The Collective Presents: A Story You Already Know, Again

Here's the thing about straw: it's cheap. At least around here.

It's also plentiful.

It's cheap because it's plentiful.

That's as good an argument as I can manage--as good as a defense--for why I built a house of straw.

It's not like I was the first to do it either.

And I was new to town, okay?

It's a good defense!

I'd just made it to town, see, and all I could see was straw, for miles and miles (or yards and yards as was probably the case) and I needed somewhere to stay. I didn't want to board with anyone and I'm not useless so I stole some straw at night and developed a lean to.

It was sufficient.

I swear.

And I wasn't going to stay there forever.

It was a temporary fix. A temporary lean to. It was lean-to-ed against a WELL for crissakes! You don't really think I intended to live there permanently do you? OF COURSE it blows down easy.

It was the VERY next day--I swear!--when this wolf came a knockin'. I ignored the raps on the stone well because I wasn't accustomed to visitors in my (temporary!) home. My brother wasn't expected in town for another few days.

In fact, I though the raps were the wind or something, okay? How was I supposed to know there was a predator trying to bamboozle me?

It was a total shock when half my little home blew away! I thought the wind had picked up! My little piggy tail felt the draft first! And then the hairs on my chinny chin chin stood straight up! Only then did I turn around and see the wolf!

He greedily made eye contact and I jumped--all four feet right off the ground--and tredded air. His jowls widened into a grin and I collapsed to the ground. I didn't know what to do! He looked hungry! He could probably out run me!

And so when he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, I took off running with my little piggy tail between my legs. He blew my house down with a huff and a puff and then receded back into the woods. I played it smart; he didn't get me.

Sure, I made some poor and unsafe decisions along the way, but I'm okay now. I'M OKAY.

And I'm going to build a real house. Or go find my brother. He was always better at this life stuff.