Yesterday, we rode around Oshkosh and saw a work strike taking place. It was very interesting to hear and see people marching around, yelling and chanting. They were an orderly society who shared the same goal… better working and safety conditions, and better pay. They were the workers for making the army trucks of our army. A man with a ball cap, jeans, a shirt, and and a little beard and red hair was leading the troop, waving a long, tall American Flag in his hand. For a few minutes, we watched them, but after a while we left.
We went to the post office because we needed to print a paper. I stayed in the jeep and read a little of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. (The book is about a professor who is asked to represent France [he’s a Frenchman] in chasing and destroying a so called sea creature in the waters. He takes his trusty servant Consiel, and on the ship chasing the monster he meets Ned Land. On the vessel, they travel to where the monster was last seen in Japanese Waters. After spotting it, they try to kill it but to no avail. The “monster” strikes at them, and then the professor, Consil, and Ned Land are flung off. After hours and hours of swimming, they get on the beast, who they now decide is a submarine made by man. On the top of the submarine, they wait and yell for help as the sub submerges again. Then they are received by Capt. Nemo, and they go on many adventures in all the oceans. )
I got to a part in that book where the Professor (it’s coming from his point of view) named all the different sea creatures he was seeing. Sea Cucumbers, and all different words and things that I didn’t know and can’t write (there long, weird, hard words). I tried the Internet, but it was of no help to me. I wanted to know what the book was talking about; I wanted to see an example or picture of one. Later that day, I would get my chance…
The front passenger door of the car opened. Mom slid in. “They said that we should try the printer at the library. They don't have one in The Post Office.”
“Where’s the Library?” Dad asked.
“Right down the street, they said. I can walk to it.”
“K. I need to make a phone call.”
“Can I come?” Rebecca asked.
“Can I?” That was it! The Library! If the Library couldn’t tell me what those sea creatures were, no one could!
“Ummm… you have to be very quiet and behave well.”
“Okay,” we (Rebecca and I) both said.
Then, we got out of the post office parking lot, traveled up a street, and asked a bald guy where the library was. “That big circle building.” We kept walking, and looked up. There, was a large, long, wide building with a green dome at the top. We were going on the side with the lions, but it said: Please enter on North Entrance. So, we went around and entered through nice polished doors. This was the Oshkosh Public Library.
We entered a library, with nice bathrooms to my left and a big long desk of check out librarians. Directly ahead, I saw an open area with a lot to the right and left. It was nice, huge, and modern. Mom asked someone at the check out where the printer was, by a corner to the left. Mom went to that, and I looked around a little. To the right was a few computers, a teenager section, and new mysteries and new fiction. I looked at that a little, but I wanted nonfiction. I went into another open room, but it was just old archives, newspapers, and local history. I asked a librarian where nonfiction books about sea creatures might be, and she recommended going downstairs. I told Mom where I was going. I then walked down the stairs. So far, I had been impressed by the library. It was really big, and well planned out. At the bottom of the stairs, I looked around. It was a child center, with picture books and a lot of little kids. She sent me to the toddler room. I asked a librarian where nonfiction sea creatures books might be, about mollusks and fish. I said I wanted to learn about it because I was reading 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and that I didn't know all the sea life they were talking about. She led me up a ramp, into the middle school section. There, she picked out two books: one about different underwater life and the other about mollusks. I thanked her, went to a spot where I could spread out the books and sit down, and then started reading.
I read about different colored fishes (red, yellow, blue, green, and others) and snails that made their mucus solid and used it as a raft. I learned about coral, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and crustaceans (don't remember it exactly) that are lobsters and crab kind of creatures. I learned about flat underwater snails that use a "foot", a flat big, long sliding thing, and flat one eyed snails.
I learned about mollusks, shells, oysters, squids, octopuses, and other things. I found out many of the things I was puzzled about in 20,00 Leagues Under the Sea, and had many "OHHHHH!" moments. It was also amazing that God made all these creatures, some of them things you would find in a science fiction saga. When people are so focused on space, they should look at the things we have on this planet! Although, of course, space is cool too.
By and by Mom and Rebecca came down, and after looking at other sections, we left and came back to Dad. The library was awesome, and I had a good time. I learned a lot that day.
After the Library, we ate lunch, and went back to the jeep. There, we traveled all the way to Green Bay, and saw the Green Bay Stadium. It was big and wide. It was very well thought out, and was very nice. Although I don't particularly like the Green Bay Packers, I have to admit I like their stadium.
After that, we left and I slept the night in. It was a good day.
The eerie and quiet library or the loud and shout filled stadium? Which is your element?,
Andrew.
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