Lady Bug Places an Ad

A Lesson in Stewardship

by Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott

No one could deny that Lisa Lady Bug was a very hard worker. Her Father, Isaac C. Bug, trusted her with the care of the family garden. Lisa thrived on hard work and worked from morning ‘til night. And though she worked hard, she never complained. 

“I am proud of you,” Isaac said to his daughter one evening.  “You have certainly proven your ability to take care of the garden.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“I am giving you the care of the orchard, too. It’s a big responsibility but I know you can do it.”

Lisa was elated. “The orchard!” she breathed. “Oh yes.  I can! I will make you proud, Father.”

Morning came and Lisa flew out of her home.  She blazed from leaf to leaf, tree to tree, working from sunrise to sunset. She would wave a hasty hello to neighbors and friends as she buzzed past.

 

One evening, while sitting on her front porch, Minnie Mina Bird and her cousin, Lucy Lightening Bug stopped by.

“Good Evening, Lucy, Minnie,” waved Lisa.

“Good Evening!” Lucy replied enthusiastically.  “What a glorious evening.” Lucy settled on the chair.

“You look awful.” Minnie stated

“Thanks!” Lisa laughed. “I’m just a little tired. It was a long day.”

“Perhaps, your job is simply too much for one to handle.  You need help.”

“She doesn’t need help.” Lucy defended.  “Her Father gave her the job because he knows she could do it, and so do I.”

“Okay.” Minnie raised her eyebrows. “If it were me I wouldn’t be too proud to ask for help.”

“You wouldn’t have accepted the job in the first place,” Lucy said.

 

Every morning, Lisa rose before the sun.  Each evening she would fly wearily home, satisfied she had done a good days work. 

But less worthy neighbors started to whisper, “Lisa is a proud bug.  She never stops to visit, always focused on that garden. She hasn’t time for friends anymore.”

One evening, Minnie flew in for a visit. “Good evening, Lisa.”

“Hello, Minnie. How are you this evening?”

“I am well, very well indeed.  But you look terrible! My, My, My,” chattered Minnie. “Look at the bags under your eyes. And your figure? Gone – completely gone.”

Lisa looked in the mirror. She turned her face one way and then the other. ‘I don’t see any bags.’ She thought.  She examined her rotund shell.  ‘It does look a little duller than usual.’

 “It’s not wrong to ask for help, you know.  You don’t HAVE to prove anything.”

“I am not trying to prove anything,” Lisa stated. “I have a job and I am doing it – it’s that simple.”

“Ok, if you don’t care what others are saying.”

“What are they saying?”

“Well, it’s not my place, and I wouldn’t even be telling you if I weren’t such a good friend, and all, but word has it …. Oh how can I put this delicately…  they say you act like you are better than everyone else. Not, me of course, I would never say that about you, but there is talk.”

Lisa couldn’t believe it. “I have never done anything but work hard and honestly.”

“I know, I know” Minnie consoled. “It’s so difficult when one is punished for improperly conveying the importance of one’s own personal value.”

 

Lisa Lady Bug didn’t sleep.  She tossed and turned all night worrying about her neighbors’ comments.  The next morning, Lisa dragged herself out of bed and looked in the mirror.  Dark bags hung under her eyes. Her coat was duller and she went about her work with less zeal and efficiency.

That evening, Lisa slipped straight into bed and pulled the covers over her head. ‘I just need a good nights sleep.’

Several weeks passed.  Lisa grew more tired and irritable. She wasn’t eating; she wasn’t sleeping.

“Lisa, I am so worried about you.” Minnie stared with concern. “Enough is enough.  You are getting some help, and you are getting it now.”  Minnie took a sheet of paper, wrote a few words, and handed it to Lisa.

“What is this?”

“It’s a Help Wanted ad. You will take this to the paper tomorrow and get help.”

 

Lisa Lady Bug placed her Help Wanted Ad in the Daily Scratch.  It read:

‘Wanted.  Hardworker for large Garden.  Must be self motivated and willing to work long hours. Contact Lisa Lady Bug at Large Oak Tree, Center Garden.”

Lisa could hardly wait.  She worked extra hard to be home in time to interview all the applicants.

No one came.

Another day and still no one.

On the third day, Lisa was busily cleaning under her prize potato leaves when a snappily dressed gentleman interrupted her work.

“Excuse me, Miss.”  Lisa Lady Bug looked up and saw he was dressed in yellow and black, with a fancy black tophat and white tipped cane.

“May I help you?” she replied.

“Why yes.  My Name is Dapper Diggs and perhaps you would be so kind as to direct me to a Miss Lisa Lady Bug’s home?”

“I am Lisa Lady Bug.”

“Ahh.  The very one I am seeking.  I am here to answer your advertisement.”

“Wonderful! “ she exclaimed.  “Do you have any experience with gardens?”

“My lady. My very life is in gardens. ”

“Really? “ Lisa was excited to finally find someone who felt the same way she did about gardening. “I would love to have you come to work for me, when can you start?”

“How about now?” He bowed.  “In fact, why not let me take care of these exceptional potato plants? Why this plant is beyond description.  Don’t tell me you cultivated this perfect specimen?”

Lisa was flattered.  “They’re the best in the county.  You’ll not find any better.”  She boasted. Lisa showed him how to carefully clean under each leaf and in between the small stalks, and left him to do his work.

 

For the first time, work was completed before sunset. Lisa was elated. She went to the potato patch and found the leaves pristine.

“Wonderful!” She exclaimed. “Come back tomorrow.”

“It would be my great honor and desire.” Dapper bowed and smiled.

 

The next day, Dapper Diggs was waiting for her by her prize potato plants. 

“If I may,” Dapper said, “I would like to introduce my cousin, Dixon Diggs.”

“How do you do,”

“My cousin was wondering if you could use any more help?”

Lisa was thrilled.  She took Dappers’ cousin over to the tomato plants and showed him how to clean each leaf and around each ripening fruit.

Lisa’s day ended even sooner than before and she couldn’t have been more thrilled. Checking on Dapper and Dixon, she again found their work perfect. That night Lisa slept well, the bags under her eyes were gone and her shell was showing a glossy sheen.  ‘I should have done this years ago.’ She thought.

It was mid-summer and Lisa joined Dapper and Dixon in the garden. Dapper introduced Lisa to his three brothers.  She immediately put them to work. “This is going to be the best harvest ever.  Father will be so pleased.”  She smiled.

 

“Lisa!”  Betty Butterfly lit on the front porch. “What are you doing home at this time of day! Are you ill?”

“No.  I have so much help in the garden, I don’t need to be there anymore.”

“Does your Father know you hired help?

“No, and please don’t tell him.  The work is getting done, so what does it matter who does it?”

Lisa smiled and sipped her ice tea, enjoying a relaxing day at home.  Every few days, Lisa checked on her workers, and each time was satisfied. Dapper had certainly gained her trust, and in doing so, she put him completely in charge. “You deserve a summer holiday,” Dapper called as she flew off.  “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything.”

Harvest time had come.  Lisa was giddy at how proud her Father would be. She happily flew to check on Dapper and the crew.  “I am going to do this every year!” she smiled. “In fact, next year, I’ll hire for the planting and the harvest.  Then I can relax and enjoy life all year round.”

But when she arrived at the garden, she was stunned. The garden was gone.  Every plant had been eaten down to the ground.  And her prize potato plants! “Oh, what could have happened?” she cried.

She found Dapper laying against what was left of her prize plant. “Dapper, are you alright, what happened?”

“Oh, hello.” he stretched and smiled, “have a good long holiday?”

“What happened to my garden?”

Dapper stood, releasing a very loud and very long belch.

“I trusted you!  You said that gardens were your life!”

“True. True. They are my life, AND breakfast, AND  lunch AND dinner. My, this HAS been the best summer ever – we thank you most heartily.” And he, his cousin and his brothers flew off.

 

“I’ll never trust anyone again.” She cried to Lucy.

“Lisa, this is about responsibility.  You were trusted with the garden and orchard because you proved to your Father you could be responsible.”

“Now what am I supposed to do?”

“The only thing you can do, tell your Father and ask for his forgiveness.”

And that is exactly what she did.  The next spring, Lisa worked harder than ever and by summer her Father provided the help she needed.

© 2009 Suzanne Fyhrie Parrott