The Movie Song

Midge was walking around the front yard bouncing up and down and singing. “I'm an old cowhand, from the Rio Grande.”

Booker-T came into the yard and stood watching her, trying not to laugh too much.

“I can rope and ride,” sang Midge as she turned around and saw Booker-T standing there. “What are you doing over there?”

“I was watching you,” laughed Booker-T. “You are funny.”

“I was singing,” said Midge.

“Why were you bouncing up and down?” asked Booker-T.

“I was riding my horse,” said Midge.

“I don't see a horse,” said Booker-T. “Is it invisible?”

“It is a pretend horse,” said Midge.

“How do you ride a pretend horse?” asked Booker-T.

“You pretend you are riding a pretend horse,” said Midge.

“You are confusing me, stated Booker-T, tilting his head and staring at her.

“I'm singing a song, pretending to ride a horse,” said Midge. “But there is no real horse. I am only pretending that there is a horse. Little kids do it all the time.”

“Why are you singing about a cow if you are pretending to ride a horse?' asked Booker-T.

“I'm not singing about a cow,” replied Midge.

“You said you were a cow hand,” said Booker-T. “I heard you say it.”

“I know,” said Midge. “But that's not about cows and cows don't have hands.”

“Okay,” said Booker-T. “Then what is a cow hand?”

“It is a man who rides a horse and takes care of the cows,” said Midge.

“So,” said Booker-T. “It is about cows and cow hands.”

“What are you guys doing?” asked Jake as he entered the front yard.”

“Midge was singing a funny song,” said Booker-T.

“She does that a lot,” laughed Jake.

“But this time she was pretending to ride a pretend horse,” said Booker-T.

“What were you singing this time?” asked Jake.

“I'm an old cowhand,” sang Midge. “From the Rio Grande.”

“That was from a cowboy movie, I think,” said Jake. “I remember my owner watched it one night.”

“Mine too,” said Midge. “She likes those western movies.”

“My owner likes mystery movies,” said Booker-T. “I never heard anyone singing in them. Only weird music sometimes when something is going to happen.”

“My owner likes the mysteries too,” said Jake. “She watches all kind of movies. But she don't like the real scary ones.”

“Mine too,” said Midge. “But her little nephew's favorite movies are cowboy movies so when he is at the house, there is always a cowboy movie on the TV or cartoons for him.”

“My owner's nephew likes the cartoons best of all,” said Jake. “His favorite cartoon is Mighty Mouse. Remember that song. Here I come to save the day! Which means that Mighty Mouse is on the way.”

“I like that one too,” said Booker-T.

“Have you ever seen a strong mouse, Booker-T?” asked Midge.

“No,” said Booker-T. “Only Mighty Mouse. I like to watch cartoons. They are funny. Popeye is strong too. He eats spinach.”

“How about Tom and Jerry?” asked Midge. “Have you ever seen them?”

“Who are Tom and Jerry?” asked Booker-T.  "I never heard of them.”

“Tom is a big cat and Jerry is a little mouse,” said Midge.

“Oh, I know them,” said Jake. “Tom is a dumb cat always trying to catch Jerry who is always teasing Tom. They are so funny.”

“Cat's aren't dumb,” sighed Booker-T.

“I know that,” said Midge. “We know you are really smart and a little mouse couldn't fool you.”

“It is only a cartoon,” said Jake.

“That's right,” said Midge. “Tom pretends to be dumb. He really is smart. I pretend to ride a pretend horse and Tom pretends to be dumb.”

Booker-T just smiled.  "Maybe I will pretend to be a dog." 

They all laughed. 

The Flying Mouse

The three friends sat in front of the entrance to the Flying Mouse ride as people lined up with their kids to ride the mouse. Each car looked like a big mouse.

“Why do they call it a flying mouse?” asked Booker-T. “There are no wings on it.”

“It looks like a Roller Coaster car, but it's the only a car,” said Jake.

“Lets see what it does,” said Midge.

The little mouse car took off and raced around the track, high above the people as they stood below and watched it go around.

“How can we get on it?” asked Booker-T. “I don't think we will be able to ride this one.”

“Maybe when there is only one person in the car, we can jump in with him,” said Jake. “I think that is going to be the only way we can.”

They slowly walked up the steps to the platform where the people were waiting. They saw only a few kids now. Then there was one kid left. “This will be our chance,” said Jake.

The little boy got into the car. They watched the man put his hands on the controls and they ran and leaped into the car as it began to move.

“OH!” said the little boy as the car was moving. “What are you doing in here?”

Midge looked up at the boy and nudged his knees. The car started moving faster and faster as it went around the track. Jake and Midge sat on the seat with the boy and watched as the car raced around the track. When it reached the top of the track, suddenly it dropped slightly and the speed became slightly faster. As it got to the corner of the track, it made a quick turn and the little boy grabbed hold of Jake. Midge slid off the seat and was sitting on the floor in front of the little boy. “Jake!” screamed Midge. “We are going to fly off the track!”

The nose of the car stuck way out front and from inside the car, it looked as if the car would fly off the track. Then suddenly it turned again and went around another corner.

“Jake!” said Booker-T. “This is too scary! When is it going to stop?”

“Maybe soon,” said Jake. “Why are you hiding on the floor Midge?”

“Booker-T is right,” said Midge. This ride is fast and scary. I'm ready to get off too.”

“Me too,” said Jake. “How do those little kids ride this mouse.”

“I think they are braver than I am,” said Midge.  "This is one human thing I don't want to do again." 

“Do you want to try the Merry-Go-Round again?” asked Jake."Maybe this time you can stay on top." 

“I don't think so,” said Midge. “After that wild ride, I'm ready to go home and take a nap. That ride wore me out.”

“Lets go to the food stands and try to beg for some food,” said Booker-T. “Or maybe some of the food that the kids dropped on the ground. I'm hungry.”

“Lets walk through that area on the way to the front gate,” said Jake. “I'm hungry too.”

The three wandered through the food area hoping to find or beg for some food. They saw some kids at a table eating hamburgers and sat down near the table to watch them eat. The kids ignored them and kept on eating.

“I'm tired, Jake,” sighed Midge. “Can we go to your house now and take a nap?”

“Okay, Midge,” said Jake. “Come on Booker-T, lets go home. I have a big bag of food we can eat some of it.”

They slowly went through the gate and hurried home. “I never want to ride the wild mouse again,” said Midge. "It is too scary." 

Jake and Booker-T laughed so hard they had to sit down a couple minutes before continuing home.

The Train

Jake, Midge and Booker-T walked across the street to the train station where many people were standing around waiting for the train to come into the station.

“I think they are waiting for the train to come,” said Midge. “I want to ride the train again, Jake.”

“We can't ride this train,” said Jake. “They will kick us off far from home if they find us on the train. I don't want to walk a long way to get home.”

“That's too far to walk,” said Booker-T. “My little legs would be so tired if we walked that far and we might get lost.”

“We can sneak into the amusement park and ride that train,” suggested Midge. “If they see us, we won't have a long way to walk home.”

The Pet Store

Midge and Booker-T hurried through the gate at Jake's house.

“Hey Jake!” called Midge. “What are you doing?”

“I'm sleeping,” sang Jake. “Can you see my eyes are closed.”

“No you aren't,” said Midge. “I see you peeking and I hear you answering me.”

“I was sleeping until you woke me up,” replied Jake. “What are you two doing?”

“We came to see you,” said Booker-T.

“Can you see me?' asked Jake.

“We see you,” said Midge. “Can you see us?”

“I sure can,” smiled Jake. “Now that we know we can see each other. What are you two up to this morning so early?”

“We want to do something,” said Midge.

“What do you want to do, Midge?” asked Jake. “It sounds like you have something in mind you want to do.”

“I want to go do the skateboard again,” said Midge. “I bet I can do it better this time.”

“It's too dangerous, Midge,” said Jake.

“You can get hurt on that thing,” said Booker-T. “You don't know how to control it when it goes down that ramp and you fall off.”

“Come on Jake,” said Midge. “Lets go to the skateboard ramp.”

“Lets go Jake,” said Booker-T. “You know she will whine until we go with her.”

“All right,” said Jake. “Lets go. Maybe we will be lucky and kids will be using the ramp.”

“Why is that lucky?” asked Midge.

“Because if they are using it, you can't use it,” said Jake. “And that will be lucky for you so you won't get hurt.”

“Did you see the skateboarding dog on TV Jake?' asked Midge. “My owner had the show on last night and that dog is good on the skateboard. I think I can do just as good as him.”

“I saw that too,” said Jake. “But he didn't go down any hills. He just rode the skateboard on flat ground. You want to go downhill with it and that's dangerous.”

“Maybe I will just ride it on the street,” said Midge. “I can do that okay.”

“Maybe there isn't a skateboard there for you to use,” said Booker-T. “Kids don't always leave them there.”

“Lets go see,” said Midge.

The three started along the sidewalk and around the corner, and Midge saw that they were building something.

“Lets go see what they are building, said Midge.

“I thought you wanted to go to the skateboard ramp,” said Jake.

“I do, but I want to see what they are building first,” said Midge.

They walked over to the construction site where they saw all kinds of trucks and men working.

“What does the sign say, Jake?” asked Booker-T.

“They are building a pet store,” said Jake.

“A pet store?' asked Midge. “Is that where pets go to shop?”

“We don't go shopping,” laughed Jake. “We don't even have any money to shop.”

“Then why are they building a pet store?' asked Booker-T.

“It is for the humans to go buy a pet or their pet's foods and toys and things,” said Jake.

“Why do they sell pets?' asked Midge. “ Did our owners buy us?”

“I don't know,” said Jake.

“Booker-T's owner didn't buy him,” said Midge. “He was free. What kind of pets do they sell?”

“They sell dogs, cats, birds and other kind,” said Jake.

“What kinds?” asked Booker-T.

“Sometimes snakes, mice, rabbits and spiders,” said Jake.

“They sell snakes and mice?” asked Midge. “Why?”

“I guess people want to buy them,” said Jake.

“Who wants to buy a mouse?' asked Booker-T.

“There are a lot of mice outside that they can get free,” said Midge.

“I think the ones they sell are better and they check them out for diseases,” said Jake. “The little boys next door to me had two little white mice, but they forgot and left the cage outside at night and they ran away, I think.”

“I hope a cat didn't get them,” sighed Midge. “Cats like to catch mice.”

“I don't,” said Booker-T. “You taught me to like everyone when I was homeless.”

“Why do people want to buy the pets when there are a lot of homeless animals they can help?”

“I don't know Midge,” said Jake. “I guess they want a certain kind of animal.”

“I think it is sad that a lot of animals don't have a home like we do,” said Midge. “Do they have shelters for all the homeless animals?”

“I think so,” said Jake. “People can go to them and get an animal to take home.”

“Can we go visit the animals there?” asked Midge.

“I don't think so,” said Jake.

“Why?” asked Booker-T.

“If they see us walking around in there, they might think we are homeless and put us in a cage,” said Jake.

“Oh,” said Midge. “I don't want to be in a cage. They might want to sell us to someone and our owners would not be happy.”

“Lets go to the skateboard ramp,” said Booker-T.

“Lets go watch the train,” said Jake. “We can all do that.”

“Which one?' asked Midge.

“The one near the zoo,” said Jake. “I like to watch that train.”

“Okay,” said Midge. “Maybe later we can go see the what animals are in the zoo building again.”

They hurried along the sidewalk to go watch the little train.