What Do You Want To Do?

 “Hey Midge!” called Booker-T as he entered the doggie door. “Where are you?”

“Hi Booker-T,” said Snappy when he saw Booker-T enter the living room. “What are you doing?”

“Hi Snappy,” said Booker-T. “I was just looking for Midge.”

“Didn't you see her outside when you came into the back yard?” asked Snappy.

“No,” said Booker-T. “Was she outside?”

“She went outside a few minutes before you came in,” said Snappy.

“Maybe I missed her when I came in,” said Booker-T.

“Hey Booker-T!,” called Midge as she came through the door. “When did you get here?”

“I came in a few minutes ago,” said Booker-T. “Where were you?”

“I was out back behind the shed,” said Midge. “I was taking care of business.”

“Are you ready to go to Jake's house?” asked Booker-T.

“I'm ready,” said Midge. “What are we going to do today?”

“What do you want to do today?” asked Booker-T.

“I haven't thought about it yet,” said Midge. “Maybe Jake will have an idea.”

“You don't have any ideas, Midge?” said Booker-T.

“I ca probably come up with one,” said Midge. “But I have to think about it a little while. What do you want to do?”

“I asked you that,” said Booker-T.

“I know,” said Midge. “And I asked you twice.”

“I guess I didn't answer you the first time, did I?” asked Booker-T.

“No you didn't,” said Midge. “I think both of us are avoiding the question.”

“I think we are too,” smiled Booker-T.

“Hey guys!” said Snappy.

“What?” asked Midge.

“Why not wait and ask Jake,” suggested Snappy. “Maybe he has an idea what you can do today.”

“That's a good idea,” agreed Booker-T.

“Yes,” said Midge. “I like that idea.”

In a few minutes, Jake entered the room.

“Hi you guys,” greeted Jake with a smile. “What are you doing?”

“We were discussing what we want to do today,” said Midge.

“What do you want to do?” asked Jake. “I'm ready for anything you want to do.”

“I don't know,” said Midge. “What do you want to do?”

“I hadn't thought about it this morning,” said Jake. “What do you want to do Booker-T?”

“I don't know either,” said Booker-T.

“Oh my goodness,” said Snappy. “Here we go again.”

“Where are we going?” asked Jake.

“None of you have any ideas of what you want to do,” laughed Snappy. “I just heard this same round of 'I don't knows', this morning before you got here Jake.”

“Oh,” said Jake. “I guess none of us has any ideas this morning.”

“It is hard to believe that Midge doesn't have any ideas,” said Snappy. “She always has something she wants to do.”

“I know it,” smiled Booker-T.

“I don't think I have ever seen Midge without an idea,” laughed Jake.

“Okay guys,” said Midge. “I'm thinking as hard as I can.”

“Okay,” said Snappy. “Now we got the wheels of her brain working.”

“Very funny Snappy,” said Midge.

“I can hear those wheels turning inside her head,” said Booker-T.

“No you can't,” said Midge. “My brain is quietly thinking. I just know it will think of something for us to do soon.”

“Do you want to go to the fairgrounds near the school to see if anything is happening there today?” asked Jake.

“Is there suppose to be something happening there today?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know,” said Jake.

“Okay, lets go see,” agreed Midge.

“Finally!” said Snappy. “An Idea!”

The three told Snappy good-bye and crossed the room to the door. They strolled along the sidewalk on their way to the fairgrounds.

“Hey Jake!” said Midge. “Look!”

“Wow,” said Jake. “There sure are a lot of the big balloons here.”

“I wonder what they are doing here,” said Booker-T.

“Maybe this is the weekend of the annual balloon fest we have here,” said Midge.

“Maybe that is it,” said Jake. “Lets hurry and watch them take off into the air.”

“They all are so pretty with all their colors,” said Booker-T.

“I like the big balloons,” said Midge. “Remember when we tried to ride in one?”

“I remember,” said Jake. “And I don't think it worked out too good for us.”

“We could try again,” said Midge. 'We can do it this time.”

“I don't think it is a good idea,” said Booker-T. “We can't fly one of those things.”

“They fly themselves, don't they?” asked Midge.

“No,” said Jake. “Someone has to control that flame to keep it up in the air. Do you know how to do that?”

“No,” said Midge. “I was hoping you did.”

“How would I know,” said Jake. “I never flew one of those balloons.”

“But you are so smart,” said Booker-T. “Always watching TV with your owner.”

“Thanks for thinking I'm smart,” said Jake. “But this is something I have no idea how to do.”

“I have been watching that man over there,” said Midge. “He just pulls that rope now and then to give it more flame.”

“Are you sure?” asked Jake.

“Yes,” said Midge. “You can do it. Lets go fly one.”

“They won't let us even get into one of those baskets,” said Jake.

“We can try,” said Booker-T. “See that red and white balloon. No one is watching it.”

Jake thought about it as he looked at all the balloons and then at Midge and Booker-T. Jake really wanted to rid in this one today.

“Okay Midge,” said Jake. “Lets run jump into that red and white basket.”

They quickly looked around as they ran toward the balloon's basket. They leaped over the top of the side of the basket into the bottom. They were sitting low so no one would see them.

“Hey Joe!” called one of the humans. “Come over here!”

“Oh oh,” whispered Jake. “I think we were seen.”

“Hi Mac,” said the other voice. “What's up?”

“Look inside your basket,” said Mack.

Joe walked to the balloon that was anchored to the ground. He peered inside and saw the two dogs and the cat.

“All right you little ones,' said Mac. “I love animals but you can't ride in here with me. Come on out of there now.”

He helped the three out of the basket and back onto the ground. “Now go on home where you belong,” said Mac. “This isn't a place for you to be today.”

“Well,” said Midge. “We tried again.”

“We got into the basket,” smiled Booker-T. “There are just too many people around and someone saw us.”

“lets go home,” said Jake. “We will think of something else to do.”

The three strolled slowly along the sidewalk on their way home. They were a little sad that they couldn't ride in the pretty balloons.