The Adventures of Leonard and Puffles: Episode 1 The Day Puffles met Leonard
as narrated by Puffley J. Puffington
Chapter 1- The Beginning
And I guess that’s as good a place to start telling a story as any other, isn’t it? I mean, I suppose I could just tell you about the day, but, something tells me you’re not interested in the weather and if you are, I wish you all the best luck in you’re future as a meteorologist- but this is not the right book for you then, and I am no weatherman.
Dean’s telling me this would probably be a good time to say what I am, and what this story is about rather than what it’s not. I, am a penguin, but not just any penguin as I’m guessing you knew before and is probably why you‘re reading this… Oh… I see… you didn’t?…. You just thought the title was cute? Well, in that case, I suppose the best place to start is with me! My name is Puffley J. Puffington.
Does the name Puffington the Explorer sound familiar to you?…. Oh… it doesn’t? Hard to blame you I suppose. Very few people subscribe to any of the good penguin newspapers. But, still, to continue, you may call me Puffles, as my friends do, for short.
I was born in the small penguin village of Romero in Antarctica, the son of a fisherman, but as a young penguin pip, I’d always dreamed of traveling. While other young penguins were in school, I used to sneak out and down to the ocean. Before long I began to visit other Penguin villages all over Antarctica, going so far as the great Penguin capital.
It was on one of these outings that I had an amazing conversation with an old whale, named, Kirk. I was telling Kirk, the whale, about all the places I’d been, and all the different animals I’d met along the way.
“You’ve traveled very far indeed for such a small penguin,” Kirk said at the end of my tales.
But then Kirk, the whale, began telling me fantastic, wonderful tales of faraway lands with exotic names like Hawaii, Baja and San Francisco and more and more until my head was spinning. My thoughts and dreams were filled with adventures to be had and tales to live and unseen seas to explore.
But I was far too young then and so….
I waited…
And waited…
And waited….
Until one day, the day when I knew the time was right. By then I was no small penguin. All the extra swimming had made me strong and fast in the water )and almost kept me from graduating at Penguin High). And still my dreams were filled with travel and fantastic, fabulous foreign lands so that even my friends called me Puffles the dreamer. And sure enough, the day came that I became an adult Penguin. Some of my friends ere already married with little Penguin pips of their own, but I’d been around the iceberg enough times to know that wasn’t the life more me, at least… not yet.
So instead, that very day, my first day as an adult penguin, I announced my plan: I was swimming to Hawaii. No one was really happy about this, besides me that is. My Mother cried and cried and begged my Father to make me stay.
“He’s not a pip anymore sweetheart,” My Father cooed to her, his wing around my Mother’s shoulder, “He makes his own choices now.”
And so I left the next morning, promising my Mother I’d write everyday and I did, signing each:
“Your loving son,
Puffington the Explorer”
That dawn I left Romero and Antarctica, with nothing but a crude map drawn from Kirk, the whale’s, memory, and a hunger for the fantastic.
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Ch. 2- A Long Swim to Hawaii
And it certainly was. There were times I thought I’d starve to death, and I know how I was just lucky that there were plenty of fish in the sea. There were times I thought I was lost too and that was much scarier than starving. At least hunger was something certain. I was either hungry or I wasn’t. But how would I ever know if I was lost when it was nothing but myself and the deep, dark water? Not that it was only the sea and myself. There were many islands I visited along the way, and many different birds and animals I met along the way.
Finally, after what felt like lifetimes I reached a large mountain sticking out of the water. Surrounding it was the most beautiful island I’d ever seen! White beaches and black beaches and even green beaches! Forgetting the fish and trees and plants and fish and cliffs and fish and people! And the fish! All different colors and bright and flashing and beautiful. And there were dolphins and turtles and one place where rocks were made from this red hot stuff called lava! There were tall rocky cliffs that the waves would pound and spray mist like the beautiful waterfalls that were all over the island.
But there came one day when, as I swam past a beach and saw a creature, unlike any I’d ever seen before.
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Ch.3- Puffles Meets Leonard
It was very tall with long legs, four of them, and a long row of horns on each side of his head. I swam up, out of the water and onto the sand, thinking I might have discovered some new species of animal. When I got closer I noticed he was wearing a brightly adorned shirt with dancing girls in grass skirts.
“Hello? Excuse me?” I suddenly felt very awkward… and a little scared, approaching this strange animal, not knowing if he might be dangerous.
“Well… Hel-lo there my little lost penguin friend,” the creature said, and for a moment I was scared, thinking maybe I was lost after all.
“What makes you think I am lost?” still scared though, no longer by the creature.
“Well… I guess ‘cause we’re pretty far from the Antarctic and not too many penguins come to Hawaii on their own.” the creature nodded slowly after everything he said.
“Oh? Is that all?” I laughed relieved, “That’s because I am no ordinary penguin.” I smiled and stood up straight. “Haven’t you ever heard of Puffington the Explorer?”
“Nope… can’t say that I have,” the creature answered, “is he a friend of yours?”
I sighed and slumped into the sand next to him, “No… no, that’s me.”
“Well… nice to meet you Puffington- may I call you Puffington?” he asked politely.
“My friend’s call me Puffles.” I told him.
“Well… then Puffles, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m Leonard. Leonard D. Moose.” he said with a little bit of bow.
I smiled, “Nice to meet you too. I suppose Moose don’t read any of the good Penguin newspapers?”
“Nope… can’t say I ever have,” Leonard said shaking his head thoughtfully.
I smiled and sighted with relief, “That explains it then. By now, I’m… pretty famous back home.” Leonard came and sat down next to me. “Are you from Hawaii, or did you swim here too?”
Leonard laughed a low, slow, loud laugh. “No my friend… no…. I flew.”
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Ch. 4- The Adventures Begin
I stared at Leonard for a really, really, re-ally long time, almost sure he was lying or joiking, “But… you don’t have wings! I have wings but I still can’t fly!”
Leonard laughed again, his low, slow loud laugh, “Oh ho ho… oh, Puffles! You penguins don’t get out much do you?”
I didn’t answer but just kept staring wide eyed.
“No… Puffles- now- I don’t fly. I rode in an airplane.” I’d never heard of an air plane before. “Oh ho ho… oh Puffles… You still have much to learn about the world. But- first, let’s go get dinner. I’m starving. How do you feel about sushi?”
:”Su-shi?” and Leonard laughed again.
And later that night I tried sushi, and I loved it.