Once, when I was about nine or so, I had a pet frog, named Fred, while staying with my Gran in NC. When it came time for her to take me home, on a Greyhound bus, she and my grandfather made me let him go.

However, he hopped off into the grass and I couldn't see him anymore. My grandparents went in side. I sat there sniffling, heartbroken. The frog came back. When I put my hand down, he hopped right up onto my palm.

I snuck him into the house and made him a bed in my Barbie doll case. Late that night, my Gran and boarded the bus for Florida. I carried my Fred all the way to Florida. Mother and Gran and a couple of neighbor ladies were inside talking and laughing and sent my sisters and I and the ladies' chilcren out into the yard.

They noticed we children were suspiciously quiet and came out to investigate. Quick as a flash, I hid Fred back in my Barbie doll case. The other children were caught with their lizards or frogs, and one had a turtle. The women kind of freaked out and screeched to let the critters go immediately.

But, my Fred was safe in my Barbie doll case.

Until…

One of my sisters piped up indignantly, "But [given first name I legally dropped] still has Fred in her Barbie case!"

😭 They made me let him go. To make sure he went, they had everyone stomp around like crazy people.

😢