Otter climbed higher and higher on the bookcase, brave and determined to complete his dangerous and daring mission for the day. He needed an important book to help him write a letter to his special cousin in Sweden. The important book was just within reach when Otter began to feel himself slipping. He was afraid of having a terrible fall from such a height. Otter tried his hardest to cling to the bookcase with all his fingers and toes but he felt himself being pulled away. He braced himself for the big fall to the ground…
It turns out, Otter was being pulled away…by his dad who had a firm grip on Otter's suspender straps.
"Otter! What are you doing climbing the bookcase!?"
"I really need that book to help me with a letter I'm writing. Can you get it down for me?"
"Otter, that's the biggest book on the shelf. It's the 'Brobdingnagian Dictionary for Verbose Circumlocutionary Loquacious Sesquipedalianists'. Are you sure that's the one you need?"
"Yes dad, I'm sure that's the one."
"Otter, I'm very proud of you for taking your writing so seriously. Are you sure you can handle this big book? It weighs more than you!"
"I can manage it fine dad!"
"Alright, but next time please ask me to help you reach things in high places. Remember safety first. It would have been awful to see you fall and bump your head or something."
"Yes dad, I'll remember safety first. Thanks for looking out for me so I didn't fall."
"Good boy, now here you go, hold on tight….."
The heavy book landed on the floor with a thud and pulled Otter to the ground with it. Otter lay on the floor groaning.
"C'mon dad, safety first."
"Sorry little buddy. I should have seen that coming."
After spending a few moments lying on the floor groaning, Otter came to his senses and sprang to his feet. He tried lifting the book but it was far too heavy. He decided to drag the book to his writing table.
"Do you need any help with that Otter?"
"I can manage it fine dad!"
Otter grew tired of dragging the book so he began pushing it along the floor.
"Otter, looks like you need some help. Let me carry it for you"
"I can manage it fine dad!"
Otter used all his strength to drag and push the book to his writing table. The entire struggle had become too painful for dad to watch. He couldn't resist helping Otter any longer so he snatched up the book. But Otter refused to release his grip on it.
"Otter, I'll just put the book here on the table for you."
"Noooo! I can manage it fine on my own!"
Dad flicked and jerked the book to shake Otter free of it and then carefully placed it on the table,…while Otter landed on the floor with another thud. Otter lay on the floor groaning.
"Dad! Whatever happened to safety first?"
After a bit of groaning Otter came to his senses, as he always does after big falls. He sprang to his feet and furiously scrambled up onto the table.
Otter pounded on the table and angrily shouted "I can manage this fine on my own!"
"Otter! I know you can manage, and I'm proud of you for taking your writing so seriously that you want to use the ridiculously large dictionary…but control your temper! If you shove it on to the floor in anger I'll take it away and put it back up high on the bookcase again."
"You better not try to stop me this time dad!" Otter shouted before giving the book a final big shove to send it off the table.
Otter finally had the helpful book exactly where he wanted it, and he put it to its best use while he wrote a letter to his special cousin in Sweden.