New Puppet on the Block Likes Water

Freezing rain pounded the ground in the land of the giant puppets.

The deadline for the proportional representation ballots had been extended by a week to December 7th. So the canvassing continued, and the phone calling, and the sharing to social media.

The puppets were getting pretty tired.

But, wait -- who's knocking at the door?

*******

NOWCA (opening the front door, then looking around and, finally, looking down to see a small puppet): Hello.

GNAT: Hello, I heard there were some giant puppets living here so thought I'd pop by and introduce

myself. You can call me Gnat, that's Gnat with a "G".

NOWCA (leading Gnat in): I'm NOWCA. Come on in! I'll introduce you to the others.

GNAT: Thanks, NOWCA. Nice place you have here.

NOWCA (entering the living room where the other puppets were sitting): Everyone, I'd like you to meet Gnat -- that's Gnat with a "G". Gnat, this is Per, Good Time and Mr. Pipeline.

MR. PIPELINE: Well, short stuff, what brings you to town?

GNAT: Please! Enough of the short stuff. I'm just passing through on my way north.

MR. PIPELINE: No offence intended. What's in the north?

GNAT: A little girl who I'm sure will appreciate me more than you do.

PER: I'm sure she will, Gnat. Being small has its benefits, especially when you're going to be friends with a little girl. She wouldn't know what to do with a puppet my size. Is that a cape you're wearing?

GNAT (turning around): Thanks, Per. Yes, it is. Here's what it says on the back.

GOOD TIME: 'Planet before profit' -- that's pretty cool, Gnat.

GNAT: Thanks, Good Time. I just wore it to a demonstration to protect our watersheds from being logged. Here's where you can read more about it. They've started a Gofundme page called Kootenay Water is Life. I was sticking out my tongue at drivers who wouldn't honk for our water.

PER: You don't think that's kind of rude?

GNAT: No one complained. Don't you get frustrated that people don't even care about our drinking water?

NOWCA: Really? Our drinking water's under threat?

GOOD TIME (sighing): And I was looking forward to taking it easy with the pro rep stuff coming to an end. I have a feeling we're going to get involved with protecting our watersheds. It's so important!

NOWCA: Even if we do, Good Time, we need to take a little breather and recharge our batteries before jumping into something else. And it won't be just us. Lots of people care about our forests and our drinking water, so they'll be taking action.

MR. PIPELINE: I'm not getting soft, but I want clean drinking water.

GNAT: Mr. Pipeline, you seem like the kind of guy who knows how to make companies stand up and listen. What would get your attention if you were hell bent on logging our watersheds?

MR. PIIPELINE: I don't know about protests. Even though they're good for bringing people together and getting publicity, big corporations are used to them.

image courtesy of Pixabay

Anything that affects the bottom line would make corporations take notice.

NOWCA: Like what, Mr. Pipeline?

MR. PIPELINE: Right now lumber is a hot commodity since there's lots of building going on. Switching to a different building material? Boycotting the company? Enforcing regulations that are on the books but that are ignored?

GNAT: Or how about getting citizens' to report stream disturbances with this RAPP form? Someone from the Ministry of Environment has to investigate and can make the logging stop if it's damaging streams.

MR. PIPELINE: Sounds good. This is threatening our drinking water and we should be mad.

NOWCA: Mr. Pipeline! I've never heard you talk that way before.

MR. PIPELINE: Polluting my drinking water is way too close to home.

image courtesy of Pixabay

GNAT: Maybe these notes and footage from the demonstration last week end will help.

MR. PIPELINE: Sure spreading it around social media draws attention to the issue.

GOOD TIME: It would be fun to print up a bunch of those forms and then go for a hike -- get a few people together, pack a lunch, take a few pictures...

NOWCA: Good Time, I appreciate how you turn activism into something fun. What a great way to prevent burnout!

PER: And when we're hiking, we can come up with more ideas about how to stop the logging.

GNAT: Then afterwards sharing what you did all over social media, and writing letters to the editor would inspire others.

NOWCA: Gnat, thanks for letting us know that our drinking water is in peril!

GNAT: You're welcome, NOWCA. You've got to admit, good things come in small packages sometimes.

MR. PIPELINE: You bet, short stuff.

GNAT: Please, don't call me that!

image courtesy of Pixabay