Where's the Groundhog?
Part One
"Come on Kowalski!" Private encouraged him. It was February 2nd, Groundhog's Day, the day that the groundhog appears, and we see if winter is almost done or not.
We were all standing around, patently waiting for Kowalski to finish toying with the television wires so we could all watch the groundhog ceremony. I was getting impatient.
"Come on Kowalski!" I said. "At this rate, the ceremony will be done by the time you finish." Kowalski rolled away from the wiring on his stateboard he was laying on to look at me. He pulled down his shades.
"Skipper," he told me. "Be patient if you please. Science requires allot of hard work and concentration."
"Well work harder!" I urged. "Come on, we're burning broad daylight over her." Kowalski gave an angry grunt, as he went back to work, wiring the TV.
"You must have patience Skipper." Private informed me. "Kowalski is only doing his best. I mean surly, you can know at least he's trying his hardest."
"Yeah, yeah!" Rico nodded. I sighed.
"Okay Kowalski." I said. "I know you're trying you best and that all that counts. I mean if you absolutely positively fail this, I completely understand. The effort counts on this one, and if you are at least you're trying your very hardest, that's completely okay with me. Nobody's perfect, not even a science geek like you Kowal…"
"There, I think I got it." Kowalski interrupted. He got up from under the TV and removed his shades.
"Yay!" Young Private clapped with joy. "I hope it works."
We all got in front of the TV screen as Kowalski hit the remote. The screen turned on, but there was nothing except a fuzzy scene.
"Blast it!" Kowalski said. "Still snowy."
"Not as snowy as it is outside." Private remarked. Kowalski looked at the TV. He pondered, his flipper scratching his chin. "It's just packed with snow out there and so cold." The little penguin shivered. "I hope the groundhog doesn't see his shadow, that way we'll all know it'll warm up because Spring will be on its way!"
"I wonder." Kowalski wondered. He looked at the TV. "Aha! I see the problem." He went to the back to work again. I rolled my eyes.
Suddenly, Marlene came bursting in.
"It's horrible!" She cried. "Oh it's just plain horrible!" She ran to Private and Rico and put her paws on their sholdiers, wiggling them while she shouted. "It's downright and plain…" She put her paw under her chin, and looked scared as she squeaked her next word. "Horrible."
"Calm down Marlene." I told the sea otter. "What's so horrible? The zoo isn't planning to close again, is it?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"Eureka!" Kowalski cried out. We looked at him. He went over to the remote, and pressed the button. "This time I know it'll work. It has to."
We looked at the screen. The ceremony was taking place but not a single groundhog could be seen.
"I don't get it." Private observed, looking worried. "Where's the groundhog at?"
"I don't know." Kowalski replied. "He should've been out by now. It is groundhog's day. But, the question is, where is he?"
"He's missing." Marlene answered. We all looked at her like she was crazy.
"Huh?" We all wanted to know.
"There will be no Groundhog's Day this year." Private waddled up to her.
"What ever do you mean Marlene?" He wanted to know.
"There will be no Groundhog's Day, because…. he's missing."