A Peaceful Afternoon in Central Park

Larry the Lion Ellie the Elephant Sid the Snake Holly the Hippo and Gerry the giraffe: Central Park After leaving the deli, Larry, Ellie, Sid, Holly, and Gerry walked together to Central Park. When they arrived, Gerry felt his mind grow calm. The sunshine was soft. The air was quiet. Birds chirped gently in the trees. Gerry smiled a little. He walked straight toward a large oak tree with wide branches. Larry noticed. “Do you come here a lot?” Larry asked. “Yes,” Gerry said. “My mom and I come every Saturday.” He pointed up at the branches. “We sit under this oak tree and identify the birds we see. Then we count all the different species.” Gerry liked doing the same activities again and again. It made him feel peaceful. Holly tilted her head up toward the tree. “I don’t know anything about birds,” she said, “but I like the blue ones!” Gerry looked up. “Blue jays are actually not blue,” he said. Everyone looked surprised. “They’re really brown,” Gerry explained. “But sunlight hits their feathers in a special way, so they look blue to us.” “Wow,” Larry said. “You know a lot about birds.” Larry thought Gerry was very smart. Then Larry had an idea. “Can we play your bird-watching game?” he asked. Gerry nodded. Soon, Larry, Ellie, Sid, Holly, and Gerry were all sitting under the oak tree. They pointed up at the branches. “There’s one!” Ellie said. “I see another!” Holly added. Gerry was especially good at the game. His long neck helped him see birds the others couldn’t spot. “There’s a sparrow,” Gerry said. “And a robin.” “And look, there’s a cardinal hiding in the leaves.” Everyone searched the branches together. The sun slowly began to set behind the trees. “I guess it’s time to head home,” Larry said. Everyone agreed. They walked together toward the subway.