Name Game

You can call me Minky . . . .

and you can call us Scooter and Dingo

Minky was a beautiful skunk.  Her black coat was so shiny and her tail was the fluffiest around.  Minky liked to play on the playground with the other animals during lunchtime but there was this group of raccoon sisters that were always teasing her.

Mama skunk told Minky it was because they were jealous of her and just wanted to be her friend, but Minky didn’t understand why the raccoon sisters couldn’t just be nice to her and well, be her friend.

“Well if it isn’t Minky the Stinky.  Hi, Minky Stinky. Don’t you smell stinky today.”  One of the raccoon sisters laughed.  Minky hung her head down wondering why Scooter, the littlest of the raccoons, was always making fun of her name.  Being funny is one thing, but being mean is another.

Minky smiled at Scooter and tried to keep a happy face.  “Hi Scooter! How are you?”

Scooter looked at Minky and batted her tail at her, “you smell too much to talk to me, Stinky.” And with that, Scooter chuckled as she walked away.

Minky got on the swings and tried not to cry.  She just wanted Scooter to like her.  Why couldn’t she be funny when she teased her instead of being mean?  Minky thought about it a little more and then knew what would cheer her up… she opened her backpack and took out a rainbow unicorn costume.  She placed it on and felt like the prettiest girl in the world.  Minky jumped off the swings and ran over to the rose bush to play some more with her worries far behind her.

As she jumped into the rose bush, she heard a boy laughing on the other side.  Minky peeked through the bush and saw Dingo, the Deer, snickering at Scooter.  “Scooter Scooter, the big loud TOOTER!”  Minky’s eyes got huge as she heard the words.  Mean teasing words were being said to Scooter… the one who was being mean to her.  She looked in the other direction and saw little Scooter blushing, as the mischievous behavior continued.

Dingo jumped on his bicycle and rode away.  Scooter looked like she was about to cry.  Minky ran out of the rose bush and stood in front of her.  Scooter was frightened as she was standing in front of the very skunk she was just teasing with words that weren’t so nice.  Scooter spoke first. “I’m sorry Minky.  Dingo is always making fun of my name.  So I thought if I made fun of someone’s name, I wouldn’t feel as bad.  But now I feel worse.  I like your rainbow costume. You look like you’re having a lot of fun! I’m really sorry.”

With these words, Minky smiled back at her,  “Thank you Scooter, I am.  If you want to play, I have something for you too.  We can play together and BOTH have fun!”  That being said, Minky looked into her backpack again and pulled out another costume.  This one was all pink with butterflies on it.  “Here Scooter, you can be a beautiful Princess!”  Scooter beamed and put the costume on.  Both Minky and Scooter looked great in their costumes.

Minky and Scooter ran across the grass and over the hills.  They played ‘princess’ and ‘hide and seek’ and realized they had a lot more in common than both being teased because of their names! 

Just then they walked past the Wallaby Pond and saw a deer next to a bike.  They realized it was Dingo and a group of his friends.  Minky and Scooter looked at one another and linked arms.  “We’re better as a team, Scooter!”  Scooter smiled back at Minky and said, “Better as a team dressed in the BEST costumes ever!”  Dingo caught a glimpse of them and started to stare as they walked near him.  Dingo thought about teasing Scooter again, when Dingo’s friends all waved at the girls.  “Hey Minks, hey Scoots” one of the deer teased with a wave of his hoof.  Dingo saw this and turned red, feeling like the odd one out.  He was feeling bad about his words to Scooter. 

Scooter and Minky waved back at the guys, including Dingo, which surprised him!  Dingo let out a sigh and said hopeful, “See you guys later?”  Minky twirled around, her tail fluffing all around her, knowing this was her time to show Dingo that words can be fun and not hurtful.  “Maybe, Bango Bingo Dango Dingo!”

Amused, all of Dingo’s deer friends let out a big laugh and Dingo joined in.  “Ahhhhhhh good one Minks. Good one!”  Minky was delighted that the ‘Name Game’ made her two friends that day.

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