Gabby Checks on Snappy

 "Good morning Snappy," called Midge as she leaped into the chair beside the tank where Snappy was sleeping.

Poking his little head out of the covered area of the tank, he stretched and greeted Midge. "Good morning Midge."

"Did you sleep good Snappy?" asked Midge.

"It was nice a warm," said Snappy. "I slept all night and wasn't shivering at all last night. This is so nice."

"I'm glad you like it," said Midge. "My owner is a good person."

"I hope when spring comes she will let me go back to the pond in the park," said Snappy. "It is really nice there in the Spring and Summer. The winter's are the bad time."

"I think she will," said Midge. "She said something about taking you to the pond in Spring time when she was getting the tank ready for you."

"I will sure miss all of you at the park when you go to play," said Snappy. "It was always good to see everyone."

"I know," said Midge. "But I will be here every day so you won't be alone."

"Okay," said Snappy. "I guess that will be good. But I will miss playing with you at the park."

"Tap, tap, tap," was the sound from the window near the chair and tank. "Tap, tap, tap"

Midge turned toward the window and Snappy looked up in the direction of the tapping noise Outside the window, Gabby was tapping on the window. Midge jumped down from the chair, "I will be right back Snappy."

She hurried to her little door to the outside and ran around the house to where Gabby sat on the porch railing. "Hi Gabby," said Midge. "What are you doing this morning?"

"Hi Midge," said Gabby. "Jake told me about you bringing Snappy to your house yesterday."

"Yes, it was really cold down at the pond for him," said Midge. "So I brought him home hoping my owner would being him in where it is warm."

"That was really nice of you Midge," said Gabby. "Did she take him into the house where it is warm?"

"Yes," said Midge. "She made Snappy a nice home in an old fish tank she had."

"She sounds like a nice person Midge," said Gabby.

"She is," agreed Midge. "Can you see Snappy through the window there where you were tapping?"

"No," said Gabby. "The sun is shining so can't see in right now. When the sun goes down and the light is on in your house, I will be able to see in."

"Okay," said Midge. "Are you going to the park with Jake and I this morning? I think Booker-T and Susie are going too."

"Sure," said Gabby. "Are you going to walk to Jake's house now?"

"Yes," said Midge. "Let me tell Snappy good-bye and we will go."

Midge ran around the back of the house and slipped into the house through her little door. She ran to the living room and leaped into the chair beside the tank. "Snappy," said Midge. "I am going to Jake's house this morning and we are going to the park for a little while. I will be back later, Okay?"

"Okay Midge," said Snappy. "Have a good day and tell everyone I said hi and will see them in the Spring when the weather warms up."

"I will Snappy," said Midge. "Good-bye for now."

"Good-bye Midge," said Snappy.

Midge ran to the little door and squeezed outside and ran around the house where Gabby was sitting on the railing waiting for her. "Lets go."

Midge started up the sidewalk with Gabby flying above her. They turned the corner and hurried into the yard at Jake's house. Jake was napping on the porch swing curled up on a warm blanket.

"Hey Jake!" called Midge. "I like your new blanket."

"Isn't this nice?" asked Jake. "My owner brought it home for me last night and she knows I like to nap on the porch swing so she got it for me to use here."

"It looks really warm," said Gabby.

"It is," said Jake. "I like it very much."

"Me too," said Midge.

"What happened last night with Snappy?" asked Jake.

"I dragged one of my old blankets outside for him to lay on while we waited for my owner to come home from work," said Midge. "When she got there, I met her at the car and got her to follow me to the back yard where Snappy was laying on the blanket."

"Did she take him inside the house?" asked Jake.

"Who took who inside the house?" asked Booker-T as he hurried up the steps at Jake's house.

"Snappy is at Midge's house," said Jake.

"What is Snappy doing at your house Midge?" asked Booker-T.

"It was too cold at the pond with all the snow so I had him follow me to my house hoping my owner would take him inside to get warm," said Midge.

"Did it work?" asked Jake.

"Yes," smiled Midge. "Snappy is in a nice warm tank inside the house. He is very happy but he hopes she will want to take him to the pond when Spring comes."

"That could be a problem," said Booker-T.

"What problem?" asked Jake.

"She might want to keep him safe in the tank year round," said Booker-T.

"Oh my," sighed Midge. "That might be a problem. He loves the pond in the Spring and Summer."

"He will miss being at the pond," said Jake. "Got any ideas Midge?"

"Oh, dear," said Midge. "I will have to think about that one for a while. That will be harder to figure out than getting him in the warm house."

"We will all think about it," said Jake. "Okay Midge?"

"Thanks you guys," smiled Midge.

"We sure will miss Snappy at the pond now," said Booker-T.

"But it is still too cold out here for him," said Jake. "He had a hard time last winter, remember?"

"I remember," said Midge. "This way he will have plenty of food and will be warm."

"Oh," said Gabby. "Being warm would sure be nice."

"Why didn't you fly to the south this time Gabby?" asked Jake. "Usually before the first snowfall, you are gone."

"I know," sighed Gabby. "It is so far to fly and I'm getting older now. Thought I could find a place here to be warm."

"Did you find a place to stay warm?" asked Booker-T.

"Not yet," answered Gabby. "I will try again today."

"Where are you looking?" asked Midge.

"Maybe your owner will let Gabby stay in the house, Midge," said Jake.

"I don't know how to get her to let him in," said Midge. "Let me think a little. While I am thinking, lets go play at the pond."

They all started for the pond. Some of the snow had melted from the sidewalks now and some were clear where people had shoveled off the snow in front of their homes. The sun was out so they were hoping the snow would all melt by the end of the day.