The Sound a Unicorn Makes

by Ben Orlando

 

 Clarence walked into the toy store knowing exactly what he wanted.

 He walked up to the counter and said to the man behind the counter, “I want a Mega Space Commander Video Game.”

The man frowned.  “You mean the game where the computer tells you what to do, and where to move and all that.”

“Yes,” said Clarence and he handed the man his thirty dollars.

“I’m sorry,” said the man, “but this game costs a hundred dollars.”

“A hundred dollars!” shouted Clarence. “I can never get that much money!”

The man thought for a moment, looking at Clarence and stroking his beard.  He appeared to make up his mind about something.

“Well how about this,” said the man.  “You get a tape recorder and you record for me the sound that a Unicorn makes.”

 Clarence wrinkled his eyes.  He did not know know too many animals.  He was only six years old after all.

But if recording the sound of a Unicorn would get him the game he wanted, then he would try.

“Here’s a tape recorder,” said the man as he handed Clarence a small machine.  “Good luck.”

And Clarence walked out of the store, down the street and into the woods in search of his Unicorn.

After an hour, he came upon a fat green animal the size of his hand.  He put the tape recorder up to the animal’s mouth.

“Say something,” said Clarence.

The animal said, “Ribbitt, ribbitt.”

“I wonder if this is a Unicorn?” Clarence asked out loud.

“No,” said a man walking by.  “That’s a frog.  Just a frog.”

“Oh,” said Clarence and kept going.  Next, he came upon a small, gray furry creature with a long fluffy tail.  Clarence put the tape recorder up to the animal’s mouth.

“Say something,” said Clarence.

The animal said, “Chi-chi-chi-chi-chi.”

“I wonder if this is a Unicorn?” Clarence asked out loud.

“No,” said a lady passing by.  ”That’s a squirrel.  Just a squirrel.”

 Clarence kept walking, thinking that he’d never find a Unicorn, until he came upon a large, four-legged, hoofed animal tied to a tree.

The animal was twice as tall as Clarence, with a big long face, long ears and big white teeth.

 Clarence put the tape recorder up to the animal’s mouth.

The animal said, “EE-AWW, EE-AWW.”

“I think this is a Unicorn,” Clarence said with confidence, thinking about how happy he would be playing his new Space Commander video game.

“No,” said a little girl walking by.  “That’s a donkey.”

 Clarence sat down on the ground and rested his chin on his hands.  He looked very glum.

“I’ve found a frog, a squirrel and now a donkey but no Unicorn,” he said.  “I’ll never find a Unicorn.”

“I know where you can find a Unicorn,” said the little girl.

 Clarence looked up, astonished.  “Where, where can I find a Unicorn?” he asked.

“You can only find Unicorns in your imagination,” said the girl.

 Clarence looked shocked.  “So what kind of sound do they make?”

The little girl shrugged.  “Whatever sound you want them to make.”

 Clarence thought about this, and smiled.  He ran off to the toy store.

The man was still standing behind the counter.  He saw Clarence.  “So do you have it?” he asked.

 Clarence nodded, and pressed ‘Play’ on the tape recorder.

“EE-BLA-BLIBBITY-BLAH-BLAH”

The man thought for a moment and stroked his beard.  Then he nodded.  “That’s it,” he said.  “So, do you want your game now?”

 Clarence thought for a moment, then shook his head No.

“I’m going to look for more animals,” he said told the man, and walked out of the store with a brand new game to play and the thirty dollars still in his pocket.