STORYTIME: Upon discovering the absence of his teenaged African spurred tortoise on Saturday, Aug. 28, Randal Caswell immediately sprung into action, posting a lost pet ad with The Pilot and spreading the word on social media.
Fast forward to Monday, Aug. 30: Princess Bowser was making her way through Carthage with the wind blowing through her shell and a line of cars riding her tail. Michael Howell was driving down Rockingham Street (about a quarter mile away from where Princess Bowser escaped) when he saw a man herding a tortoise down the road.
“I yelled out ‘Hey man, you should get your tortoise out of the road,’ to which he replied, ‘Naw Bo. This here’s a snappin’ turtle and I’m not touchin’ him,'” Michael says. “I informed the guy that it was, in fact, a tortoise and probably someone’s pet.”
Michael’s wife posted on Facebook and asked if anyone had lost their tortoise. The post connected Princess Bowser back to Randal and she was soon reunited with her African spurred tortoise sister, Tortuga, at their Carthage home.
So, how does one lose a tortoise? According to Randal, Princess Bowser is just like her video game namesake — not fast, but strong. He’s since repaired the chain link she “busted through,” but keep an eye out next time you’re near the courthouse just in case.
