grew with each visit. She has so much love for this very special friend. She was always very delighted when Larry asked if Porcy could stay with her. She never refused, for Porcy's company was very special and she was proud that Larry trusted her to watch over him.

On one of Porcy 's very first visits she made him a little red cap to go with his shirt. Porcy beamed with pride when Suzie placed this on his head. He walked around puffing up very proud! For now he had two special things! His "I Love Suzie" shirt and his special little red cap. In Porcy's opinion he was the luckiest porcupine around!

Suzie also learned that Porcy could be a trickster, but that it was always done with love in his heart. One time when Porcy came to stay, she had lost a lot of weight because of being sick. When she got sick she could not sleep very well either. She would be up sometimes in the middle of the night. She was always very quiet not wanting to wake anyone else up. But when Porcy was visiting she found she had company in the wee late hours of the evening.

"Suzie", Porcy said, "Did you do know that I am allowed to have very late night snacks? Larry allows me this, and I am so very hungry, I want cereal please."

"Oh Porcy", says Suzie, "If you are hungry of course I will get for you something to eat. Do you want your cashews with the cereal?"

Porcy's most favorite food in the whole wide world was cashews! Larry always made sure that he sent a jar with him when he came to visit Suzie. Porcy absolutely loved cashews and would do almost anything for them.

"Oh yes please cashews! ", Porcy said, his little mouth a watering. "But you know, I can not eat without someone eating with me."

Suzie's face had upon it a most puzzled look! She had never heard of someone not being able to eat unless someone ate with them.

Porcy spoke, as he batted his cute little twinkling eyes at Suzie. "Please Suzie, eat with me. So hungry! Have to have someone eating with me, is porcupine thing you know."

Suzie's face full of confusion looked upon her little friend and exclaimed, "Porcupine thing? Porcy I have never heard of that!"


Clever, quick, little Porcy replied, "Suzie do you remember when Larry told you about scouting in the forest, looking for the animals? He told you about how you could tell much from the animal droppings. It could tell you among other things, when they had been there. And you said to Larry, I did not know poop could tell you so much! Well if you did not know about poop and you accepted that! Is my porcupine needing company for eating request really so very strange? How much do you know about porcupines, Suzie?"

Suzie answered, as she laughed and smiled, "I do not know a whole lot about porcupines my little friend, but I do know you. If you would like me to sit down and have a bowl of cereal and nuts with you, I would be glad too."

So Suzie and Porcy sat together in the wee hours of the evening eating cereal and nuts. Porcy was puffing up as they were eating. He kept watching Suzie and every time another spoonful of cereal would enter her mouth, he would have a sparkling twinkle in his eyes and a grinning smile upon his face.

When Porcy went back home Suzie asked Larry, who knew a lot about the animals, especially Porcy, about this porcupine needing company to eat thing. " Oh Suzie", Larry laughingly said, "I think Porcy tricked you. There is no such thing as porcupines needing company to eat. But I do know when Porcy came back from his last visit he said you looked to skinny. Guess our little friend wanted you to eat! Hope you are not mad at him."

Suzie told Larry that she was not mad at all, and that they should keep to themselves that she knew now that she had been tricked. For Porcy had tricked her, but he tricked with good intentions, love in his heart and did no harm. To Suzie that made all the difference when it came to tricking someone. And she has been known to pull a little harmless shenanigans herself, now and then.

Suzie was proud that Porcy knew the rules of tricking, never hurt anyone and always do it with love in your heart. You may be wondering to yourself, how do I recognize these good tricksters? It is really very simple, look for that sparkling special twinkle in the eyes.



Chapter 2


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The Stories of "Porcy" were created by Jenny
©Copyright 1998 - 2002, J.S. All Rights Reserved.