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.