This delightful children's story written by Cowboy Joe is dedicated to Java.

  

Java and the Earthworm

Written by Joseph A. Haviland

When Java first met Warren, it was on a bright, sunshiny day. Warren was doing what all earthworms do, tilling the dark, black soil, making it rich for the green grass to grow. Up until then, Warren had been content with his other earthworm friends who burrowed themselves in the school field, just down the street from where Java and her owner lived.

On this particular spring day, Warren had surfaced and was lying on top of the carpet-like green field enjoying the sun’s warmth. He was careful to watch out for anything with wings in the sky above. In the distance, children in colorful outfits kicked or batted balls while their parents ran in circles.

Before Warren knew what hit him, a big wet, black nose was sniffing him up and down. He suddenly wished he had stayed underground.

“Excuse me!” yelled Warren, before he could say anymore a heavy weight whomped itself down on him with tremendous force.

When he could see daylight again, Warren said, “What the…?” The whomping repeated itself, and then again the big, black wet nose. Between whompings, Warren was quite dizzy and he saw spots, black ones, and lots of them! Java kept rolling on top of Warren and kicking her feet up in the air.

“Hey, I’m down here,” Warren said finally. “You big bully, get off of me.”

Suddenly the Dalmatian was pulled off Warren. “Girl, I told you to leave that poor, little earthworm alone,” commanded Joe.

Warren wanted to thank the man, but he was thinking about how he was called “poor” and “little.” Warren did not like that. He was not poor or little, at least not by his standards. Java and the man quickly disappeared across the field. Warren wiggled and dove down into the dirt, traveling back home.

That night over dinner, he told his family about what happened to him and about the big dog with black spots. “Sounds like a bully to me,” said Warren’s dad. “I told you to steer clear of strangers.  See what happens when you don’t?” His little brother said, “Tell me more, Warren.  Tell me more.”

Meanwhile Java was at home devouring her dinner and drinking water from her bowl.  After eating, she rolled on her back on the living room floor, kicking up her feet, like she had done to Warren and then jumped up into Joe’s lap and fell fast asleep.

A few days later, Warren was back on top of the school field, against his dad’s stern warning, sunning himself, when Java came running over. “Please don’t squish me again,” Warren said very quickly. “The other day you kept rolling on top of me.  I didn’t like that.”

“I was only playing,” Java barked, sprinting away from Warren to greet another dog with spots. Two spotted dogs! Warren was not sure he could handle two of them squishing him.

Warren watched Java run with the other dog and suddenly wished that he had long legs too so he could race like the wind and not squirm slowly along the ground. The other dog paid absolutely no attention to Warren. Both dogs jumped on each other; rolled around, and kicked their feet up in the air. It looked like fun, neither Warren nor any of the other earthworms played that way.

“So are we okay?” Java asked Warren, stopping before him and panting, his long red tongue dangling out the side of her pinkish mouth.

“I think so,” answered Warren.

“I promise I won’t sit on you next time, Warren.”  Java stood there wagging her tail. “Do you want to be friends?”  Java licked Warren’s face with her long, wet, pink tongue.

“Ah well.”  Warren had to think about this.  An earthworm and Dalmatian friends, what would his family and other earthworm friends think?

“I’ve never had a friend like you. Don’t you think it’d be neat?”

“Yes it would, Java. Okay let’s be friends,” Warren finally said. He agreed to meet Java again, he thought about how his dad would not like it, not at all.

A loud whistle pierced the air. Java barked, “I’ve got to go. That’s my master, Joe, calling me. See you next time Warren.”

A week went by and each day around the same time, Warren surfaced to take a break from tilling the soil. He waited for Java but she never came. Sometimes other dogs would come, sniff him, and move on, but Warren knew it was not the same black nose with spots. Maybe Java had moved. Warren felt sad. It was probably for the best because everyone knew earthworms were not supposed to be friends with dogs. What would his other friends think anyway?

Then one day, surprise! Java was at the school field waiting for Warren to pop his head up out of the soil. Warren had almost decided the same day not to surface, he was glad he did.

“Where have you been?” Java asked. “I wasn’t sure you were going to show up.”

“I’ve been here every day waiting for you,” said Warren impatiently.

“Oh, well, I’m sorry. I would have come sooner, but all I can do is wag my tail and stand next to the front door to tell Joe that I want to go out,” said Java.  “I can’t ask him to come here.”

“Why not?” asked Warren.

“He doesn’t understand my bark,” said Java.

“That’s too bad, Java.  My dad understands everything I say to him. Also I’m old enough where I can go wherever I want without my dad’s permission.” Warren wiggled on top of the blades of grass.

“Wow! I wish I could do that. Though Joe is very nice, he makes me wear a collar and walks me on a leash, except when we’re here.”

“You could run away,” suggested Warren.

Java could not believe what he just heard and said, “Run away? But who would take care of me?”

“Well, I could,” said Warren.

“I guess we’ll have to plan it,” Java thought aloud.

“Leave it to me, Java, okay?” Warren squirmed with satisfaction. Java started to play with Warren, letting the earthworm roll on top of her instead. “Is that better?” she asked.

“It feels much better, Java,” Warren agreed.

Warren was an unusual earthworm and Java was thankful for that. Most other earthworms only could feel things, using their sense of touch. They did not have the four other senses that people and dogs had: seeing, tasting, touching, hearing and smelling. Warren was born with more than the ability to feel things. He could also hear, see, and when he talked, he whispered loudly. When Java and Warren played together, Java barked and Warren showed feelings that Java could sense.

It was a sweaty summer day, Warren announced to Java it was time for them to run away. "But you can't run away," Java panted to Warren.

"Yes, I can," replied Warren. "I have bristles along the sides of my body. I can move fast. They are like lots of little feet. Under the soil, I can burrow real fast, at least compared to my other friends. Up here on the surface, I move kind of slow." Warren showed Java how he moved.

"Cool," Java barked. "Hey, I've got an idea. How about if you lay on my back at times when we want to move quickly? Then I can be your legs too."

"That's a great idea, Java," said Warren.

The two friends ran behind a line of evergreen trees at the edge of the playing field. Java got there first, but Warren soon caught up. Java looked this way and that. From where she and Warren were behind the trees, he could see and hear Joe whistling and calling him.

"Maybe I should tell him that I'm leaving?" Java offered shyly, scratching her paw into the dirt.

"Then what would the fun be in running away? Don't worry; we are only going to be gone overnight. You'll see him again soon." Warren looked at Java and could sense her fear. “Don’t be afraid, Java. It's going to be fun, a great adventure for you and me.  You’ll see.” Off the two went, down the road, away from the school field.

A few hours later Java thought about his green dog bowl at home filled with food. "I'm hungry." Java whined her mouth opening wide, revealing sharp white teeth and pink gums. “If I was at home right now, I’d be eating a bowl full of delicious food.” She licked her chops and watched Warren wiggle.

"Well don't look at me," Warren replied, wondering if Dalmatians were like shrews or moles and liked to eat earthworms. “I have a feeling you’ll find something to eat soon.” They walked a few more blocks by the beach and stopped to watch a salmon-colored sunset. For a moment or two Java forgot about being hungry. Then she smelled something. She started to sniff, her black nose high up in the air.

“What is it Java?” asked Warren, who was a little concerned.

“I smell something tasty,” she answered. They walked a block more until they were in front of an overflowing dumpster behind a restaurant. Java’s keen senses of smell lead her to some tasty morsels inside a plastic black bag sitting alongside the dumpster. With her teeth, she opened the bag and inside found mouth-watering leftovers: steaks, fish, potatoes, gooey, cheesy snacks, and fried foods too. She was careful not to eat any of the fish bones. Java devoured her food, wondering why Warren just lay there and watched her.

"Aren't you hungry too? There's plenty here for both of us," Java offered.

"Thanks anyway, Java. I eat dirt and lots of it," Warren replied.

Java stopped eating for a second and barked, "You eat dirt?”  Then she watched while Warren disappeared below the surface of a nearby flower box. When he resurfaced he said, "See I move through the soil, eating the dirt. It goes through my body. I use the nutrients in the soil to help me grow and stay healthy."

"What are nutrients?" Java said with her mouth full.

"Yeah, they’re like vitamins," Warren continued. “I love dirt as much as you like chomping on a t-bone steak” When they were finished eating, both friends started walking again. Warren climbed up on Java’s back and wondered if this was what it was like for a person to ride a horse. He had seen that once when he was on vacation at a summer camp.

By this time, it was completely dark with only a sliver of a moon lighting their way. "Warren, I'm getting sleepy," Java yawned.

"Okay, we'll look for a nice place where we can sleep."

The two found a little park, not far from the restaurant, with a bright blue bench beneath a lamppost. Java and Warren lay down underneath it.  It was a cool, clear night and the stars above them shone brightly.

"Have you ever counted the number of spots you have?" Warren asked.

Java yawned and said, "No, but Joe tried to. I think he got up to over a hundred, but I have a lot more than that. I can't count that high. Can you, Warren?"

"Oh, I can count to at least 245," Warren announced proudly.

"Wow! That's great. Hey Warren, do you ever wish you were something else besides a worm?"

"Yeah sometimes, but I like my life as an earthworm. I'm content to aerate, which is another word for loosening and stirring up the soil. I help it to be more fertile."

"Fertile?"  Java blinked her blue eyes twice.

"Yeah, that's when the soil is really good to plant things in," Warren explained. In the distance a train whistle sounded. "Are you ever afraid of things, Java?"

"Sure.” Java said, shivering slightly, and not because it was cold.  “I don't like things that make loud noises or people who are mean. What about you, Warren?"

"Well, besides being afraid of things that want to eat me, I’m afraid when it rains a lot," a shiver ran down the length of Warren’s body.

"You're afraid of rain?" Java asked, curling up into a tight ball, ready to go to sleep.

"Yes because if it rains too much earthworms end up above the ground and get washed down the street, landing in puddles of water. We don’t know how to swim. Some of us shrivel up the next day when the sun comes back out and dries up the rain water."

"That's awful, Warren," said Java, making room for Warren to curl up next to her.

"Yeah, but most of the time it's great being an earthworm."

Both friends stopped talking and Warren could hear Java sigh deeply.  She yawned one more time.  "Goodnight, Warren. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Java, sweet dreams, retorted Warren.  They both fell fast asleep.

"Look, Mom; it's a Dalmatian!"  Java opened her eyes to see a little boy with red cheeks staring down at her. He started pulling her ears and she didn't like that very much.

"Isn't she so cute, Mom? Can I keep her?" Before the mother could answer, the little boy said, "Ohhhh and look there's a worm here too."

Before Java could stop him, the little boy had Warren between his dirty fingers and stretched him like a rubber band. Suddenly he snapped in two. Java started barking at the little boy and the mother quickly grabbed the child's hand and hurried off.

"Warren, poor Warren," Java said, sobbing. She looked down at the worm's lifeless parts – one longer than the other part. She could not believe what had just happened to her new friend.

"I know we shouldn't have run away," Java barked. "This wouldn't have happened if you and I had just stayed where we were. I was safe at home and you were happy in the school field. Oh why did we ever go on this adventure?"

Just then, the longer end of Warren's body started to wiggle. "What are you crying for, Java?" Warren asked.

"You're still alive, Warren!"  Java exclaimed.

"Well sure. What did you think, Java?"

"I thought you were..." and before Java could finish her sentence, Warren said, “Dead?” Just the thought of it made Java shiver.

"No, Java. You see I can still survive even when I lose a part of my body. Isn’t that cool?” Instead of answering Warren, Java simply shook her snout up and down and then started to think about how it was time for the two of them to head home. She had had enough adventure for a while. Java knew how to get home. All doggies do, no matter how far they run away.

Warren suddenly felt sad again. "What's the matter, Warren?" asked Java, he had sensed Warren’s sadness.

"I won't see you again for a long time," he answered.

"Warren, I'll see you whenever I come down to visit the school field."

"Yeah, but sometimes weeks can go by before Joe walks you down to the field," Warren reminded her. The two walked quietly alongside the road until a bright red fire truck sped by, its lights flashing and horns blasting. Then it was quiet again.

"Hey, I've got an idea. What if you come live with me?" Java suggested.

"Can we do that?" Warren wondered.

Java barked, "Sure. In front of the apartment building I live in is a wonderful garden, you'll be very happy there."

Warren smiled at the thought of living right outside Java's door. "I'll have to check with my dad first and see if it's okay."

Java waited on top of the middle school field while Warren burrowed deep underneath the ground to where his family lived in. They were happy to see Warren again, but his dad scolded him for running away. Warren told his dad about his plans to move up the street to be closer to his friend, Java

"Don't forget to visit us," said Warren's dad.  Warren’s brother gave him a big hug.  The rest of the family said their goodbyes and Warren wiggled his way back up to the surface of the school field.

Java was waiting for him and barked, “Climb up on my back, Warren, and I’ll take you to your new home.”  The whole way back to Java’s house, Warren felt wonderful, he never felt this happy before. He even stretched across Java’s neck and picked up the dog’s silky-smooth, spotted ear and said, “I love you, Java.”

“I love you too, Warren.”

It was already dinnertime when Java returned home, barking loudly. Joe heard her and came running out of the apartment. "Java, where have you been, girl, I've missed you so much!" He was so happy to see her that he didn't notice the earthworm sliding down off Java’s back and into the garden.

"I'll see you later, Java," Warren said.

Before he dove down deeply into the dark, rich soil in the garden, Java barked, "Okay Warren." Her tail wagged back and forth, happy to see Joe, happy to be back home; and best of all, happy to have a friend named Warren.

 

THE END

Copyright 2010

J.A. Haviland