Saving the Turtle

Heading down a not-very-busy country highway on a summer day I saw an upside down turtle in the road and I said “Hey! Screeched on my brakes, to help the little fellow out of the way. But he got bigger and bigger the closer I got that day. I was a bit intimidated by his hugeness, but my children could see. So I gave them a wave, and tried to turn that turtle on his legs, and free. He twisted his head and tried to take a bite out of my fingers three. I dropped him promptly, and did not feel a bit guilty. I thought you were going to save him! My ten-year-old child said. Did you kill him? The eight year old queried, “Is the Turtle dead?” The three-year-old was suddenly interested. His name was Ned. Let’s go see it! He chortled and cackled, ready to see something dead. He was bigger than I thought, I told them but I will try again. I flipped him over with a big stick; it was truly not thin. That turtle was determined to die; he walked in front of my car. “Don’t hit him!” Kids screamed, so I went around him, that turtle czar.