how do you hug a porcupine

Last year there was a little booklet (see the post about my pictoral quiz )
inside of a box of Cheerios that I bought - and since I'm a sucker for any
little thing - I took the little booklet out of the Cheerios box - and right off
I saw that the booklet was also in Spanish.

So that was Good.

But it was only later that I realized what the booklet was all about - how to
hug a porcupine.  

And then it was even later than that  - after I read the little booklet - that I
came to see that the little booklet was about - me.
~~~

Now the reason that I am even calling attention to this little booklet is that
just maybe this will help some people who have tried to 'hug' me to
understand that this booklet is about me.

See - I am most of the time like the little porcupine shown on the cover of
the little booklet - and there are those who have thought that perhaps
they might like to 'hug' me.

But in doing so they have experienced something they didn't expect - that
is the 'sharp quills'  - just like a porcupine - coming at them unexpectedly.

The difference between me and a porcupine - however - is that with a
porcupine you can clearly see that he has the 'sharp quills' but with me
you cannot.

AND IT IS ONLY AFTER IT IS TOO LATE THAT THE PERSON
WHO HAS TRIED TO HUG ME REALIZES THAT THEY ARE
DEALING WITH SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

So for anyone planning to 'hug' me - I would say:


I welcome any and all 'hugs' - but be forewarned:


HUG AT YOUR OWN RISK.

: ]












but please hug away - even porcupines need a hug occasionally