Franklin’s secret club
1 July 2009
A few month ago, Middle Daughter received the book, Franklin’s Secret Club, with a Chick-fil-A kid’s meal*. It’s about Franklin (a turtle) who decides to start a secret club. Unfortunately, his clubhouse is small, and so it has to be an exclusive secret club.
* I’d like to commend Chick-fil-A for doing this. It’s a huge improvement over the typical, forgettable plastic that you get at most fast food places. And their waffle fries are really tasty, too.
However, all goes along well, and Franklin and his friends (the ones that are part of the club) do all sorts of secrety-type things and have a grand time, until one day another friend asks to join the club. Now, Franklin hadn’t considered this possibility – that others might be interested. And he has to decline the request, based on the size of the clubhouse.
Well – this other friend decries the injustice of this, and goes off to form another cool club. Suddenly, Franklin and the rest of the Secret Club members know what it’s like to be left out, and a “Members Only” sign underscores their isolation.
Finally, the leaders of the two opposing clubs meet, realizing that they’ve done some hurtful things. And they decide to merge their clubs (“‘We can always meet outside,’ said Franklin. ‘Then there’ll be plenty of room.’”). The inclusivity of the new club is underscored by a new sign that says “Everyone Welcome”.
I guess that something in this story resonated with Middle Daughter, and she decided to make her own club and sign. She showed it to me a while back, but I didn’t understand the full significance of it until recently.
Well – she’s a wise girl. What is that saying about “Out of the mouths of babes…”?
Entry Filed under: Faith, Home. Tags: Chick-fil-A, Everyone welcome, Franklin's Secret Club, Inclusiveness, Kid's meal.
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Hilary | 1 July 2009 at 07:41
That is so sweet. I love that you made it your banner for your blog too.
2.
Ordinary Sister | 2 July 2009 at 00:11
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
Can you get me a “One” wrist band?
Chick-fil-A was bumped up in my book recently too. The manager of our local Chick-fil-A was in the knitting class for 50 and over that I just took. (Somehow a few of us missed the age requirement!) She was there because she had a “nasty little habit that only the boys at the Texaco knew about…the kind that causes lung cancer.” She was trying to kick the habit and thought knitting might help. She was really an inspiring person. A prayer in action. (She probably reads a lot of those kids meal books since she has two kids of her own.) Since learning to knit, I have finished a pair of teddy bear pants; she has finished a complete teddy bear for both of her kids and a couple of hats to boot. I’m praying and betting her habit goes up in a cloud of smoke. We need more people like her around that are striving to “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” People like you.