Payback for Randy

   “Jake!  Jake!” shouted Midge as she raced along the sidewalk and almost slipped as she rounded the corner and ran through the gate.
   “Slow down Midge,” said Jake.  “What is going on?”
   “Is he coming?  Is he coming?” yelled Midge.
   “Is who coming?” asked Jake.  “What is going on?”
   “Randy!  Is Randy coming?”  asked Midge as she hid behind the big chair on the front porch. 
   “I don’t see him Midge,” said Jake.  “What happened?”
   “Oh, Jake, Randy was so mean to me,” shivered Midge.
   Jake looked up and down the street and didn’t see anyone at all.  He turned to see Midge peeking around the chair.  “Come on out here and talk to me. Tell me what Randy did this time?”
   “Oh Jake it was terrible,” said Midge.  It was early this morning.  My mistress opened the door to the let me out for my morning run around the yard to do my duty and when I walked out on the porch and started down the steps, Randy jumped out from behind the birdbath and scared me.”
   “Didn’t you see him when you stepped off the porch?” asked Jake. “The birdbath base isn’t that big.”
   “I wasn’t paying any attention to the birdbath.  I was on my way to the yard to take care of my business, if you know what I mean,” said Midge.  “I didn’t have anything on my mind but that.  I rushed down the steps and started for the yard when out he jumps, shouting and making faces at me.”

   “You know how Randy is Midge,” said Jake.  “He is always trying to scare you.”
   “I know and I need to get back at him Jake,” sid Midge.  "Help me get him.  He deserves a payback for all the times that he scared me. And I know he does the same thing to Lindsey too.”
   Jake laughed, but Midge didn’t think it was very funny.  Randy was the little Raccoon who lives in the park near the pond where Snappy lives.  He was always into some kind of mischief.  He was a little practical joker. 
  “Don’t laugh Jake,” said Midge.  “He needs a payback for all those times he scared me.”
  “Okay Midge. We will do something and teach Randy a lesson,” said Jake.  “Let me think about it a minute.”
   Midge paced back and forth across the porch as she kept checking up and down the street as she watched for Randy.  Jake lay sprawled out on the lounge chair with his eyes closed.  He didn’t say a word for about an hour. 
   “That’s it Midge!” shouted Jake as he jumped down from the lounge chair.  “Come on Midge, we are going to teach Randy a lesson.”
   “What are we going to do?” asked Midge.
   “I want you to get over there under that tree and lay there and pretend to be passed out when I come back with Randy.  And don’t say anything,” said Jake.
   “Okay,” said Midge.
   She laid down under the tree and watched as Jake ran across the street to the park.  She could hear him yelling for Randy.  She waited and watched for him to return. It wasn’t long when she saw them coming across the street together.  She quickly lay down and sprawled out with her eyes closed. 
  “Randy, look what you have done this time,” said Jake as they hurried up the sidewalk to the tree where Midge lay on the grass.
   “I only jumped out and scared her Jake,” said Randy.
   “But you maybe caused her to have a stroke!” shouted Jake.  “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?  All that scaring, has maybe taken its toll on poor Midge.  What do you have to say this time”
   “Oh, Jake, I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean to hurt her.   I was only playing with her,”  cried Randy.  “I didn’t mean for anything bad to happen to her.  “How did she get from her house to your house?”
   “Randy, she crawled here crying and shaking,” said Jake.  “I think you need to check on her and see if she is going to be okay.”
   Randy slowly walked over to where Midge lay quietly on the grass. He leaned over her and touched his nose to her face.  He gently nudged her, but Midge didn’t move.  She was trying hard not to open her eyes or move. 
  “Midge,” called Randy softly.  “Midge, please wake up.  I’m sorry I scared you.”
  About that time, Midge jumped up and grabbed him by the ears, “Boo!”   
   Randy screamed and fell backwards into the rose bushes.  “Ouch!” shouted Randy.  “Why did you do that?
   “It was time for payback Randy,” said Jake. “You need to apologize to Midge and not be scaring her anymore.”
   “I’m sorry Midge,” said Randy.  “I didn’t realize you didn’t like it.  I won’t do that anymore.  Can we be friends?”
   “Okay Randy, I hope you learned your lesson.  You deserved that payback for what you  have done to me,” said Midge.
   Jake was sitting on the lounge chair and was laughing so hard at Randy when he fell into the roses, that he fell off the lounge chair.  Midge and Randy joined in laughing at the whole situation.