Just Trying to Help
I was sitting incognito on the beach when a cry went up from a woman holding a distraught baby. “Help, he’s lost his stuffie.”
Nobody cared.
I went over, keeping my sun hat low. “What happened?”
“It’s his favorite toy, an alligator. He’ll be crushed.”
Fine, I’d help. I took off the hat. “Help! I lost my kid’s stuffed alligator,” I shouted.
People looked.
People recognized me.
People swarmed.
Suddenly everyone was looking for the alligator, but it never appeared . . . until I saw it later on Ebay for $400, listed as mine.
I really need to stop trying to help.
The Green-Walled Treehouse 
Nobody cared. I laughed out loud at that line, David. Funny and clever take.
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Thanks, Nancy. Glad you liked it. 🙂
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I love the photo. Makes you want to hop a flight to Palm Beach. Even in jest, don’t ever stop trying to help. I lost my favorite stuffie on the Staten Island Ferry, Poophead Smith never to be seen again. And I’m still not over it. Maybe he’s on eBay. I’ll have a look. 🙂
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It is easy to get cynical about helping but yes, we should never stop trying.
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You’re a born helper. It’s what I call the Franciscan in you. 🙂
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Oh the irony!
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I can picture exactly this happening!
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Yep, I wouldn’t be surprised. The downsides of celebrity, haha.
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More like, help yourself.
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When my grandson was little, my wife took him shopping and he dropped his favorite stuffie in the store. When my wife went back to look for it, she was told another family came along, picked it up, and left (not even bothering to turn it in).
The stuffie wasn’t common but my wife finally found it on eBay. She told my grandson that his stuffie had gone on holiday and would be back soon. When the duplicate arrived in the mail, it stank of cigarette smoke. My wife worked diligently until she eradicated every last hint of the scent, then presented it back to our grandson.
He’s sixteen now and still has no idea what happened. The stuffie has long since been retired along with the others he’s owned, but they still reside in a place of honor.
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That’s a great story, James. What a kindhearted gesture on your wife’s part to do all that. My favourite stuffed animal growing up got left here and there and had to get mailed back several times, including once from a hotel.
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Isn’t tat just he way of the world
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love the way this celeb or famous person was recognized and how you showed us this part of our culture – tsk tsk
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Yeah, it’s too true. People are always trying to get a buck. Thanks for reading. 🙂
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Dear David,
Clever take on the prompt. That help certainly backfired, didn’t it?
Shalom and Happy Holidays to you,
Rochelle
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Yeah, our best efforts don’t always turn out like we want them to. I hope you had a good holidays, Rochelle and that 2026 will be good for you.
-David
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Funny story, David.
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