It’s Hard To Change

If you’ve been reading Betsy’s Blog, you know that Betsy is on a Quest to become a successful independent author.  And, as is true of all Quests, she has a Guide.  His name is Harry, and he was sent by the Muse Council to help Betsy stay on her path.  Harry has taken up residence in Betsy’s brain, which is fine because there’s a lot of vacancy in there.

However, Harry has had a problem with his situation.  He was a white gerbil.  Not a white stag or a white rabbit, as is traditional for Guides.  He wasn’t even a white bloodhound or white lion!  No, he was a gerbil.  And he was determined to Guide the heck out of Betsy so he could be promoted and change his condition.  He dreamed of no longer being a laughingstock when he attended Guide events.  He wanted to prove that he, too, was worthy.

At Christmas, Harry got his wish.  Betsy had finally gotten off her butt enough for him to be promoted all the way to white hare!  Everyone was so happy!

But…

Harry hasn’t been around much lately, despite the fact that Betsy is trying to get her act together (again).  Where has he been?  What’s been going on?

Let’s see…

 

*Betsy enters her brain, walks to Harry’s office, and opens the door* *She stops* *Blinks*  *Walks inside*

What the heck? When did Harry’s office turn into a meadow?  Where’s the comfy sofa?  The flatscreen television?  The gerbil habitat?  Harry? Are you in here?

Yes. *Harry’s voice is disembodied and a little muffled* *He seems to have a lisp*

*Betsy looks at the thick, green grass and bright blue sky*  *A butterfly lands on a wildflower*  *Still no sign of Harry*  Where are you? Why is this place so different?

I’m in my burrow. *Harry’s voice is disgruntled and the lisp is more pronounced*  I’m a rabbit now. Rabbits live in freaking burrows, don’t they?

Well, yes, but… *Betsy wanders further into Harry’s office* I miss your sofa.

You ain’t the only one.

*Betsy studies a large tree with giant roots* How did all of this fit in here, anyway?  Your office wasn’t this big.

Your brain is expandable.  Besides, there was room next door, so I knocked out a few walls.

Oh.  *Betsy looks around again*  I feel like there ought to be hobbits living here.

Well, there ain’t no hobbits, are there? There are freaking rabbits.

Rabbits?

Me.  I’m a freaking rabbit.

Hmmm. *Betsy settles down on a stone near the tree roots* It sounds like we need to talk.

No we don’t.

Yes, we do, especially since I haven’t seen you for days.

So what?

*Betsy rolls her eyes*  Would you just get out here?

Fine. *tall grass rustles* *Harry hops into view, a beautiful and plump white rabbit* *He hops up to Betsy, then stands on his hind feet* *Puts paws on hips* I’m here. Satisfied?

*Betsy frowns*  Why are you in such a bad mood?

I’m not in a bad mood.

Sorry, but I’m the one listening to you.  You’re in a bad mood. Why?

*Harry looks down and kicks a pebble with one long hind foot* *It catapults into the air and hits Betsy in the forehead*

Ow!

Sorry. Still learning how to control these feet. And the teeth. The teeth really bother me.

Oh. I wondered why you were lisping.

Yeah, I’m tripping all the time, too. Stupid feet. Stupid teeth. And my ears itch. Stupid ears.

Wait. *Betsy holds up a hand* Are you upset because you’re a white rabbit now?

*Harry shifts* Of course not.

You are! You are upset because you’re a white rabbit. *Betsy frowns*  But why? This is something you’ve wanted ever since I’ve met you. You’ve worked hard for this. And now you’ve gotten it!

Yeah, well. *Harry rapidly thumps a foot on the ground* I couldn’t use my sweet little gerbil habitat anymore, so I had to get rid of it.  And I’d just renovated the thing!

I wondered where that had gone.

And then I joined the White Rabbit Quest Guide private Facebook group? And they’re all doing a lot better than I am.

Well, you did just become a White Rabbit a few days ago.

Still! Some of them have only been promoted in the last few months. One had been a white cockroach and even he’s doing better than me.  He’s guiding the heck out of his Questor, and believe me that guy was a real slacker.  Jerry got him up and running, and now he’s promoted and is always posting pictures showing what a good time they’re having on their path.

*Betsy winces* Um, well–

And I tried to introduce myself to the group, and they all either ignored me or said “Oh, the gerbil. Took you long enough.”

You shouldn’t let social media get you down.

*Harry looks away* I’ll never fit in.

*Betsy considers him*  Harry. I don’t understand why you’re so upset.

*Harry hangs his head* I didn’t realize things would change.  Or that my teeth would be dumb.  And I didn’t know I wouldn’t fit in with the other white rabbits.

Yeah, but you can dig a lot better now, right?  And you can still climb if you want to, just in a different way than a gerbil, um, I guess. *Betsy thinks*  The teeth will work themselves out and so will the rabbits.

*Harry scuffs a foot*  I know, but…

*Betsy leans forward*  Do you want to go back to being a gerbil?

*Harry shrugs*  I don’t think I can. Once you take the step, you’re different.  Some things you can’t change.

*Betsy sits back*  So just embrace it then.

*Harry sticks out his bottom bunny lip*  I don’t know if I want to embrace it.

Look. You WANTED this.

*Harry throws up his hands*  But I’m different now! I’m not the same! I’ll never be the same!

I know. I guess it’s hard to change, even if the change is for the better. And sometimes we work for something, and we don’t really think about the fact that it will make us different. But we can’t always stay the same.

Yes we can!

But you’ll grow into your rabbit-hood eventually, right?

*Harry scuffs his feet*  Maybe.  There’s a lot more responsibility.  Maybe I’m not good enough.

*Betsy kneels and looks at him*  I need you. Please don’t leave me and hop away.

*Harry looks away*  You really want me?

I really do.

*Harry thinks*  Okay then. *Straightens his shoulders*  Okay.  It’s different, but I want to do this. I want to be a rabbit. I want to be a better Guide.  I want to take that next step. It’s just…

What?

*Harry shuffles some more*  Maybe I’m a little scared.

*Betsy looks down*  Maybe I am, too.

*Harry put his paws on her face*  Everything’s going to be even more different if we keep going.

I know. *Betsy meets his pink rabbit eyes*  *She bites her lip*  We’re on the path.  Are you game?

*Harry nods slowly*  I think so.  Let’s hop down the trail together.

*Betsy smiles at him*  Okay.

But in the shadows, a whisper stirs in the back of Betsy’s brain.  The Dark Voice has awakened….

Uh oh.

 

To be continued…

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. This is fabulous, as usual. I could totally see this on the big screen the whole time I was reading it.

  2. Well Reese Witherspoon or Sandra Bullock, of course.

  3. Really good point about having to deal with the results when you actually get what you thought you wanted. We don’t always think through the consequences and realize how much things will be changing. Change for one person usually has a ripple effect and not everyone is always very happy about it.

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