Charlie came flying back and landed on Stuart's hat.
"Come on. What's taking you so long? It's starting to thunder and rain harder and you're just standing there. What's going on kid, did you change your mind?"
"No Charlie. I can't move."
Charlie looked down at Stuart's back.
"Well kid, you've got this stick that's holding you back. Just try and give it a big yank and see if you can get loose. It's been raining and the ground is kind of wet...maybe the stick will pull out and we can get going."
Stuart wiggled and pulled. He leaned forward as far as he could and the stick bent a little. He leaned back as far as he could and the stick loosened from the ground and bent back with him.
Stuart kept wiggling back and forth, back and forth. Each time, the stick leaned back or forward a little more than the time before.
Charlie got behind Stuart and pushed on his shoulders.
"Keep it up kid," said Charlie, "I think it's coming loose."
Just then the stick snapped off at the bottom, where it was braced in the cement block. Stuart fell forward and landed with a plop in the muddy garden.
Stuart flapped his legs and wiggled his arms, but he couldn't move. He just lay there with his face in the mud.
Charlie flew down and grabbed onto Stuart's shirt collar with his beak. He pulled back as hard as he could and lifted Stuart out of the mud. Stuart flopped over on his back, his arms stuck straight out at his sides.
"Well now," said Charlie, "Aren't you a mess. Why can't you get up?"
"I don't know," wailed Stuart. "I don't have any strength in my legs or my back. I can't move my arms because there is a stick through my sleeves and across my back. Help me Charlie. I can't lay here like this. It's raining really hard and I'm getting my stuffing all wet and soggy. I won't be able to EVER get up! Help me, Charlie!"
Charlie looked up at the other crows perched on the utility wire far above him. They were watching Stuart and laughing.
"Hey boys, come down here," called Charlie. "Let's help this fella out."