Hedgehog was worried. “I’m worried,” he said to Raccoon.
“You worry too much,” said Raccoon. “Something is always worrying you.”
“This is different. Today I’m really worried.”
“I don’t see anything different about today,” said Hare from the other side of the room. “In fact, it seems like an especially nice day to me.”
“It is a very nice day,” said Squirrel. “The sun is out; it’s just the right temperature, there’s a little bit of a breeze; just enough to be pleasant. I just checked my acorn supplies and I’ve got plenty, so I don’t even have anything I have to do today. I can just relax!”
“Me too,” said Hare. “Tea cakes are baked, the pantry is full, my friends are visiting…Hedgehog, it’s a wonderful day!”
“That’s exactly the problem,” said Hedgehog. “It’s a nice day, and everything is fine. That’s what makes me so worried.”
“How can THAT make you worried?” asked Raccoon. “You mean you’re worried about…”
“Yes,” said Hedgehog, “I can’t think of anything to worry about, and that worries me. It makes me wonder if there’s something wrong with me. Maybe my worrier isn’t working right. Or maybe my noticer isn’t noticing the great big dangerous thing that’s right around the corner! Like…like…oh, it’s hopeless; I can’t think of anything at all!” Hedgehog buried his face in his paws.
“Oh come on,” said Raccoon. “Your worrier is working just as well as ever, Hedgehog. Maybe better. Only you could be worried about not worrying. And you just said how worried you are, so you ARE worrying. Your worrier is fine.”
“As for your noticer,” said Squirrel, “would you say, Hedgehog, that there’s always something bad just about to happen? Every minute of every day?’’
“Well…” said Hedgehog slowly, “maybe not every minute…”
“So sometimes there really isn’t anything to notice, isn’t that right?”
“Hmmmm…” said Hedgehog even more slowly, “I guess that must be so…”
“In that case,” said Squirrel, “your noticer is working just fine. There just isn’t anything to notice right now. Hedgehog, there’s nothing wrong with you, and this is a very nice day. Just relax and enjoy it.”
“I don’t think I can enjoy things unless I’m worrying,” said Hedgehog.
“But you ARE worrying,” said Hare. “You’re worrying about not worrying, which means you’re worrying.”
“Do you think that’s the same sort of worrying?” said Hedgehog. “Not a fake, made-up kind?”
Squirrel rolled her eyes, but turned her head so Hedgehog couldn’t see. “I think all of Hedgehog’s worrying is fake and made-up,” she breathed to herself.
“It’s just as real as all your other worrying,” said Hare. “Remember a couple of days ago when you were worrying about a herd of elephants stampeding through the forest and knocking everything down?”
“Of course,” said Hedgehog, “that probably almost happened.”
“Oh, and before that,” said Raccoon, “I remember you saying you were worried about Beaver’s pond catching on fire.”
“That’s because I was in Beaver’s library,” said Hedgehog, “and I read about that exact thing — well, almost exact — happening in a place called Cleveland in 1969.”
Beaver had been asleep in the corner the whole time, but woke up when he heard his name. “Ah yes,” he said, “the Cuyahoga river. Not quite the same as my pond, but according to the contemporary accounts, there was a troublesome blaze, right on the water. And it happened more than once. Why are we talking about this again, Hedgehog?”
Squirrel summarized for Beaver, who nodded wisely.
“In my opinion,” said Beaver, “there is nothing wrong with you, Hedgehog. You’re the same old adorable worry-wart you’ve always been. If you worrying about not worrying, that should help you enjoy the day.”
“I just don’t think I can,” said Hedgehog.
Beaver sighed. “All right,” he said, “how about this, Hedgehog. I have a book in my library about something called cosmology. Do you know, the Earth orbits around the Sun?”
“Everybody knows that,” said Hedgehog. “Except maybe humans, but ideas like that are hard for them to grasp. That’s what Dog and Magpie say, and they know the most about humans.”
“Well here’s something to really worry about,” said Beaver. “Eventually — in, say, five or six billion years — the Sun is going to get a lot hotter, and everything on earth is going to be burned to a crisp. And there’s nothing we can do about it, at least not yet.”
“Really?” said Hedgehog. “Everything? And nobody knows what to do?”
Beaver nodded.
“Oh. Well that’s a different kettle of fish. That’s real worrying, and I…I feel much better! Thank you, Beaver! Now I’m really worried!”
“My pleasure,” said Beaver. “Anytime I can help, just let me know.” He closed his eyes again.
“What a great day!” said Hedgehog. “Come on everybody, let’s go outside. The weather is perfect!”
Squirrel rolled her eyes again, then trooped out into the meadow with everyone else…except Beaver, who had gone back to sleep.
