Vikki the Vet Finds Phileas the Frog
Vikki the Vet likes to camp in cool places.
So Vikki the Vet is visiting Chile with her friends Frank & Fiona.
They’re there to explore the Atacama Desert.
Technically, the Atacama Desert is the second driest desert there is.
It is drier than the Sahara Desert,
the Sonoran Desert,
and even the great Gobi Desert.
The only desert that is drier is the Antarctic Desert.
How can that be, you ask?
Well, you see, a desert is defined by how little precipitation it receives.
Not by how hot it can get.
It’s so cold and windy in parts of the Antarctic Desert that there’s hardly ever any precipitation.
It would be incredibly cold if you went camping in the Antarctic Desert.
I wouldn’t recommend it.
It can also get quite chilly camping in Chile.
Especially at height.
And even more so at night.
After a day of hiking and sightseeing, Vikki the Vet and her friends felt famished.
So once their tent was set up and their sweaters were on they turned their attention to supper.
“Shouldn’t we be eating chili when camping in Chile,” complained a cranky Frank.
“We don’t have chili.”
“So I’m putting some franks on the fire,” Fiona answered.
“You’re putting FRANK on the fire!?” laughed Vikki the Vet.
“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme!?”
“Not FRANK!” Fiona laughed back.
“A frankfurter.”
“You know.”
“A seasoned smoked sausage.”
“A Georgia grandstander.”
“A Carolina crowd-pleaser.”
“What in the world are you talking about?” said Frank.
“I’m hungry for a hot dog,” answered Fiona.
“Ooh! You mean a dachshund-shaped sausage,” giggled Vikki the Vet.
“Exactly!” said Fiona.
“Well, make mine a not dog,” said Vikki the Vet.
“I’d like a soy sausage.”
“It’s like I’m camping with the Chuckle Brothers,” said a flummoxed Frank.
“Except we’re women,” said Fiona.
“And we’re more like Wayne & Shuster,” Vikki the Vet said sweetly.
“Wayne & Shuster!” exclaimed an exasperated Frank.
“I just want to know what’s for dessert?” said Frank as he changed the subject.
“Sorry! No dessert in the desert, my dear,” said Fiona.
“Oy Vey!” Frank hit his forehead.
“Your witty wordplay is wearing me out.”
After dinner, dishes and some discourse Fiona, Frank, and Vikki the Vet went to their tent and retired for the night.
— Over the course of the night, a heavy fog rolled in. —
While the Atacama Desert doesn’t get much precipitation it does have a penchant for fog.
In the morning Vikki the Vet was the first one up.
So she went for a walk.
Vikki the Vet was careful to study her surroundings and not get lost in the fog.
While she was wandering, Vikki the Vet found a frog.
A frog who was lost in the fog.
Vikki the Vet knows her frogs.
And she knew it would be better for this type of frog to live by a bog instead of the fog.
So she took the frog back to her campsite.
When Vikki the Vet got back, Frank and Fiona were just waking up.
“Good morning, you two,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Good morning too you,” said both Fiona and Frank.
“Look what I found while I was out walking,” said Vikki the Vet.
“It’s a cute little frog,” said Fiona.
“A fine little frog,” said a refreshed Frank.
“I brought him back because he looked lost,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Let’s give him a name,” said Frank.
“How about Phil the Frog,” said Fiona.
Oh! That’s good!” said Vikki the Vet.
“That is good,” Frank agreed.
“But I’d like to propose another name.”
“How about Phileas. In honour of Phileas Fogg, the fictional adventurer.”
“Just like us,” said Fiona.
“Then we can call him Phileas Frog … or just Phil the Frog for short.”
“Works for me,” said Vikki the Vet.
“And me,” said Fiona.
“Phileas it is,” Frank finished.
Then Vikki the Vet took the frog, perched him on a log, and said:
“We hereby pronounce you Phileas Frog in honour of Phileas Fogg the fictional adventurer.”
And that was that.
After a couple more days of hiking and having fun it was time for Vikki the Vet and her friends to head for home.
They were done in the desert.
As they descended down to the coast they found a forest.
Vikki the Vet released Phileas the Frog into the forest.
Phileas Fogg (aka. Phil the Frog) took one look back—
gave a great croak (aka. a riveting ribbit)—
and headed off to find some new friends.
“Good luck in your new adventures,” said Vikki the Vet.
“Safe travels,” said Fiona.
“Salud!” said Frank.
And that is the short story of Frank, Fiona, and Vikki the Vet in the Atacama Desert.