Three Part Story: "Equal Opportunity" Part I

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Part I

By Cherie Reich

Gelsey twirled and danced upon the branches. The little fairy flittered from tree to tree. Her eyes focused upon the multiple colors of the rainbow. She loved rainbows and rain, but most of all, she wanted to be a leprechaun, the keeper of such things, including pots of gold and making shoes. She loved shoes.

In fact, she had three pairs of the same leaf shoe design, but she really wanted to learn how to make shoes like a leprechaun. Now they were something.

When she reached the rainbow’s end, she froze and listened.

A whistling Irish tune drifted up to her ears, and she smiled when she finally saw the leprechaun shining his gold.

Gelsey drifted down and grinned at the leprechaun. He was a bit taller than she was. His hair flamed around his head, out his ears, and sprouted into a beard upon his face. He clutched an unlit pipe between his teeth, and his small eyes widened upon seeing her.

“What’s a wee fairy lass doing in these parts? Where are your people, child?” He flicked a piece of gold into the air and caught it.

“I’ve come alone,” she said while curtsying. “My name is Gelsey, and I’m going to be a leprechaun. What’s your name?”

He started laughing and nearly tumbled off his pot of gold. “My name, lass, is Shamrock LuckLeaf, but you’ll never be a leprechaun.”

A frown pursed her pouty lips. She stomped her foot and placed her hands on her hips. “Why can’t I be a leprechaun?”