Diamond Carrot (aka Karat)

 Diamond Carrot (aka Karat)

By Margaret E. Holt

March 4, 15

            

            Once upon a time in Galloway, Ohio, a small urban community outside of Columbus, there lived a young boy Alexander.  Alexander lived with his sister, Jaiden Grace, and his parents, Paris and Carrie.  They had three animals, too:  1) Zoey Paws, 2)Dinky Donkey, and 3)Diamond Carrot.  Alexander who loved animals also wanted to get a Python that could be named Ordinal II, and an elephant that could smash small cars, but his parents said three pets were enough.  His mother said, “definitely no bats.” 

            Jaiden Grace had named their cat Zoey Paws, because when Zoey meowed, she had a Greek accent.  Alexander named Dinky Donkey, which originally was a bad expression, but later everyone came to feel since the donkey was about the size of a squirrel that Dinky was a good name.  Alexander wanted the little rabbit to be called just Carrot, but his YiaYia insisted on Diamond Carrot, because Diamond had three siblings, Club Carrot, Spade Carrot, and Heart Carrot.  She wanted Alexander to have the full deck of rabbits. 

            Diamond and Dinky did create some problems, though.  The both loved to eat carrots, so Carrie, the Mom, constantly had to run to the grocery store for more bunches of carrots.  Zoey was difficult too because she wanted spanakopita and moussaka, and unfortunately was developing a taste for retsina.  Paris tried to curb Zoey’s drinking, because he said it wasn’t good for the neighbor kids, like Lily, to see a drunken cat rolling down the stairs in their house. 

            At night Alexander prayed and his Dinky Donkey brayed.  Jaiden said if they couldn’t be quiet and go to sleep she was moving to Georgia (which made her Pappou and YiaYia very happy.)   She said living with Alexander was like living in a zoo.  Alexander told her to lighten up or he would get a small elephant to smash up her dollhouse.   Through all this commotion, Diamond Carrot was really quiet and he found a place to hide.  Nobody could find him for three days.  Paris said they had to pray to the St. Foustanella, and sure enough after everyone said a prayer, Diamond Carrot popped out of Carrie’s jewelry box.  He thought he could be camouflaged there with all the other diamonds!   He was scared, but Alexander promised Diamond that if he didn’t hide again, he would take him to visit his brother Club and sisters, Spade and Heart. 

            Everyone was in a good mood now.  I’m not sure if they were in a good mood because Diamond Carrot had been found or if everyone had been sipping Zoey Paws’ retsina.  No matter what, it worked out . . . . . until Alexander noticed that a possum had moved into their garage.   He just didn’t know what to name a possum.  YiaYia said call him The Big Pretender.