View source for Story - Goldilocks and the Australian Roo

==About==

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This is inspired, of course, by the children's book "Goldilocks and the three bears".
I wrote this for someone very special with glowing golden hair... and that's all I will say for now.  :)



==Goldilocks and the Australian Roo==


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Once upon a time there was a playful little creature known as Goldilocks. Goldilocks was the prettiest little thing in the whole village, with beautiful curly blonde locks adorning her cute little face and adorable little nose.


One day, Goldilocks was wandering through the woods and came across a tall kangaroo, sitting in the middle of a clearing. At first the kangaroo did not see her, and Goldilocks hesitated to approach, but she could see the animal was hurt, so walked up to him. As she got near she could see he looked a little troubled, and he was fumbling with a compass he had strapped around his neck.


“Hello, I am Goldilocks,” she said. 

“Oh, you started me,” said the kangaroo. “I am Roo, and it is lovely to make your acquaintance.” Roo stood up to shake her hand, but stumbled with each step.

“What is wrong Roo?” said Goldilocks.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Roo replied.

“I sense that you might be hurt,” Goldilocks interjected. The kangaroo paused.

“You are right,” said the kangaroo. “I have walked down a bad path and got hurt along the way.”

“Let me see,” said Goldilocks.

The tall kangaroo showed her the fragment of broken glass which had pierced his foot, and was causing him to limp.

“Oh you poor thing, let me help you,” said Goldilocks.

“I will be fine.”

“Let me help you,” Goldilocks repeated, realizing that the glass was in an awkward place for the kangaroo to reach with his paws.

The kangaroo saw the deep compassion in the eyes of Goldilocks. She had an incredible energy about her. It radiated from her eyes, and incredible blonde hair. “Okay, I’ve tried several times, but myself but it’s worth another try I guess,” Roo answered.
Goldilocks carefully pulled out the piece of glass, making sure not to hurt him any more than he was already.

“Oh wow, you got it! Thank you so much Goldilocks,” Roo said excited.

“How does it feel,” Goldilocks chimed.

“Well the glass is gone, but I fear it will still be a long time before I can hop again,” he said. “Obviously, my wound is still there.”

“Can you walk?”

“Yes, but only slowly.” Roo hobbled slowly a few steps.

“Then let me walk with you!” Goldilocks said.

“That would be lovely. But first I have to find some way to repay the favor!” Roo declared. “I would like to fix something for you. I am a fixer... an engineer.” Roo proudly reached into his pouch and showed Goldilocks some of his tools for fixing. A wrench, a hammer, a screwdriver and other good old fashion hardware. “Where I am from, we love to fix things,” the kangaroo explained.

“That’s nice of you, but I don’t have anything to fix,” Goldilocks shrugged.
Roo tilted his head, “Oh, but I’m sure you do have something. I bet you house has something that needs mending.”
Goldilocks started back at the kangaroo, and shook her little head slightly. “No, my house is very simple.”

“Then I can help improve it in some way!” Roo declared with excitement. “Every home can be improved, maybe you want a bigger bedroom, a nicer kitchen, an extra room?”

“What if I like my house just the way it is?” Goldilocks replied, thoughtfully.

“Hrmm... if you show me your house, I’m sure I’ll find something,” Roo replied. “I really like fixing things, it’s how I help people. I like to fix things for all my friends.”

“So what do you do if there is nothing left to be fixed?”
Roo fell silent. Never in his life had he considered the possibility that there was no work to do. After a long pause, Roo finally opened his mouth. “I don’t know, I guess I would not be able to repay your favor... I would feel a little bit useless. I would have nothing to offer you.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. I cannot tell you where my home is, but where is your home Roo?”

“I am very far from my old home actually,” Roo said. “ I’ve been away for a long time, long enough that I’m not quite sure where my home is.”

“Walk with me Roo,” Goldilocks said.


----


Together, Roo and Goldilocks walked out of the clearing and along the path that Goldilocks was taking. Roo’s head was still contemplating the words of this little creature. Along the way they stopped at a village and together build a cast for Roo’s leg. It was not a conventional cast, but they improvised and had fun building it. It worked brilliantly. Together they started walking to the next village.


“This new cast is fantastic, I can walk almost as fast as before.” Roo commented. “No I feel I’m not slowing you down as much.” Roo did a little power walk ahead of Goldilocks to demonstrate.
Goldilocks laughed, “That’s lovely, but you shouldn’t be worried about walking fast.”

“But I like to walk fast, I get to my destination faster and I can get more done.” Roo exclaimed.

“Isn’t it nice to slow down sometimes though?”

“I guess it is.”, Roo replied. “A lot of the things I think are important to get done, often are not that important. I notice such things when I walk with you.”


For a while longer they walked, and then sat by a wonderful waterfall.


“You are very generous by the way,” Roo commented. “Thank you again for helping.”

“But of course! You would have done the same,” Goldilocks said. “So how was it you got hurt?”
Roo looked down at his wounded, “Well, I have this special compass.” Roo said, and showed Goldilocks his compass. “It rests on my chest, and I often use it to guide me.”

“What a lovely big compass, where does it guide you?” Goldilocks inquired with a wonderful smile.

“Well, it varies,” said Roo. “I don’t always follow it, but when I feel adventurous it sometimes leads me to meet new people.” Roo paused. Goldilocks used her eyes to will him to continue. “Unfortunately, the last time I followed my compass it lead me down a bad pathway, causing me to injure myself.”

“Oh, that’s really horrible, I’m sorry,” Goldilocks replied.

“Yes, but what’s worse than the wound to my right leg is that I broke my compass when I fell... And worse still, I know that, even if I can fix my compass, I don’t know if I can trust it again... it took me a bad way. I feel lied to.”

“Yet you love to fix things, can’t you just fix your compass better than new,” Goldilocks asked.

“My compass is too complex for my tools to fix. A broken compasses is hard to mend,” Roo replied. Roo looked down at his compass and watched the needle wobble. “Although, it does seem to slowly be fixing itself, the needle is still wobbling but it does seem to be pointing the direction we are walking,” Roo exclaimed. “Where are we walking by the way?”

“Do you really need to know?” Goldilocks asked.

“I am a engineer, so I like to live in certainty.” As soon as he spoke the words he had a think about them. “But maybe, with you, I can survive without knowing for a little while,” he added.

“Good answer,” Goldilocks said.


----


For many days Goldilocks and Roo walked together. They camped at night in different tents, and walked during the day. Sometimes in silence, and sometimes exchanging stories and dreams. Roo didn’t know where they were going, but he knew that he was starting to feel better, and that made him smile. Goldilocks made him smile. Every hour, like clockwork, he checked his compass and over time his leg got better.


At times, Roo asked Goldilocks if she was taking him to her house. She didn’t seem to want to show him - perhaps she was afraid he would try to change it.


Along their trip they met all kinds of other animals. They met a majestic sea turtle by the beach, a playful dolphin in the waves, a friendly tiger in the jungle, a lovely fluffy dog, a spirited butterfly, a wolf, a beautiful horse, and all manner of other animals. They met animals, made new friends, and laughed together. Sometimes at night, it would get cold as they were sleeping, so Roo would take a blanket out of his pouch, and use it to keep his travel companion warm. At least in this way, he felt useful, he chuckled to himself. Finally one day Goldilocks stopped in the middle of a village and simple said “We’re here.”


“I recognize this village, this is where we stopped to build my old cast,” Roo laughed.

“No, I mean, we are finally here. This is my house,” Goldilocks said, and pointed.

“Oh, it is adorable,” Roo said! “Can I come inside with you?” he asked, apprehensively.

“Yes, you are ready,” Goldilocks smiled. She opened the door, showed him around then walked him into the lounge and offered him a drink. Roo sat down to admire the wonderful simplicity of Goldilock’s house. Just like Goldilocks, the house seemed filled with light and love.

“I love this space,” Roo paused. “You know I still want to repay you and fix something though right!”

“Still!”, Goldilocks exclaimed.

“The fixer in me is always going to be looking for something to fix.”

“Oh yes, like what?” Goldilocks asked as she made Roo a cup of coffee.

“Well, this hot chocolate is too hot,” Roo said, with a smile.

“And my glass of almond milk is too cold,” Goldilocks giggled.

“If we mix them together, we’ll have something just right.”


The kangaroo and little lady stared at each other for a moment. Goldilocks sat down next to Roo, even closer than the two normally sat. Slowly she poured some of her milk into his cup. Slowly he poured some of the hot chocolate back into her cup.

“Do you remember you once said that if you had nothing to fix, then you had nothing to offer the world?” Goldilock said.

“I do. It feels like a lifetime ago.”

“And you’ve changed with me, I think by now you realize that your presence is plenty to offer. No tool in that pouch of yours can offer me that.”
Roo started intensely into Goldilocks’ brown eyes.

“Goldilocks you are a mysterious beautiful creature,” Roo said, no point mincing words. “Your name is beautiful too, but Goldilocks is the name given by your village. Will you finally tell me the name your parents gave you?” Roo asked.

“Taylor,” she replied.

“Taylor is a beautiful name,” Roo whispered. He paused for a while. “Taylor, despite my attempts to analyze you, I think will probably always be lovely mystery to me in many ways.” She smiled at his compliment. “But I have, figured one thing out,” he said.

“What is that my dear Roo?” Taylor giggled.

“You remember our day, in the clearing, when I told you my compass was broken.” Roo said.

“I remember that day well,” Taylor smiled.

“I don’t think my compass was ever broken Taylor,” Roo said quietly. Roo stared at his wonderful hot chocolate, then back at Taylor. “I’ve been thinking about my compass a lot. My compass may have lead me down a bad path and put my leg in a cast, but by doing so it also lead me to you. And I don’t know where things go from here, but I love being close to you,” Roo blushed.
Taylor smiled and threw her arms around him. She kissed him lightly on the cheek. There were no words she needed to say, just a wonderful smile.


“There is, however, one thing I must know”, he said shyly.

“Ask me anything.”

“On the day we met, I noticed you keep your own compass tucked under you shirt. It’s a wonderful piece of shiny metal that lays over your chest. You never look at your compass,” Roo said. “Why?”

“I don’t need to look at my compass to analyze it,” Taylor said, “I can feel it.”
Roo sat back impressed. “That is incredible,” he said. Roo was in awe.


“I feel like you’ve been looking at your compass less too,” Taylor said, breaking the silence.

“I guess so,” Roo said. “But only because I know where it is pointing.”
Taylor had a playful, knowing smile. “Where?” she asked, while placing a hand over his compass.

“The compass knows exactly what I want Taylor,” Roo said.

“And what do you want?” Taylor asked softly.

Roo smiled and held Taylor’s hands in his own with a smile. “I want you.”


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==See Also==

* [[Stories]]

[[Category:Personal]]
[[Category:Stories]]