Flamingo Popsicles

(Note: I normally write for people over 13. Maybe 11 at the least. Doing children’s stories is harder for me but I tried my best here.)

 

Lionel was hungry. But he didn't want pizza, hamburgers, ice cream, or candy. He had no appetite for hot dogs, popcorn, chocolate cake, or sandwiches. Nor was he hungry for pancakes, sausages, turkey, or spaghetti with meatballs and cheese.

No, what Lionel wanted was a Popsicle that tasted like flamingo feathers. He wanted something pink and sweet to fill his tummy before having dinner.

He knew that flamingoes were pink birds that could stand on one leg. That alone fascinated Lionel, and he wanted to know what they tasted like. He had already tried chicken, turkey, and duck. Now he wanted a flamingo-flavored Popsicle.
So he went off in search for one. Taking out the money from his piggy bank (four quarters, five dimes, two nickels, and ten pennies), he went to the ice cream store. "Excuse me, but do you have flamingo-flavored Popsicles?" he asked the ice cream man. "I'd like one, please." The man laughed and shook his head. "Sorry, kid. I've got 31 flavors of ice cream, but not one of them tastes like flamingoes. Why do you want a flamingo-flavored Popsicle anyway?" "To eat," Lionel said simply. "Did you know flamingoes can stand on one leg?" "Really?!" The ice cream man pretended to be shocked. "Wow, they must teach you a lot in school these days! Anyway, I can't give you flamingo-flavored Popsicles. Try the store next door." "Oh. Okay." Disappointed, Lionel thanked the man, and went next door. It was a small grocery shop that also served ice cream. Once again, he asked a cashier if they had flamingo-flavored Popsicles. "Sorry, kid," the cashier said. "We have cherry, grape, and orange, but no flamingo-flavored Popsicles. Maybe you can go to the big supermarket next door and ask." So Lionel went to the big supermarket next door, and asked a worker where the flamingo-flavored Popsicles were. The worker just laughed, then sent him to the ice cream aisle. She stayed with him as he looked around. "Do you see any flamingo-flavored ice cream?" she asked. "No." Lionel shook his head. "You got strawberry but that tastes like strawberries. Not flamingo feathers." The girl took pity on him. "Why do you want a flamingo-flavored Popsicle?" "To eat," Lionel said. "I tried a lot of other things, and I want to try a flamingo. We don't have any here except in the zoo. I've seen them before. They're nice-looking birds 'cause they're pink, and they stand in the water on one leg." "That's them, all right," the girl agreed. "Well, we don't have anything that tastes like flamingoes here, but I do know someone who might help. Come with me!" She grabbed a curious Lionel's hand and led him out of the store. At the corner was another ice cream man selling Popsicles of all colors. Green, purple, blue, yellow, and pink. Pink! Just like flamingo feathers. Lionel's face lit up. "He has flamingo-flavored Popsicles!" he exclaimed. "I'd like a flamingo-flavored Popsicle, please." The man was confused until the girl explained, "He wants the pink Popsicle." "Ah!" the man said, and reached into his cart, and pulled out a pink Popsicle. "Here you go, my young friend; one pink flamingo Popsicle. That'll be a dollar and twenty cents." With help from the girl, Lionel counted out his coins, and gave them to the man. The girl also bought a flamingo-flavored Popsicle. Together, they walked back to the supermarket, eating their Popsicles. "How is it?" she asked. Lionel licked his Popsicle again. "Really good. I didn't know flamingoes tasted like grapefruit and strawberries though." The girl laughed. "You also didn't know they could stand on one leg until someone told you, right? That's the same way with flamingo-flavored Popsicles. You won't know what they taste like until you try one." "Oh." Lionel finally understood what she meant. And, to him, she was right. Flamingoes were certainly delicious as Popsicles. He finished it off and licked the stick clean. "Did you enjoy it?" "Yup!" Lionel nodded. "I finally got my snack!"

"That's good to hear."

"But I still need dinner." Lionel scraped the ground with his toe, looking sheepish. The girl tried her hardest to keep smiling. The she asked the dreaded question.

"What do you want for dinner?"

Lionel looked up at her. "Well, do you have any toucan burgers? And what do they taste like?

~OWARI~

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