Let Your Imagination Go

   Midge and Booker-T stood at the gate to Jake's yard and watched him pacing back and forth across his yard.  “What's he doing?” whispered Booker-T.

   “I don't know,” said Midge. 

   “Do you think he knows we are here?” asked Booker-T.

   “I think he is so busy,” said Midge. “I don't think he has seen us.”

   “What am I going to do Charlene?” said Jake as he stopped and stared at the porch.  “You know I love you.  I will miss you when you go with Henry.”

    “Who is Charlene?” asked Booker-T.

    “I don't think he ever told me who Charlene is,” said Midge.

    “And who is Henry?” asked Booker-T.

    “Never heard of him either,” whispered Midge. “Maybe we should go in and asked him.”

    “Wait,” said Booker-T.  “I want to hear more.”

    “Henry can't love you as I do,” said Jake. “Money isn't everything Charlene. It can't buy you happiness.”

    “Henry must be rich,” smiled Booker-T.

    “Maybe that is why Charlene wants to go with him,” said Midge. “But I don't think Jake ever told me about Charlene.  I wonder what kind of dog she was.”

     “Is Henry her new owner?” asked Booker-T.  “Maybe her other owner was poor.”

     “Maybe,” agreed Midge.

     “Charlene, you knew I always wanted to be with you,” said Jake as he continued to pace across the yard.  “Don't do this to me.”

     “Wonder what she did?” asked Booker-T.

     “Maybe he is talking about Henry taking her away,” said Midge.

     Jake suddenly stopped pacing and turned to face the front gate.  “Hi you guys!” said Jake.  “What are you doing?”

    “We came to see you,” smiled Midge.

    “How long have you been there?” asked Jake.

    “For a little while Jake,” said Booker-T.  “Who is Charlene and Henry?”

    “Oh them,” laughed Jake.

    “I never heard you talk about Charlene or Henry before,” said Midge.  “What kind of dog was Charlene?”

     “They are people Midge,” said Jake. “I was watching a movie last night and I was pretending to be Steven who was in love with Charlene and she was running away with Henry because he had a lot of money.”

      “Oh,” laughed Midge. “You were pretending to be in the movie.”

     “That's funny,” said Booker-T.

     “Why?” asked Jake.

     “We thought you knew a dog named Charlene who was going away with some new owner named Henry,” said Midge.

     “If I had known a Charlene dog,” said Jake. “I would have told you about her.”

     “Maybe not,” said Midge. “Remember Pickles?  We didn't know about her til the other day.”

     “I guess you are right,” said Jake. “I was just pretending.”

     “I like to pretend things sometimes too,” said Midge. 

     “You do a lot Midge,” laughed Booker-T.

     “Pretending is fun and with your imagination,” said Midge.  “You can go anywhere in the world and you can do anything you want to do.”

    “Have you ever used your imagination to be a human?” asked Booker-T.

    “I have,” said Jake. “That is what I was doing now.”

     “I have too,” said Midge.  “I thought I was a great teacher one time.”

     “Have you ever pretended to be something Booker-T?” asked Jake. 

     “Oh sure,” said Booker-T. “I like to pretend that I am a Bengal tiger. I like those animals. They are so pretty and strong.”

     “You are the right color to be a tiger too,” said Midge.  “In the zoo, I have seen some that are white.”

     “I like the white ones too,” said Jake. “They are very pretty.”

     “Maybe we could pretend we are making a movie,” suggested Midge.

     “That might be fun,” said Booker-T.  “Midge, you are good at making things up. Maybe you can think of a good one.”

     “We could get Gabby and Snappy to be in it too,” suggested Jake.

     “That would be fun,” said Midge.

     “I haven't seen Gabby,” said Booker-T.

     “He could bring Polly too,” said Jake. “We could have a really good movie with all of us.”

     “What kind of movie do you want to do?” asked Midge.

     “What kind?” asked Booker-T.  “I guess I hadn't thought of that part.”

     “We have a lot of choices,” said Midge.  “We could do a western, a spy movie, a love story or a funny one.”

     “I think a spy movie would be fun,” said Booker-T. 

     “I like that too,” said Jake.

      “A good mystery spy movie,” said Midge. “We would be good spies.”

     “You were spying on me,” said Jake. 

     “Ha ha,” laughed Midge. “I guess we kind of were.  You were so busy with your lines that you didn't even know we were there.”

     “We already have a story for it,” said Jake.

     “We do?” asked Booker-T.

     “Sure,” said Midge.  “Jake is talking to Charlene and trying to get her to stay and not leave with Henry. We could have Henry stealing her away with the promise of riches and Jake goes to a detective cat who investigates Henry and finds out that he is a  bad guy and is lying to Charlene to steal her from Jake because he wants to hurt Jake.”

     “So taking Charlene away will hurt Jake?” asked Booker-T.

     “Yes,” said Midge. “The detective cat finds out the truth and gets in to see Charlene with the evidence that Henry is trying to hurt Jake. He tells Charlene that Jake loves her and Henry is only causing trouble.  He really doesn't want to be with Charlene, that is nothing but lies.”

      “Midge,” said Jake. “I think you have lost me somewhere along the way. Explain it.”

      “Okay,” said Midge.  “You love Charlene. Henry don't like you so he lies to Charlene to take her away from you with the promise of lots of money.  Charlene loves money and believes him.  Booker-T is a detective who you hire to find  out about Henry.  He finds out the truth and goes to Charlene to convince her that Henry isn't telling the truth and to bring Charlene back to you.”

      “Okay,” said Jake. “I think I got it now. Who is Charlene?”

      “I am Charlene,” smiled Midge.

      “Who is Henry?” asked Jake.

      “We can have Gabby play Henry,” suggested Booker-T. 

     “This will be a good movie,” said Jake.

     “I think so too,” said Booker-T.   “Can we go play at the park now and do the movie later?”

      “Okay,” said Midge. “Lets go.”

      The three quickly walked along the sidewalk to the park.