WRITING: Herman the Mole

There was a mole who lived in the neighbor’s lawn who was afraid of the dark.  Herman was also not keen on tight places.  He was never able to outgrown this unmolelike behavior, though his father took him along with him every night gathering grubs for dinner, and his mother took him to see Dr. Malcolm Fishbein who specialized in abnormal fears and psychological childhood trauma.  Herman was happy enough at home, sleeping snuggled up against his brother and sisters, but at night, when they all headed off into different tunnels, Herman either nosed behind his mother or father, or stayed where he was and shivered in lonely fear.  Then one day, his life changed.