Frank and Giro

            by Mariel Austin

 

            Frank had a pet. His name was Giro. His full name was Giro-Firo-Tijy-Lijy-Wiko-Lina, but Frank called him Giro for short. Giro was six feet and eleven inches and three-quarters tall and he weighed one hundred eighty-three pounds. He had a wingspan of nine and one half feet, his back was furry and spotted, and his belly was even furrier but striped. He had an enormous beak and a long forked tongue, three glistening eyes, and a long neck covered in silvery scales. Giro also had nine talons on his front legs, a pair of hooves on his back legs, and seven tails, each one every color of the rainbow.

 

 

Whenever he was happy or content, he would coo and purr softly. Whenever he was angry or upset, he would roar so loudly that the furthest away mountains would crack.

            Frank and Giro went on many adventures together. At any time of day, they would be on their way to an undiscovered planet in an unknown galaxy, digging a hole through the middle of the earth in search of treasure, or conquering evil kings and saving innocent people. Wherever Frank went, Giro followed and wherever Giro went, Frank followed. The two were the closest of companions.

            Only Frank had a pet like Giro, and only Frank could see him, hear him or touch him. Everyone at school would tease Frank for talking to himself in class and everyone at school would laugh at him whenever he talked about his great adventures with a strange animal named Giro. Princess Peterson, who had a prim, purebred Persian cat, would turn her nose up whenever Frank came her way. Slick Stevenson, who owned a slithery, scaly snake, would jeer and hiss at Frank whenever he walked by. Roger Robertson, who had a robust, rock solid Rottweiler, would stick his foot out for Frank to trip over whenever Frank passed him by. They were big fifth-graders who had normal pets and had no time or patience for people like Frank.

 

 

            “They’re just jealous,” Frank would say to Giro, petting his soft, spotted coat. “They’ve never been to Mars or found buried treasure. Come on Giro, let’s seek unknown territory.”

            Princess, Slick and Roger would always sit together at lunch and talk to each other about Frank and his strange behavior. They were always annoyed with his habits. One day, they devised a plan that would humiliate Frank once and for all.

            “How about this,” said Princess. “How about we take my soccer ball eraser and put it in his desk and say he stole it?”

            “No, how about this,” said Slick. “How about we push him into the girls bathroom while everyone’s looking?”

            “No, no, no,” Roger raised his hands shook his head. “Listen to this: Princess, you take your cat and put it in front of Frank’s front door tomorrow after school and wait in the bushes. That way, he can’t get inside because he won’t be able to pick her up—she’ll make him so mad, she’ll pounce on him and Frank will get so scared, he’ll run down the street and scream like a girl!” Roger laughed in a mean way.

            “I think I can handle that,” said Princess. So after school, she went home and got ready for the big day.

           

            After school the next day, Princess Peterson left her cat on Frank’s doorstep and waited in the bushes for Frank to come along.

            As Frank walked home with Giro, he noticed there was a prim, purebred Persian cat stretched on his doorstep.

            “Oh, look, Giro, what’s that cat doing in front of the house?” asked Frank as he went through his front gate. “Luckily, I brought my tuna sandwich.”

            Frank took his sandwich out of his backpack and held it up for the cat to see. Sure enough, the cat stood up and trotted over to the smell of tuna.

 

 

            “That’s a good girl,” said Frank as he petted her. She purred with delight as she ate the rest of the tuna sandwich. But in the bushes nearby, an unhappy Princess Peterson shook with anger and stormed off when Frank was in his house.

            The next day at lunch, Princess Peterson, Slick Stevenson, and Roger Robertson met in the cafeteria. Princess looked quite upset.

            “It didn’t work!” exclaimed Princess while pulling splinters out of her fingers. “I sat there like you told me to and nothing happened the right way.”

            “You coward!” Roger bellowed. “We’ll have to try something different this time. Listen to this: Slick, you take your snake and climb onto Frank’s roof tomorrow after school and wait. Then when he comes to the door, drop him on Frank’s head. Then he’ll cling to his head and Frank will get so scared, he’ll run down the street and scream like a girl!” Roger laughed in a mean way.

            “No problem,” said Slick. So after school, he went home and got ready for the big day.

            After school the next day, Slick climbed up onto Frank’s rooftop with his snake and waited for Frank to come along.

            As Frank walked home with Giro, it began to rain as soon as he reached his front gate. First it began to sprinkle, and then it started to pour.

            “Oh, look, Giro, it’s raining,” said Frank. “Luckily, I brought my umbrella.”

 

 

            He opened it up and held it barely high enough to cover Giro’s head as they walked up to his front door. Once inside, they dried off and Frank fixed some hot cocoa for himself and Giro. Giro cooed and purred with delight. But on the roof, Slick shook with anger (and from the cold) and stomped off after he slipped off the rooftop.

            The next day at lunch, Princess Peterson, Slick Stevenson, and Roc Rogerson met in the cafeteria. Slick looked quite unhappy.

            “It didn’t wor…ah…achoo!” exclaimed Slick through a sneeze. “I sat there like you told me to and nothing happened the right way.”

            “You idiots!” roared Roger. “We’ll have to do things my way this time.” So after school, Roc went home and got ready for the big day.

            After school the next day, Roger left his Rottweiler on Frank’s front porch and waited behind the gate for Frank to come along.

            As Frank walked home with Giro, he noticed a robust, rock solid Rottweiler standing on his doorstep.

            “Oh, look, Giro, what’s that dog doing in front of the house?” asked Frank.

 

 

            The Rottweiler growled and barked at Frank. But this time Frank couldn’t get away. The Rottweiler’s hairs stood on end and his tail stood straight up. He prepared to lunge for Frank.

            “GIRO HELP ME!!” Frank screamed.

            “Ha, ha,” Roger Robertson came out of the bushes and laughed in a mean way. “You’re imaginary friend isn’t gonna save you, you fool.”

            Suddenly, there was a gust of wind. A roar loud enough to crack the furthest away mountains filled the air. There was an earth-shaking BOOM. Giro landed right in front of Roger Robertson. Giro grabbed the Rottweiler by the tail and dragged him away from Frank.

 

 

            “W-w-wh-what’s—th-that?” Roc’s shaky hand pointed at Giro. There he was, six feet and eleven inches and three quarters tall and one hundred eighty-three pounds heavy. His nine and one half foot long wingspan folded against his spotted back and his striped belly. His enormous beak opened to reveal his long, forked tongue, his three eyes glinted and the silvery scales on his neck shook. His nine talons and his back hooves dug into the ground while his seven tails stood straight up. He stared down at Roc and his Rottweiler and growled.

 

 

            “Fellas, meet my pet, Giro,” said Frank, gesturing towards Giro. Roger Robertson’s Rottweiler wasn’t so robust or rock solid anymore.

            “I-I’m sorry for all those times I made fun of you, Frank!” Roger whimpered. “I’m sorry for all those times I tripped you in the hallway and laughed at you for having a really cool pet.”

            Frank looked at Roger, perplexed.

            “Are you sure you’re sorry?” asked Frank, lifting an eyebrow.

            “Yes, yes, I’m sorry for playing jokes on you, okay? Just tell your pet not to eat me!”

            Giro took in a deep breath to roar so loud that not only the furthest away mountains would crack, but that the furthest away planets would explode. Frank caught Giro and told him to stop.

            “Apology accepted,” said Frank.

            So Roger and his Rottweiler stuck around and played with Frank and Giro. They went to undiscovered planets in unknown galaxies. They dug a hole through the middle of the earth to search for treasure. They conquered evil kings and saved innocent people. They explored and played until it was time for Roger and his Rottweiler to go home. When the two left, Frank gave Giro a big hug around the neck.

            “You saved my life,” said Frank. “And you’re real this time. All I did was call your name and you came to my rescue. That is a being a true friend.”

 

 

The End