Puschel’s Reverse Gear with a View

Their red-and-cream picnic blanket was already spread beneath the oak on the little meadow hill. Flauschi had laid it out earlier. Now they were back at the bottom, and she carried the closed wicker picnic basket. Puschel studied the way up. The hill was not especially high. Still, he sighed as though he had just ordered a very large mountain.

Puschel“Why does our picnic have to live at the top?”

Flauschi“Because the view across the meadow is lovely up there. We can take our time.”

Puschel tilted his head. He remembered something he had once heard: If you are not getting anywhere, try it the other way round. His nose twitched. With Puschel, that usually meant an unusually unusual idea was beginning.

Puschel“I have it! I will walk backwards. Then the hill will never notice I am trying to climb it.”

Flauschi“I think the hill mostly notices your paws.”

But Puschel had already turned around. His nose pointed towards the meadow below and his bottom towards the top of the hill. Looking downhill, he reached one heel backwards up the slope, then brought the other foot after it. His toes still pointed downhill. In this way he took tiny backward steps, bottom first. Flauschi stayed right beside him. She was about to suggest turning around again, but Puschel was already beaming about his invention.

Puschel“This is much better. I can see how much hill I have already finished the whole time!”

Flauschi“And what is in the way of your next steps?”

Puschel“That is behind me now. Very convenient.”

What was less convenient was that his paws had different ideas about a straight line. One wanted to go a little left; the other wanted to go a little right. Puschel wandered sideways across the gentle slope. Flauschi put the basket beside the route to free both paws and called his name at once.

Flauschi“Puschel, please stop. You are coming towards the basket.”

Puschel stopped. Only his last tiny step had already been on its way. His bottom gently nudged the closed basket, and he sank into a surprised little squat. Both feet stayed on the grass. The basket was fine. Puschel’s proud expression, however, developed a definite wrinkle.

Puschel“The hill grabbed me!”

Flauschi“The hill has a handle today.”

Puschel looked over his shoulder. There stood the wicker basket, looking innocent and not at all like a hill. Flauschi offered him a paw. He took it and stood upright again. Then they both laughed, softly at first and then enough to make Puschel’s nose wobble.

Puschel“Unfortunately, my reverse gear has no basket detector.”

Flauschi“Then let us put your eyes at the front again. But I have an idea for your lovely view.”

Flauschi stood beside him and picked up the basket again. Together they turned towards the hill. Now their noses and paws pointed where they wanted to go. Puschel looked at the picnic blanket. It was still beneath the same oak, patiently waiting while he took his detour.

Flauschi“We take three steps forwards. Then we stop, turn around and admire your progress.”

Puschel“With a proper admiration break?”

Flauschi“With a very proper admiration break.”

Puschel took one step. Then a second. Then a third. They stopped and looked back. The meadow below already seemed a little further away. Puschel nodded approvingly, as though the landscape had been helping especially for him.

Puschel“Not bad, paws. Not bad.”

Three more steps. Another pause. At the next view, Puschel nodded even more proudly. Flauschi counted softly with him. Soon the steps felt easier because Puschel was no longer thinking about a whole hill. He was thinking about three little steps and the view afterwards.

Flauschi“And here we are at the top.”

Beneath the oak, the grass was level. Flauschi set the basket beside the blanket. They sat together, and Puschel stretched his paws out comfortably. The meadow glowed in the warm autumn light. His detour was hardly visible from here. His satisfied grin was very visible indeed.

Puschel“See? Backwards was a good idea.”

Flauschi“Especially the parts where we walked forwards.”

Puschel thought for a moment. Then he laughed and moved closer to Flauschi. Perhaps his best invention today had not been reverse gear after all. Perhaps it was the admiration break. That even worked while sitting down.

Puschel“Then let us admire the picnic for a while. Without any steps at all.”

Flauschi smiled. Beside them waited the basket with its handle. It was an ordinary basket again. And the little hill had managed to bring Puschel to the top — with help from Flauschi and plenty of proud looks back.