Member-only story
Being Still
On the island of Phiddle
By Phineas Phiddlephaddle
-1905-
On the island of Phiddle there lived a young man by the name of Jimmy Toocalm. Jimmy was a master at being still. Once he sat perfectly still on a log for so long, a bluebird built a nest on his head. The bird was none too pleased when Jimmy rose and walked away with his new family home. Jimmy quickly made amends by placing the nest in a tree with a pleasant view of the ocean and offering the bird a large quantity of Phiddleberrys.
Most folks found Jimmy’s proclivity for immobility a particularly odd pastime. Before his penchant for stillness was well known, more than one Phiddle resident saw Jimmy laying immobile in a field and thought he had expired. They were rightly dismayed and then equally startled when he spoke up and informed them he was indeed alive. Jimmy was on the receiving end of a few choice words after that, I can assure you.
But soon his abilities were old hat. He was like a statue in the town center that everyone except the birds ignored. Jimmy felt his gift was under appreciated. While being highly skilled at being still may be an admirable trait in children, it is rarely lucrative. Jimmy made the difficult decision to leave the island of Phiddle.
