A GREEN DILEMMA
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Seven year-old Gus never thought that he would be sitting in the middle of a wreath of flowers in a cave on a Saturday, instead of watching television like a normal young boy.
In the circle of flowers with him was a troll named Stanley. The obese and red haired little creature was busy teaching the kid on how to make flowers grow. Both of their green thumbs were aglow. While Stanley's thumb glowed naturally since he had been gifted with it, Gus, being human, was still struggling to sustain his glow.
Ever since he had revived Stanley from Gnorga's curse, and which also turned him into a troll too, Gus had wanted to learn more then ever on how to have a green thumb just like his friend. It hadn't been easy in the past few weeks. Gus was a good learner and all, but he was still human. And still impatient.
The weeks after the city of New York had been dazzled by the flower display, Gus and his two-year old sister Rosie spent the weekend going to Central Park with their parents. Mostly, if they could talk their mom and dad into it, for picnics and floating Gus's favorite remote control speed-boat. But when the parents weren't looking the two siblings would go to the small bridge, slip into the hole under the pass, and slide down to visit their friend in his large and cavernous home full of flowers.
"Oh! I'm never gonna' get this!" Gus griped in frustration.
Stanley, broken from his meditation, looked over at the boy. "Gus, you can do it," he said. "You just gotta' beli-"
"I know already!" Gus snapped. "I've been trying to believe I can do it. But nothing is happening. Maybe I wasn't meant to have a green thumb." he looked down at his thumb. It glowed after he had snapped his fingers but didn't do much except just that; glow. He wanted to make something grow like a flower or a giant rose or even make vines shoot-out of the ground.
But all he could do was make a sprout. A measly little sprout.
Sighing in frustration, Gus got up and turned to leave with Rosie.
Stanley got up, hitched up his brown trousers, and put his floppy hat back on his head.
"Oh Gus, I know you've got it in you," he said, trying to cheer up his human friend. "I know you can do it."
The other flowers and even some of the animals of the park all chattered and squeaked in agreement. Even Rosie tried to cheer her brother up.
Gus felt his frustrated attitude go down. He felt a little bad for snapping at Stanley. The troll had given up his free-time to teach him after all. "I'm sorry, Stanley," he said, taking his sister's hand. "It's just that school's been a drag now and stuff."
Stanley tilted his head with a raised brow. "But I thought you liked school, Gus. What's the matter?"
As they climbed the vine covered staircase to the entrance Gus told his friend about what had been going on in his school during the few weeks the city had been going back to normal, and Central Park being restored.
He told Stanley that a new kid named Ivan had arrived in his class from another country as a foreign exchange student. He spoke weirdly and that often caused some of the other kids to laugh at him. One particular kid was Anton. He was a typical schoolyard bully who often got what he wanted from the kids. Be it lunches, pocket change, or the occasional cool-looking toy, Anton demanded it. And nobody sat at the same lunch room table as him.
Gus explained that Ivan had made a mistake sitting at that table and got physically and verbally harassed by Anton.
"But that's awful!" Stanley gasped. "Did you do anything to help?
Gus shook his head. "No. What could I do? Anton is so much bigger then I am."
"I know the feeling," Stanley mumbled. "When I first got here, why, your world of rock and steel and loud noises frightened me so much that I never wanted to leave this cave. I mean ever again. This city and the rest of the human world is so much bigger then a little troll like me."
They didn't talk again until they were out of the hole and on the stone ledge under the bridge. The sun was shining and the sound people and other children playing in the park could be heard all around. Stanley stayed within the hole and kept hidden. He peeked his roundish head out so that he could talk to Gus.
"So, Gus, next week we'll work on the sprout together. Okay?"
"Oh. Right," Gus suddenly remembered. "Stanley, my parents are taking me and Rosie to the Natural History Museum next weekend."
Stanley smiled and clapped his hands together in delight. "Well that's great! You must feel pretty exited."
On the contrary, Gus didn't look remotely happy.
"Nah," Gus grunted as he crossed his arms. "The museum is so boring and there is nothing to do. Don't get me wrong, Stanley, I like the dinosaur hall and everything, but the rest of it is so boring. And the worst part is that I have to go twice next week."
Stanley was a bit puzzled. "Uh, Twice?"
Nodding, Gus leaned against the wall and watched Rosie toddled back to their parents, who were now packing up their picnic.
Sighing, the young boy went on. "Yep. That's right. First it's a school field trip with my class, and then it's Saturday afternoon with my mom and dad for some unveiling thing for a new exhibit."
The following week went by slowly for Gus. The school trip was soon upon him by Wednesday. He was not excited about spending a day in a museum, but what choice did he have?
The bus was loaded with noisy kids that morning as Gus sat with his backpack in the rear seat like he usually did. He didn't mind it so much because his best friend was with him. The boy sitting next to him was named Eugene.
Gus was small with short, brown hair with a spiky fringe, an upturned nose, buckteeth, and noticeable freckles on both of his cheeks.
But Eugene was different. He was small and scrawny, with a mop of black hair that covered his eyes that didn't see very good. He wore square glasses, and carried an inhaler in his shirt pocket. His nose was pointed, and that kept his glasses on his face from slipping down.
Eugene wasn't a full-on nerd, but he wasn't hanging around with any of the cool kids in school, either. It was Gus that excepted Eugene for who he was and made friends with him. This was also because both had a love for their motor boats. And although he was shy and soft-spoken, Eugene was bold and trustworthy enough that Gus let him in on the secret of his green thumb and Stanley.
Anton was not with them on the bus. He had been sent home from school because he had been caught in the act bullying in the playground. But Gus knew that it was partly because of him.
Anton had been having a go at Eugene and Ivan prior to the trip and Gus had come to their rescue. While the teacher scolded the older boy and sent him to the principle's office, Ivan had thanked Gus for his help.
But that wasn't without consequences.
Anton, before he was sent home, told Gus he was going to pay for what he did.
Gus wasn't afraid of him. He had faced the queen of trolls, survived being almost drowned in his own tears with a curse, and got turned into a troll himself. He could handle him.
A few minutes later the school bus full of children had finally arrived at the museum. They got out and arranged themselves in a line in front of their teacher.
The field trip was about to begin.
The children entered the huge building. Gus and Eugene walked together at the back of the line. Gus preferred it that way and so did Eugene. They didn't like being in a tight group.
They all entered a meeting hall, got briefed on the areas they were allowed to see on the floors, where the washrooms were located, and where they were going to have lunch.
But unbeknown to anyone in his class, Gus's thumb had begun to glow green. Not dull green but a soft, pulsating green.
And it was coming from the new exhibit.
When he had noticed, Eugene quickly told Gus to hide his thumb away in his pocket. Gus did it quickly before anyone could see it.
Eugene looked worried. "Gus," he said. "What's happening with your thumb?"
Gus tried to snap his fingers, the way that Stanley had shown him. But the glow remained.
"I don't get it," Gus said in mild panic. "It won't turn off."
Gus had to turn it off. If anyone noticed a seven-year old boy with a glowing thumb he might be hulled away to a looney bin. Or worse.
Littlefoot and Gus © to their rightful owners.
A Troll In Central Park/LBT (c) Don Bluth
