Be Kind Anyway

Binny the Fox

Branch the Sloth

Chevron the Raccoon

Deedee the Pheasant

Submitted by Ruester Gibbs, 9

Be Kind Anyway

The words Binny the Fox was yelling didn’t matter. He was angry and everything made him feel like growling or shouting and Deedee the Pheasant wasn’t playing fair.

“I never want to play with you again, Deedee!” Binny shouted. Deedee’s beak only quivered with sadness, then she flew away. Binny’s best friend Branch the blue Sloth slowly came to Binny’s side as he stood seething red hot.

“That wasn’t very kind, Binny,” Branch droned calmly to his friend.

“She wasn’t being fair, Branch. Deedee was changing the rules.”

“I know, but you can be kind anyway.”

“No, you can’t be kind to someone when they’re being unreasonable and making you mad.”

Branch ate the leaves off a stick and shrugged a lazy shoulder at his buddy. “If you say so Binny.”

“What’s all the commotion over here?” said a loud voice. It was Chevron the colorful raccoon. He was lounging in a tree behind them.

“Hi Chevron,” said Branch. “Binny lost his temper and yelled at Deedee.”

“Well you’ll be rather glad to know that everyone gets angry.” Chevron said and jumped down to join them on the ground. “Best way to calm down is to do something else. Let’s play something fun!”

“Let’s see who can run to the creek the fastest!” Binny said.

“I’ll help count down,” Branch yawned, “on your mark,” Binny and Chevron perched at the ready, “get set,” Binny perched next to Chevron who pulled his pink and green tail up next to his ears, “Go!” Binny was suddenly blinded by fluffy pink fur! Chevron had shoved his tail in Binny’s face. By the time the furry blur was gone from his sight Chevron had quite the head start.

“That’s cheating, Chevron!” Binny shouted as he ran. When he finally caught up to the colorful raccoon he was lounging at the creek.

“You’re a cheater, Chevron!” Binny yelled as loud as he could. “You’re a miserable, rotten, fungus!”

“Hey!” said Chevron. “I may have used my tail to help me out but that doesn’t mean you can just call me names. You’re mean Binny the Fox!”

“It’s not mean to tell the truth. I’m not mean you’re a cheater.”

“I never want to see you again, Binny.” Chevron was about to scurry way but Branch crawled up and said,

“Wait!” Chevron stopped and Binny froze to look at him. “Binny you’re not going to have any friends left if you can’t be kind.” Chevron smiled and smirked at Binny. “Chevron,” Branch said, “You know fluffing your tail in Binny’s face was cheating. And you shouldn’t have cheated.”

Chevron looked sheepishly at the ground. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have, I'm sorry.”

“You are?” asked Binny.

“Of course I am,” Chevron said. “I thought it would be funny to win the race. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“If you’d have just talked to Chevron instead of yelling at him, Binny, then you wouldn’t have lost your friend and if you’d talked to Deedee you wouldn’t have lost her friendship either.”

“But I was so angry. They were the ones doing the wrong thing.”

“I know.” Branch put his arm around his fox friend “Sometimes creatures do things that we don’t like but we can be kind to them anyway. You can tell them they’re not doing the right thing without being mean.”

“Even when I’m mad I can be kind anyway? How?”

“Why don’t you ask Deedee?” Deedee peaked around the tree.

“Come over here Deedee.” the orange pheasant ran right over to them.

“I’m sorry I changed the rules, Binny.” she said.

“I’m sorry to both of you. Even though I was mad I still shouldn't have yelled and said mean things.”

“How about,” said Chevron, “from now on we promise to be kind.”

“And” Added Branch “We all remind each other that even when we’re frustrated, to be kind anyway.”

Branch held out his long arms and pulled all his friends into a big hug!