It was a beautiful spring day, the birds were chirping, the prairie dogs scampering about, the foxes were out sunning, and of course George the Prairie Falcon was on patrol overhead.

It was an even more beautiful day for Gredolphis Grasshopper for it was the first day he was able to do what other grasshoppers do. Now he could do it on his own for he had grown enough to 'fly the coop'. Yep for today there was no more mama yelling at him and dictating his every move and moment. As Martin Luther King said, "Free at last, Free at last" so this day he had it planned to do it all. In reality if he achieved ten percent of what he had hopes of doing in this one day it would be a miracle. But on the other hand miracles do happen out at the Motocross track. For it seems there are a myriad of characters there who strive to make the news. Enough already!

Do you know what a young grasshopper looks like? How do you discern between and adult and a young grasshopper? If I were pressed for an answer I would say the main difference is that the older ones have brown stains on their jaws from 'chawing'. On this first free day Gredolphis had with him his good friend Charo and their first activity was not to fly over to the Golf Course and eat the soft green grass on the edges of the Fairways. No siree Bob, their first order of business was to fly over to the pits and see if Fatboy was up and about. For Fatboy was the largest Prairie dog around and he was a wizened critter. Gredolphis's idea was to land on Fatboy's head and crawl into his ear and spit. Spit! That sounds gross but what do grasshoppers do except chew up green stuff and spit. A grasshopper's main defense mechanism is this 'ambeer' which they spit on attackers

Now if Gredolphis could do that he would be one tough and courageous grasshopper. Charo was a little hesitant about this but he wanted to be in on an adventure. Well maybe not an adventure but a daring attempt at a feat. Gredolphis could not have asked for a more ideal condition for there in a little clump of grass snoozing away was Fatboy. Gredolphis hopped to a clump of buffalo grass just a few inches from Fatboy; he sat gathering his courage and trying to control an involuntary trembling in his legs. Finally he hopped, landing on Fatboy's ear and before you could say " adirondak raccoon rings" Gredolphis spun around and spat into Fatboy's ear. Before he could flee Fatboy shook his head so fast and so hard that it flung Gredolphis about twenty feet. Matter of fact Gredolphis was so startled that he nearly hit the ground before he could start to fly but alas he did and he and Charo had a great laugh over this activity. This was the start of a great day.

For his next feat he would hitch a ride on Bob Foxes' magnificent tail. So he did and what a thrill, even Charo got in on this prank. Boy oh boy was Gredolphis on a roll.

His next little prank was much simpler; all he wanted to do was scare Jose Preble. See every morning Jose would lie on this rock on the other side of the track and take a little siesta. Being on a roll Gredolphis and Charo formulated a simple plan of attack, they would fly over and then both would land next to Jose and both Gredolphis and Charo would pull Jose's whiskers and make loud noises. So they flew around to get into position then plopped down with Gredolphis on the left side and Charo on the right side. They alit and just as they started to grab the whiskers 'swooosh ooooweeeeah' went Charo for old Jose always attacked to the right and he nailed him a nice lunch. Caught that grasshopper. Gredolphis jumped and escaped before Jose could strike a second time. Wow that was close and now I have lost my friend Charo. But Charo was a little slow and not to smart, shows I am good were Gredolphis's thoughts as he flew away to mull over the event.

Accident's happen thought Gredolphis so I will continue alone and for my next prank I will jump on the head of that silly Sparrow that nests on the Ground and scampers about foraging for food. The one that seldom flies and when it does only for a short distance, usually to escape some danger. This one was too simple, mere child's play for a pro like me he thought as he hopped around to find Clarence Sparrow. Gredolphis in his state of high anxiety had not noticed George the Prairie Falcon soaring around looking for lunch. So what is new, he had never paid any attention to George for George only dined on four legged critters! Just then he was in position as Clarence was sitting on Henretta's nest, so Gredolphis hopped onto Clarence's head. Someone had been watching Gredolphis's movement and just as he hopped onto Clarence's head Claude Sparrow, Clarence's brother also leapt and gobbled up Gredolphis.

Claude's movement had been observed by George so old George went into his aerodynamic tuck and swooped down and with his two powerful talons grabbed Claude. Immediately George started to climb and fly off with Claude in his talons and of course Gredolphis inside of Claude. The laugh was on Gredolphis for George enjoyed quadrupeds, bipeds and apods, food was food, but at that moment it made no difference. As George started upward Claude made one big surge to free himself from the talons and as he did he let a big cry. As that cry used all the air in his lungs it also expelled Gredolphis. Down Gredolphis tumbled and just before he hit the ground he managed to sustain flight on his own and immediately landed on a clump of buffalo grass. He was truly shaken and didn't notice he had landed next to Clarence the "Grasshopper Sparrow"

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