Raccoons

 Raccoons

    Raccoons are amazing animals. They are able to do lots of things we would not expect them to do. They can do a lot of things humans can do. With their large brains, they can figure out how to unlock gates, open covered trash cans, and make nests almost everywhere.

    Raccoons are clever. Some raccoons can control their paws as well as some people can use their hands. Some raccoons can untie knots on trash bags to get food, or open closed doors to get into buildings.

    Raccoons are strong and sneaky. They can move heavy things, climb into small spaces, or up high. Raccoons can dig well. They also have powerful jaws and sharp teeth.

    Raccoons will eat smaller living things they find in nature, or food left behind or thrown away by humans. Raccoons that live in cities will eat beetles, fish, or even kittens! They will eat cereal, crackers, or even yogurt! Can you believe it?

    Raccoons live in trees and other places outside cities, but they also like to live behind the walls or above the ceilings in buildings, in the sewer, or in garages and shacks.

    Raccoons are animals that have found many ways to adapt and survive in the city. Raccoons are a lot like people!

(c) 2021 Henry Anker

Shopping at Costco

 Shopping at Costco

    The first time I went shopping at Costco, I couldn’t believe what I saw. A lot of people say the same thing. Big. The sheer size of the store is gargantuan. It has to be that big to hold all the items they have for sale, in the quantities they sell things, and the number of people who pass through their aisles a couple times a month.

    You might think that two visits, on average, for a family isn’t much, but it takes a while for a household to consume a package of over one hundred granola bars, or use a plastic-wrapped bushel of toilet paper that contains thirty rolls. If a family includes a diaper-wearing baby, the parents love the prices, but they have to buy a box of Huggies so big, that if lined with blankets itself, the future empty cardboard prism could nearly serve as a crib. Costco sells cribs, too.

    Some people complain that there isn’t much choice among the products Costco sells, and it’s true that they only carry about ten varieties of cereal. But where else can you buy a twelve pack of tube socks, four tires for your car, a set of patio furniture, a sixty inch flat screen television, and a bouquet of roses in the same store?

    Costco has the pulse of the American consumer. Well, most of them. This company’s products, soon to be for sale, keep laden cargo ships crossing the Pacific Ocean from China, long freight trains traversing the rails over our states’ mountains and deserts, and full eighteen-wheel tractor trailers daily backing down into their loading docks. Costco uses their club card technology to keep tabs on what people want to buy, when, and how much of it to stack on those towering orange warehouse pallet racks customers see as shelves.

    Did I say Costco goes big? Think about it: the small package of eggs contains eighteen, a box of milk has two gallons, and a tub of margarine weighs five pounds! Have you seen the size of a jar of mayonnaise? A sandwich shop could easily lather the slices of fifty loaves of bread with one jar. How about a jug of laundry detergent? One is enough for one hundred forty-four loads. A bottle of vitamins from Costco could last one person about two years! The shopping carts have to be able to carry a lot of stuff, and get pretty hard to push by the time a shopper gets to the check out line. The family car needs to have an empty trunk upon arrival, or passengers will need to hold stuff on their laps on the way home. Like I said…. Costco is big.

(C)2016 Henry Anker

Proofread 9/16/26

Get Well, Nick!

 Get Well, Nick!

    Nick did not come to school this week. On Friday, our teacher, Mrs. White, told us that Nick was home sick. She said he would be out of school for another week as well. She did not tell us why he had been absent.

    Mrs. White thought we should each make a card for Nick to cheer him up. Everyone thought that was a good idea. So she passed out crayons, glue bottles, and colored paper. I drew pictures of trains and pasted them on the front of the card. Sarah drew a picture with teddy bears. Andy put stickers of stars and planets on the back of his card. On the inside of my card, I wrote, "Get yourself on the right track, Nick! Get well!"

    A week went by, but Nick was still not back at school. Some of the other students started to worry and asked Mrs. White if she could call his house and ask how Nick was doing, and when he was coming back. Mrs. White told us not to worry, that she would call Nick’s home in the evening, and would let us know tomorrow how he was doing. We were relieved that she would find out for us.

    The next morning we met our teacher at the door and one student after the other began pestering Mrs. White with questions about Nick. She told each of them that she would tell the whole class at once, once we were all inside and settled.

Mrs. White began by reminding us that we were all mature young ladies and gentlemen, and that we needed to listen carefully to what she was going to tell us, so that misinformation, what we called ‘rumors’, would not spread false information around our campus and neighborhood. She told us that Nick recently went to a regular doctor’s appointment, and that during the examination, the doctor discovered a tumor on Nick’s skin and would need to run additional tests to determine whether it was benign or malignant. Mrs. White explained to us that benign was generally not serious, whereas malignant was. Fortunately, she said, Nick’s tumor was benign, and that he was going to be okay. That was great news!

Proofread 9/16/26