Midge And The Pipes

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

“Hi Booker-T, “smiled Midge. “What are you doing?”

“I'm coming to see you and Snappy,” replied Booker-T. “What are you doing?”

“I'm eating my breakfast,” said Midge. “Did you eat?”

“I sure did,” said Booker-T. “I had some nice fish flavored food this morning. I like fish.”

“I don't like fish,” said Midge. “I like the chicken and beef flavored stuff better.”

“You eat your breakfast and I will go see Snappy,” suggested Booker-T.

“Okay,” said Midge.

Booker-T went to the living room to see Snappy while Midge ate her breakfast.

“Hi Snappy,” said Booker-T as he jumped into the chair beside the tank.

“Hi Booker-T,” smiled Snappy. “Where is Midge?”

“She is finishing her breakfast,” replied Booker-T. “How are you doing in your nice little home?”

“Isn't it nice,” said Snappy. “I like the nice pond our owner made in here.”

Suddenly from the kitchen, they heard Midge coughing and coughing. She walked into the living room and was still coughing.

“Midge,” said Booker-T. “What is wrong? Are you okay?”

“I was drinking water and started coughing,” said Midge.

“I guess the water went down the wrong pipe,” said Booker-T.

“What wrong pipe?” asked Midge. “I was drinking the water.”

“I heard my owner say that when she is drinking something and starts coughing,” said Booker-T.

“What pipe?” asked Midge.

“I think your throat pipe,” said Booker-T.

“I only have one pipe,” said Midge. “The water went to my tummy.”

“Maybe we have more than one and didn't know it,” said Booker-T.

“Maybe,” said Midge. “I will ask Jake. He might know.”

“What do I know?” asked Jake as he entered the room. “I thought you were coming to the house so we could go see the animals at the zoo.”

“We were coming,” said Booker-T. “Midge was eating breakfast so I came in to talk to Snappy.”

“What is it you think I know?” asked Jake.

“How many pipes do we have?” asked Midge.

“What kind of pipes?” asked Jake. “Water pipes?”

“No,” laughed Midge.

“What other pipes are there?” asked Jake.

“In your body,” said Midge.

“I don't think I have pipes in my body,” said Jake looking a little confused.

“When you eat something and swallow it,” said Midge. “Isn't that a pipe it goes down?”

“I think it is your throat,” said Jake. “I don't call it a pipe.”

“Oh,” said Midge.

“Why do humans call it a pipe?” asked Booker-T.

“How do you know that humans call it a pipe?” asked Jake.

“Because when my owner was eating something one time and drank some water, she started to cough,” said Booker-T, “She said 'I guess it went down the wrong pipe.'”

“I thought we only have one throat,” said Jake.

“Maybe humans have more than one throat,” said Midge. “Do you think they do?”

“I don't know,” said Jake. “I thought the humans were the same as us animals for some things.”

“Maybe they have more throats than we do,” suggested Booker-T.

“Why are you wanting to know how many throats we have?” asked Jake.

“Midge was drinking water and started coughing,” said Booker-T. “I told her maybe the water went down the wrong pipe.”

“Booker-T started this whole thing,” laughed Midge.

“Oh,” smiled Jake.

“He told me that his owner said it goes down the wrong pipe when she coughs,” said Midge.

“Humans might be different than us animals,” suggested Jake.

“Maybe,” agreed Midge nodding her head.

“Are we going to the zoo?” asked Booker-T. “We really don't know if we have one or two pipes in our bodies.”

“I guess you are right,” said Midge. “Are you ready to go?”

“Okay,” said Jake.

They visited with Snappy for a while and then said good-bye and the three hurried through the doggie door and walked to the zoo.

“There is the train,” said Jake. “Do you want to ride to the big zoo again?”

“Oh no,” said Midge. “We might get over there and can't get back on the train.”

“I don't want to walk from the big zoo,” said Booker-T. “Lets just go see who is at the little zoo building. It is close and we can walk it okay.”

They stood and watched the train pull out of the station across the street from the little zoo building. After it had gone, they went inside the zoo building. Standing inside the door, they looked around the room to see what animals were there. In the corner, was a kangaroo and next to him was a baby deer and next to him was a mountain lion. In the other corner was a baboon . In the front cage was another elephant and the other front cage was a zebra.

“Oh look,” said Midge. “It is a striped horse.”

“It's a zebra,” laughed Jake.

“Is that a kind of horse?” asked Midge.

“I don't think so,” said Jake.

“He looks like a horse to me,” said Midge.

“Me too,” said Booker-T.

“I think they are in the same family of animals, but not the same,” said Jake.

“I like their stripes,” smiled Booker-T.

“You like all stripes,” laughed Midge.

“Stripes are beautiful don't you think,” said Booker-T.

“Sure,” smiled Jake and Midge.

“Hi,” said Midge as she walked up to the cage where the zebra was eating some hay.

“Are you talking to me?” asked the zebra.

“Yes,” said Midge. “What is your name?”

“I'm Baxtor,” said the zebra. “What is your name?”

“I'm Midge and these are my friends, Jake and Booker-T,” said Midge.

“Why are you outside your cages?” asked Baxtor.

“We don't live in cages,” said Midge. “We live in houses with our owners.”

“Is it nice there?” asked Baxtor.

“We like it,” said Jake.

“Can I come home with you?” asked Baxtor.

“I don't think so,” said Midge. “You have to stay here. They will take you to a new home soon.”

“Where?” asked Baxtor.

“To a nice big zoo with other zebras like you,” said Jake.

“I will have friends?” asked Baxtor.

“Yes,” said Midge. “You can have other friends too.”

“Like who?” asked Baxtor.

“See that elephant over there,” said Jake.

“Yes,” said Baxtor. “I don't know him.”

“Why don't you talk to him?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't know,” said Baxtor.

“He is different than you are,” said Midge. “But he can be your friend. Friends can be different than you are.”

“Midge is right,” agreed Jake.

She got Baxtor and the other animals talking and when the three left the building, the animals were all talking and laughing together.