A talking-fish comedy in which even a sneeze can become a conversation starter.
Jack could cross the pond in a graceful silver-orange sweep—until he sneezed. Then a cloud of bubbles burst from his mouth and he tumbled head over tail. He had begun choosing routes with the smallest possible audience.
Jack was so embarrassed by his sneezing problem that he started avoiding his fellow koi. He didn't want to sneeze in front of them and have them laugh at him. So, he spent most of his days hiding out in the far corner of the pond, trying his best to suppress his sneezes.
One day, as Jack was swimming along, he felt the tickle of a sneeze coming on. He tried to fight it, but it was no use. The sneeze came on with such force that he blew out a mouthful of water and ended up tumbling head over tail.
As Jack tried to recover from his sneezing fit, he heard a loud chorus of laughter. He looked up and saw all the other koi gathered around him, giggling and pointing.
Jack wished he could disappear beneath the nearest leaf. Then one koi swam closer. “You should see me trying to count breakfast pellets,” she said. “I lose track at three and start again.”
“I forget why I entered a patch of reeds,” another admitted. “Usually while I am still in the reeds.”
Soon, all the koi were confessing their own silly quirks, and Jack realized that he wasn't alone. He started to feel better about his sneezing and even started to embrace it. After all, it was part of what made him unique.
Jack stopped hiding. The next time a sneeze sent bubbles across the pond, someone said, “Three!” The breakfast counter frowned. “Now I have to start again.”
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