This was Jones. Yesterday.  (picture a snail)

Jones’ favourite thing in the world is a sunny morning.  He loves to sit – not outside his shell – but inside.  He waits for that moment when the sun shines just right on the outside of his shell, making the whole inside glow with a warm light.

“Aahh”, he thinks, “I could sit here all day.  I hope not one cloud comes all day long”.

Now most snails like rainy days. That’s when they like to come out of their shells to explore the world – but not Jones.  Jones hardly comes out at all; it doesn’t matter if it is sunny or rainy, he prefers the comfort of his shell.

Only when he is very hungry and ONLY then, will he venture out to find some leaves and flowers to eat.

Today, Jones is feeling sad.  It’s raining and without the sun to light his shell, he can’t admire its lovely spirals.  Instead, he snuggles up inside listening to the quiet tap, tap, tap of the rain landing on his shell and wonders what to do with himself.

Suddenly, Jones hears something!  Beyond the tap, tap, tap on his shell, there’s a quiet chatter in the distance.  The noise grows louder and louder getting closer and closer.  Jones pokes one antennae out of his shell to see a little girl, carrying a big, purpley, flowery bag full of who knows what.  And, whatever it is, it’s making quite a racket.

“Ooohhh, look at that pretty one!” says Isaboe, the little girls with the big, purpley, flowery bag.

“Thwuck”, Jones sucks back into his shell.

“Oooohh, and I think you’re still in there!”

Isaboe drops her big, purpley, flowery bag and reaches for the magnificent shell that houses a very scared little Jones.

Next thing he knows, Jones is being lifted up to the very tip of Isaboe’s curious little nose.

“Put me down!”  Jones hollers from the depth of his shell.

“Ooohh, you ARE still there!”  I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.  You are so lovely!

“Looking for me?”  Jones pops one antennae out again.  “Why on Earth are you looking for me?”