Sanchez The Slug

1. Sanchez was a cheerful slug.

2. While his parents worked in the gardens during the day, he would spend his time with his friends at the ant hill.

3. Sometimes, Sanchez would race with his Ant friends, Anthony and Antonia. It was one of his favourite things to do.

4. Although, keeping up with his friends was not always easy for the young slug.

5. They would move faster than a racehorse, with 20 times their own weight on their backs.

6. Yet, Sanchez could barely move a meter within 20 seconds.

7. After yet another extreme loss, he headed home for the evening, thinking about why he could not win.

8. “Why can’t I run?” he thought.

9. As he continued to crawl home, he passed Buck, the butterfly. As he watched him flutter beautifully, Sanchez wondered,

10. “Why can’t I fly?” and he kept on.

11. That day, Sanchez had had enough of the embarrassment.

12. “Dad, why can't I run as fast as the ants? Or fly as beautifully as the butterflies? Why can’t I do anything!”

13.  “Sanchez, my sweet boy, because you cannot.” his father answered.

14. “But my friends can!” he argued.

15. “Your friends are ants, and butterflies. They are built differently than you. With six legs, muscular bodies, made for heavy lifting, speed and flight, you are not made for that.” explained his father.

16. Sanchez cried out, “Why can’t I do that? I want to do that too! I can’t do anything!”

17. Surprised, his father continued, “Darling, ants and butterflies are made to do fantastic things, but so are you.”

18. “Huh?” he questioned.

19. His father began, “Without you, the gardens to the west would not exist! Us slugs break things down, and reuse what is helpful for the plants. If you didn’t do the job you do, the soil would not be healthy, and the flowers would not bloom!”

20. Sanchez was happy with this. He may not have had the strength of an ant, or flight of a butterfly, but he has his own unique talents.

21. Later that night, he would call his friends. Together, they would head west.