Len and the Wooden Spoons

by sdzh321

It was Friday. Len had been waiting for all week, hoping Lennys would grow more popular. He didn't want the wooden spoon. Len the Lenny waited eagerly at his mail box, waiting for the letter that would give him the results.

"Good afternoon, Len!" greeted a familiar voice. It was the mail carrier, a little blue Zafara.

"Oh Zaffy! You are just the person I've been waiting for! Have you got the results for me?" Len exclaimed.

"Let me take a look", and searching through the stack of crisp, white envelopes, he pulled one out quickly, "Yes, this is the one, Len! Good luck!" he said, handing Len the rest of his letters, and taking off quickly.

"Oh boy. This is it!" Len thought to himself.

He searched the top of the page first. Unfortunately, a picture of a Lenny wasn't there. He went down the list, and not even just Lenny written in words was there! Finally, he came to the very bottom, and sadly, he crumpled up the paper and threw it to the floor. He was at the bottom. The very bottom of the page.

Why are Lennys so unpopular?, he thought. He just guessed that everyone liked Usuls and Kacheeks much better. But Lennys were always near the bottom. And now Lennys made it AT the bottom, and will get nothing but a plain old wooden spoon. Not even a bronze medal. That's all Len ever got anyway. But bronze medals were much better then a wooden spoon.

On the table, next to Len's other letters, was a bright orange package. This package was very tall and narrow. Like the shape of a spoon. A wooden spoon. Now, that package with the wooden spoon inside remained on the table for 3 months, along with 11 others, some wrapped in white paper, some in green, some in blue. None ever opened. Not until one day, one very special day.

So, on this day, Len waited for his mail. Yes, it was Friday. And what was he waiting for? The results. He waited just like every other week, this time, knowing he would get a wooden spoon. Finding no excitement in waiting, he trudged over to the sofa and watched his favorite game some, "Better Than You". But a friendly voice interrupted his TV time.

"Len! You there? Come and get your mail!" It was Zaffy, the mail delivery Zafara.

"Oh, hi Zaffy. What colour is this week's wooden spoon package? I predict its blue, since I've noticed a pattern."

"Yes Len, its blue. Here you go, and have a nice day!" Zaffy said, as he handed the package and the letters off to Len.

Len browsed through his mail. One of the envelopes caught his eye. It was very bright. The most brightest shade of pink he ever seen. He noticed something else. It was glittery. Len was overwhelmed with excitement. Who was this letter from?

He opened it carefully, trying his best not to destroy the envelope. It was too marvelous to be ruined. He took out a bright blue paper inside. It too was glittery. It said:

"Bonnes Preferees Nourritures", a new French restaurant, is glad to inform you of an ART CONTEST in honor of our grand opening! Use your *CREATIVITY* to draw a picture, paint a painting, sculpt a sculpture, build a masterpiece, or do just about anything that's to do with ART!

First Place: 100,000 Neopoints, and a golden trophy!

Second Place: 50,000 Neopoints, and a silver trophy!

Third Place: 10,000 Neopoints, and a bronze trophy!

The ten runner-ups will all receive one medal each, gold, silver, and bronze. Which type of medal will depend on quality and creativity.

Food and dancing will be available! Please come, on August 10th, 2001, starting at 5:00 PM, ending at 7:30.

"Oh boy! I want to enter a masterpiece! But what?" Len said to himself aloud.

Len quickly glanced at the heap of colourful packages on the table.

"What am I thinking?! Those won't do for an art contest!" But Len just remembered something about creativity said in the letter. "If I turned those wooden spoons into a masterpiece, that sure would be creative. I could paint all of those wooden spoons, in bright colours, and put designs all over them. I can sprinkle glitter all over them and... I CAN MAKE A WINDMILL! It will not only be a work of art, but an INVENTION!"

Len began working that night, after buying all his needed supplies at a nearby mini mall. By the time the sun was rising, Len was finished with his project. He was so proud of his windmill. It was even powered by electricity, in order to move around and around. It didn't even need wind to make it move! Then, he noticed it brought cool air toward him. IT WAS A FAN TOO! Perfect for a hot summer day, and even better then the old fan he bought at a store.

The door bell rang, and Lenny ran to the door in excitement. He looked through the peephole, and, there was his friend, Nimma the Nimmo.

"Oh hi, Nimma! Come on in, and look at this!" Len greeted.

"What's the hurry, Len?" Nimma said, surprised.

"This! Look at this Nimma!"

Lenny gestured to the bright, colourful fan/windmill sitting in the corner of the room.

"Right now its a fan," he said, and then flipped a switch, "Now its a wind mill!" Len discovered that he could change it to "FAN MODE" by flipping the "FAST SWITCH" and he could make it a windmill by flipping the "SLOW SWITCH".

"Wow, Len! That is cool! How much did that cost you? I'm sure it was A LOT of money! Where did you get it?"

"Nimma! You thought I bought this work of art! I made it, with my own wings!"

"You're kidding! I know you are, you couldn't have MADE this! Its powered by electricity! And, its so... so store-bought-looking! You made this!?"

"Yes! Its for this," Lenny said, handing her the letter he received the previous day.

"Ohh! So you're entering the contest! I never enter things like that anymore, I've given up after awhile. But I'm pretty sure that masterpiece will win! It HAS to! I wish you luck!"

"Thanks Nimma. You're a true friend!"

August 10th, 8:00

As Len arrived home, he sat down on a comfy bean bag chair, clutching his gold trophy and his 100,000 NP. He knew those wooden spoons really were good for something. Yes, he knew all along.

And, from that day on, Len was a very popular Lenny, causing other Lennys to do very creative things with their wooden spoons, which were very popular items. Soon, a company called "Len's Wooden Spoon Store" was built, and it was soon the most popular appliance store in Neopia. This store sold things from chairs, to water fountains. Ovens, to ceiling fans. They even sold fan/windmills, just like the one Len made. And by this... Lennys grew more popular by the day, using their useful talent, that no other pet had.

The End