Swimming With Sharks

The scene: Wrapping up a fun-filled visit to the Academy of Sciences, Laura and Maisy walk on the boardwalk that crosses the mangrove lagoon exhibit. Stingrays and sharks swim in the lagoon. As per usual, Maisy stops to watch through the glass windows in the boardwalk, and then stands on the lowest rung of the rail to get a better look. Squirrelly, she is twisting this way and that.

Laura: Maisy, be careful.

Maisy continues to squirm this way and that.

Laura: Maisy, be careful. Your foot might get stuck. Or...

Plop! Into the lagoon goes Maisy's little purple sneaker. Bye-bye sneaker!

Maisy: Shoe! Shoe! Shoe! Mama! Shoe!

Laura: It's OK. Let's go get help. Excuse me? We lost her shoe in the lagoon with the rays.

Academy Employee: Oh, that happens a lot. Let me call a biologist.

A crowd gathers to watch Maisy's purple sneaker bob around in the mangrove lagoon. The rays seem excited about it, the sharks indifferent. Soon, a biologist arrives with a large net. He fishes out Maisy's shoe.


Maisy: Man! Man! Shoe water! Man!

Laura: Maisy, the man is a scientist. He works here and his job is to take care of the fish. He came to help us get your shoe.

Biologist: Here you go. It's fine, just wet.

Maisy, when prompted: Thank you.

Laura: Thank you.


The crowd applauds.

THE END