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Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!
In the bustling world of Maplewood Forest, where squirrels usually prided themselves on having the biggest acorn stash or the fluffiest tail, there lived a squirrel named Titch. Titch, however, was not your average nut-hoarder. His interests were a little... shinier. Acorns? Boring. Walnuts? Meh. But a bottle cap with a slightly reflective surface? Now that was a masterpiece worthy of admiration.
One fine autumn morning, as Titch was performing his daily "Shiny Patrol" (a completely self-appointed position), he spotted an unusual glimmer beneath a pile of leaves. "Aha!" he declared dramatically to no one in particular, diving in headfirst like a furry torpedo.
What he discovered wasn’t just a glimmer. It was an entire cache of forgotten human trinkets—bottle caps in every color of the rainbow, a collection of rusty yet endearing keys, shards of glass that sparkled like discount diamonds, and even a tiny, broken pocket watch, frozen forever at 3:47 p.m. (Titch decided this was a very mysterious time.)
Staring at his newfound bounty, Titch had an epiphany—or maybe it was just the caffeine from nibbling on too many fermented berries. Either way, he decided he would open Maplewood Forest’s first-ever "Treasure Museum."
His headquarters? An old, hollow tree trunk with great "natural lighting" (i.e., a hole in the roof). He spent days arranging his shiny artifacts with the precision of a squirrel possessed. Keys dangled from spider silk (after some intense negotiations with the local spiders), bottle caps were lined up like royal jewels, and the pocket watch took center stage on a pedestal made of twigs and, oddly, a pinecone he insisted was "architecturally crucial."
Word spread like wildfire—or at least like enthusiastic squirrel chatter. Birds flew in, chattering about the "glorious glint." Rabbits hopped by, squinting suspiciously at the reflective glass. Even the notoriously grumpy raccoon, Gary, waddled over, muttering, "What's all the fuss about?" only to spend forty-five minutes hypnotized by a shiny spoon.
Titch stood proudly by his collection, giving dramatic tours: "And here, behold! The Magnificent Metallic Circle of Mystery!" (It was a washer.) Visitors were amazed, confused, and occasionally blinded by the gleam.
Titch’s Treasure Museum became a sensation, proving that in Maplewood Forest, you didn’t need gold or jewels to make history—just a squirrel with an obsession and a whole lot of shiny stuff.
By Matthew MitchellVisit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!
In the bustling world of Maplewood Forest, where squirrels usually prided themselves on having the biggest acorn stash or the fluffiest tail, there lived a squirrel named Titch. Titch, however, was not your average nut-hoarder. His interests were a little... shinier. Acorns? Boring. Walnuts? Meh. But a bottle cap with a slightly reflective surface? Now that was a masterpiece worthy of admiration.
One fine autumn morning, as Titch was performing his daily "Shiny Patrol" (a completely self-appointed position), he spotted an unusual glimmer beneath a pile of leaves. "Aha!" he declared dramatically to no one in particular, diving in headfirst like a furry torpedo.
What he discovered wasn’t just a glimmer. It was an entire cache of forgotten human trinkets—bottle caps in every color of the rainbow, a collection of rusty yet endearing keys, shards of glass that sparkled like discount diamonds, and even a tiny, broken pocket watch, frozen forever at 3:47 p.m. (Titch decided this was a very mysterious time.)
Staring at his newfound bounty, Titch had an epiphany—or maybe it was just the caffeine from nibbling on too many fermented berries. Either way, he decided he would open Maplewood Forest’s first-ever "Treasure Museum."
His headquarters? An old, hollow tree trunk with great "natural lighting" (i.e., a hole in the roof). He spent days arranging his shiny artifacts with the precision of a squirrel possessed. Keys dangled from spider silk (after some intense negotiations with the local spiders), bottle caps were lined up like royal jewels, and the pocket watch took center stage on a pedestal made of twigs and, oddly, a pinecone he insisted was "architecturally crucial."
Word spread like wildfire—or at least like enthusiastic squirrel chatter. Birds flew in, chattering about the "glorious glint." Rabbits hopped by, squinting suspiciously at the reflective glass. Even the notoriously grumpy raccoon, Gary, waddled over, muttering, "What's all the fuss about?" only to spend forty-five minutes hypnotized by a shiny spoon.
Titch stood proudly by his collection, giving dramatic tours: "And here, behold! The Magnificent Metallic Circle of Mystery!" (It was a washer.) Visitors were amazed, confused, and occasionally blinded by the gleam.
Titch’s Treasure Museum became a sensation, proving that in Maplewood Forest, you didn’t need gold or jewels to make history—just a squirrel with an obsession and a whole lot of shiny stuff.