The morning sun was shining on the Jungle of Nool. From her nest high in a tree, Mayzie gazed up at the sky. She could see other birds gliding along the horizon; oh how she envied them! While they flew freely across the sky, she was stuck sitting on an egg. She'd been confined to her nest for three weeks already, and she was tired, cranky, and bored out of her mind. When it comes down to it, she thought, I guess this really is my fault. I deserve this.
Mayzie began to sob. She had always been reckless and irresponsible, but she never once thought the consequences of her choices would come crashing down on her like this. It started with a one-night stand down in Fort Worth, and it was fun while it lasted, but now she was a single soon-to-be mother stuck sitting on an egg. Mayzie was so lonely. All her life, she had been so arrogant and snide, and as a result, nearly every inhabitant of Nool hated her guts. And rightfully so, she sulked. She had nobody to help her, talk to her, or even just to wave hello to her, and she knew it was her own fault. She felt like she was alone in the universe.
A rustle in the bushes below jolted Mayzie from her melancholy thoughts. "Well look who it is!" cried a voice. It was the Sour Kangaroo!
"Hello, Kangaroo," sighed Mayzie. She knew what was coming, but was simply too exhausted to try to avoid it.
"Mayzie, is that really you? On a nest? Why I never thought I'd see the day!" The Kangaroo laughed, "It would appear that your lifestyle has finally caught up with you."
Mayzie cringed. She glared at the kangaroo and grumbled, "Yeah, I get it. You think I'm a whore. Well go ahead and rub it in. There's nothing I can do to change the situation now."
"Humph!" humphed the Sour Kangaroo. "Well I certainly hope you'll learn to take some responsibility for once in your life!"
The Kangaroo hopped away as Mayzie moped to herself. She hated that kangaroo, but she couldn't argue with what she said. Hot pangs of shame shot through her body. She felt thoroughly humiliated.
An hour passed, and Mayzie was still perched in her tree, wallowing in self-pity. All of a sudden, for the second time, her thoughts were interrupted by a sound from below. Believing that the obnoxious kangaroo was back for more, Mayzie cried out, "Can't you leave me the hell alone! You're not helping anyone!"
A soft, but panicked voice replied, "Oh! Mayzie! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you."
Mayzie looked down. It was Horton the Elephant. Mayzie had always considered him to be slow and naïve, but she knew that he didn't have a mean bone in his body. Horton looked up at Mayzie apologetically and said, "Please don't be upset. I'll leave you be." He turned around and began to trot away from Mayzie's tree.
"Wait, Horton!" Mayzie exclaimed. "I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else. Please don't—" She cut herself off. She was so lonely that she had nearly asked Horton not to leave her. Horton of all people! The elephant she used to call stupid behind his back. She closed her eyes and thought, I don't deserve company.
"Don't worry Mayzie." said Horton. He paused, "Say, are you doing alright up there?"
Mayzie sighed, "Well, to tell the truth, I'm not doing so great. I've been here sitting on this egg for three weeks, and I'm so tired and lonely. Nobody wants to keep me company and I don't blame them. I've treated everyone in this jungle like trash for as long as I can remember, and I suppose this I what I get." She looked at Horton. "I'm sorry Horton. I didn't mean to vent like that."
To Mayzie's surprise, the elephant walked closer and said, "Mayzie please, if there's anything I can do to help you, anything at all, please tell me, and you can consider it done."
Mayzie felt tears begin to form in her eyes. She fought to hold them back. "Horton," she stammered, "you are too nice. I couldn't trouble you to do anything for me."
"Are you sure Mayzie? Nobody deserves to be cooped up in a nest with no friends at all to help them."
He's simply too sweet, Mayzie thought to herself. I don't deserve his kindness.
She felt a rumble in her stomach. "It sounds like you're hungry," Horton said.
Mayzie was a little taken aback. "Yeah, you're right! But how'd you hear that? I barely heard it!"
Horton wiggled his huge ears. "Elephants have very good hearing." With his trunk, he reached down beside him and picked up a straw basket. It was filled about two-thirds of the way with peanuts.
"Why, you can have these! I was just roaming the jungle gathering them," he said as he lifted the basket up to Mayzie. "They're my favorite snack."
Mayzie began to sob. "Keep them, Horton. I could never take your peanuts." Tears rolled down her face; she couldn't stop them now. Horton looked up at the sorrowful bird and couldn't help but try to console her. He walked around the tree and gently, carefully climbed up its trunk until he was seated next to Mayzie. Then, he softly set the basket down in the nest between them.
"Here. There's enough for both of us."
